A SUSPENSION SHELVED.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 414, 8 June 1915, Page 9

A SUSPENSION SHELVED.

FOOTBALL TRANSFER RULES. Considerable time was spent by the Canterbury Football Association last evening in considering a ease in which the association 's transfer rules had not been complied with. Last night's discussion was the second stage.

At its previous meeting the committee had decided to suspend A. H. Mitchell for one Saturday, unless he could show good* cause why lie should not be so dealt with, for signing on for the Nomads Club at a time when he was a member of the Lin wood Club and had not paid his membership fees to that club. Mitchell had paid his fees shortly before Just week's meeting of the committee.

With regard to this matter the Liuwood Club reported that it had accepted Mitchell's resignation, but had carried the following resolution: —"That the transfer of Mitchell to the champions is inimical to the best interests of the game, considering the huge scores which the Nomads team have already been recording against less fortunately placed clubs, whose personnel the Canterbury Football Association should strengthen, with a view to creating a more sustained interest in the competition." A letter was also received from the Nomads Club, giving an explanation* which was amplified by Mitchell, who was in attendance later in the meeting.

The president (Mr R. English) pointed out that the Nomads Club's explanation did not absolve Mitchell of having signed a declaration that he had paid his fees to the Linwood Club at a time when "he had not paid. The form signed by him for the Nomads Club also contained a declaration that he had not signed ~a registration form for another club for the current season, whereas he had signed on for Linwood. Mr P. L. Da vies argued that the .fact, that Mitchell had signed the registration form for Nomads when he had not paid his dues to Linwood did not matter so long as he had paid before the form was received by the association. The president dissented from , this. The man was liable to disqualification if he signed the form before" he had paid his fees to the other club. Mitchell was then asked for his explanation. He stated that when he intimated, some before, his desire to leave the Linwood Club, he was approached by several .other chibs. Eventually he agreed to play for Nomads when he was eligible, and, .as a sort of security that he would do so, he signed a blank registration form, bearing no names of any clubs, and handed it to an officer of the Nomads Club on the distinct understanding that it was not .to 1 Be completed and sent in to the association until he had paid his fees to the Linwood Club.. Unfortunately, the Nomads Club sent in the form before he intimated that he was financial with Linwood. He had no mten-; tion of completing, his registration with Nomads until he had received a clearance from Linwood, and he contended that he should not be-penalised for an error by the Nomads Club. After further discussion the committee, by six votes to two—three members ;did not vote—accepted Mitchell's explanation as satisfactory. Therefore the suspension decided upon -at Jast week's meeting does not come into effect. . - ■ - In the discussion it was pointed out that Nomads Club had broken the association's rules. This phase 6f the matter, however, was uot.pmsued after the resolution accepting "Mitchell'» explanation had been carried.