SEATS FOR FOURTH TEST

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1930, Page 9

SEATS FOR FOURTH TEST

COUNTRY UNIONS DISSATISFIED. By Telegraph.—Press Palmerston N., Last Night. Strong protest at the action of the Wellington Rugby Union in failing to adhere to its original promise to reserve sufficient accommodation for the fourth test at Wellington for patrons from country unions outside Wellington was voiced at the Manawatu Rugby Council to-night. The protest arose when an intimation' was received that only 450 seats had been set aside for visitors from the country unions—Manawhenua, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Wanganui and Bush. Mr. J. A. Colquhoun, president of the Manawatu Council, stated that at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union Mr. S. S. Dean and Mr. J. Prendeville had given an assurance that if they were allowed to impose the present test charges ample accommodation for members of country unions would be provided. Mr. Colquhoun expressed the opinion that these two officials had gone back on their pledged word in the matter. EXPLANATION AT WELLINGTON. “EXTRAVAGANT STATEMENTS.” Wellington, Last Night. “The chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Union has complained about what he calls the shocking treatment given country unions concerning the. booking of stand seats for the fourth test; it is typical of his extravagant statements, but I think we should reply to-the complaint,” said Mr. J Prendeville. chairman of the Wellington Rugby Union at to-night’s meeting. There were 4218 stand seats available, he said, and of these blocks B, F and G, containing 2107 scats were_ for Wellington patrons. Block C contained 750 seats, and of these 450 had been set aside for country patrons, the remainder being allocated for visiting officials, referees and other officials. Blocks D and E had 1306 seats, and of these 7-30 were required for holders of season tickets, local- committee officials, life members and the Press. There were left 630 seats available at £1 each. “We are running this match just as Canterbury did the second test and Otago the first test,” Mr. Prendeville said. “There were no complaints from the country districts as far as those matches were concerned. We are trying to act fairly and squarely by the outside patrons and our regular Wellington patrons. If we had 10,000 seats we would have no difficulty in selling them. “Country patrons could not have all the £1 seats; the balance, roughly 218, had to be held back for city patrons. The* country allocations had been used up because in addition it had been agreed to give favourable consideration to applications from outside union officials.”