FOOTBRAWL?

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 965, 7 May 1930, Page 1

FOOTBRAWL?

ROUGH PLAY AT HAMILTON COMMITTEE’S DISCUSSION From Our Own Correspondent HAMILTON, Today. The opinion that so far, the local Rugby season has disclosed an unnecessary amount of rough play was expressed by members at a meeting of the Management Committee of the Hamilton Rugby Union last evening. The question was raised by Mr. C. Speight, who suggested that the union should combine with the Referees’ Association in taking steps to suppress rough p*lay. There was no doubt, he said, that play was a good deal harder than it should be, and the sooner something was done to check it the better. Mr. A. P. Nelson pointed out that since the start of the season four junior players had been ordered off the field, and two others warned. YV*. Udy, who presided, considered that a certain amount of rough play received semi-official approval. The union should make it ctpar that :t did not approve these tactics, and would stop them. This season play had certainly been unnecessarily hard. IN COMMITTEE It was moved that the meeting go into committee to discuss tho matter. This proposal was strenuously opposed hy Mr. E. J. L. Whiting, who believed publicity would produce a salutary effect in checking the type of play complained of. The view that it would be wiser to go into committee was expressed by Mr. A. E. Gibbons, who referred to the report in yesterday’s paper of brutal football in France. Hamilton was only a small union, but if a report of rough play was circulated, outsiders might get the impression that such play was developing all over the Dominion. -^ r - Udy supported the motion on the grounds that an erroneous impression of the real state of affairs might be conveyd in the newspapers. kelson: There is no need to advertise it. Anyone can see the play is rough, and too rough. The meeting then went into committee. After a full discussion it was decided on the casting vote of the chairman not to release for publication the ' text of the resolution, passed.