RUGBY MATTERS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 41, 25 March 1914, Page 3

RUGBY MATTERS.

THE CANTERBURY UNION. At the first meeting, held last evening, of this year's committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union there were present Messrs F. T. Evans (in the chair), P. D. Kesteven, A. K. Baker, C. Evans, E. E. Crawshaw, C. Hasell, A. M'Phail, L. Corbett, A. E. Byrne, W. J. Morgan, C. Buchanan, and S.-F. Wilson. The president (Mr G. H. Mason) sent an apology for his absence.

The chairman welcomed the new members of the committee —Messrs Baker, Crawshaw, Byrne, and Morgan. Replying to an application by the union's secretary for a ground in Linwood Park, the Town Clerk of Christchurch stated that there is only one football ground in that park, and that had been let to the Linwood Football Club.

An application from the Linwood Club for the regrading of two of its members was referred to the Permit Committee. The Elmwood Park Committee asked the union to co-operate in the movement to purchase Elmwood Park, and to appoint a representative on the committee. —Mr F. T. Evans was appointed the union's representative. In reply to a letter from the union regarding Hospital treatment for players injured on the playing field, the secretary to the North Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board stated ttiat such cases would be treated at the out-patients' department on the usual terms. —It was explained, s with regard to this, that the object was to secure treatment of urgent cases of injured juniors playing on the North Park, after their matches, and that subsequent treatment would be by the union's doctors. —The matter was referred to the Insurance Committee.

Affiliation was granted to the Belfast Social and Athletic Club, subject to everything being in order. With regard to the revival of the game in North Canterbury, it was stated that Eangiora enthusiasts would like the union to send a team to Eangiora at the beginning of the season, to help in the re-formation of the North Canterbury Sub-union.—The secretary was instructed to confer with Mr H. Wilson, of Eangiora, on the matter. The appointment of the union's delegate in Wellington to the N.Z.E.U. was deferred till the next meeting. Sub-committees were appointed as follow: —Competitions—Messrs Hasell, Byrne, and M'Phail; permit—Messrs Corbett, C. Evans, and Baker; insurance —Messrs Kesteven, Buchanan, and Byrne; advertisii% —Messrs Kesteven and Crawshaw and the secretary (Mr C. W. Hervey). . ... Messrs G. H. Mason and F. T. Evans were deputed 'to wait on the Canterbury Eeferees' Association concerning the alterations which the union had made in its competition rules. Mr F. D. Kesteven <vras appointed to act with the secretary in the preparation of the union's annual.

A sub,-Committee, consisting of Messrs F. T. Evans, Wilson, Corbett, and M'Phail, was appointed to act with the Public Schools' Sports Association 's' sub-committee, regarding the fiftfr-grade 1 competition* ',''■ . An application was made by the Kai&poi Cjub for removal ofl of one of its players who ha#ijpaye<iMn a "friendly" trial game under the- Northern Union rules in the early part of 1913, but now wished to return to the Eugby Union code. It was found that the name of this player had not been sent on to the New Zealand Union, and that he therefore had not been formally disqualified, although he had automatically brought himself within the. scope- of the laws as to professionalism by playing under Northern Union rules. The committee decided to forward the Kaiapoi Club's letter to the N.Z.E.U., with a recommendation that player in question be reinstated. \ A letter was received from the New Zealand Eugby Union stating that it had communicated, as requested by the Canterbury Union, with Mr W. T. Parata, organiser of the Maori touring team of last year, concerning the match played in Auckland last September between; the Australian touring team and the Maoris, as a benefit <■. to S. M. Piki, the Merivale half-back. Piki had one of his legs broken while playing in Sydney with the Maori team last season, and he was in hospital there for a considerable time.

The N.Z.E.U. forwarded a report which Mr Parata had made concerning the Auckland match. This showed that there was a loss of £l3 9/3 on the game, the gate receipts totalling £llO, and the expenses—including the travelling and hotel expenses of I;he Australians, due to the extension of the tour, and the Maori's expenses—to £123 9/3. Besides this, Mr Parata had paid some of the expenses himself. The enquiries' made by the C.E.U.' in this matter arose out of a proposal by the Merivale Club to arrange a benefit for Piki. The co-operation of the C.E.U. was sought, but the union's committee deemed it advisable to as-' certain whether the '' benefit'' match in Auckland had really been a benefit. •;

The matter of a benefit to Piki was left in the hands of a sub-committee, which had previously been appointed, and which will confer with the Merivale Club's representatives.