LEAGUE PLAYERS HELD TWO MEETINGS LAST EVENING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18992, 11 February 1930, Page 11

LEAGUE PLAYERS HELD TWO MEETINGS LAST EVENING.

Clubs Protest At Motion That Demanded Certain Resignations.

Two meetings concerning the recent trouble in the Rugby League code in Christchurch were held last night. One, at the YJI.CA rooms, was attended by from twenty to thirty persons, mainly players, who, it is stated, were unanimous on a motion demanding the resignations of the chairman of the Management Committee of the Canterbury Rugby League (Mr J. K. Worrall), the hon secretary (Mr S. M. Richardson), and the hon treasurer (Mr L, Amos). The meeting, which had been summoned by the president of the league (Dr H. T. J. Thacker) by newspaper advertisement that morning, decided to call another general meeting of players for to-night, at the Y.M.C.A. I'ooms at 7.30.

The other meeting was at the Trades Hall. It was, it is stated, summoned by the secretary of the league in response to a request from the president (Dr Thacker). Members of the Management Committee of the league attended, and it is stated that only one club was not represented. After receiving letters from seven clubs dissociating themselves from the decision of the meeting of players on January 23—which meeting demanded the resignations of the chairman, secretary and treasurer—the Management Committee passed the following resolution unanimously: “That in view of the various statements attributed to Dr Thacker and his unconstitutionally calling a meeting of delegates, this committee demands his attendance at its meeting on Monday evening next.” It is understood that only one meeting was to have been called for last night. By letter on February 5 Dr Thacker, as president of the League, instructed the secretary to call a joint meeting of the Management Committee and the Monica Park trustees, so that a deputation of players, two from each club, could place before it the players’ reasons for asking for the resignation of the three officials concerned. The secretary, it is stated, did not receive Dr Thacker’s letter until after returning from the North IslancJ, on Sunday morning, and he then called the meet- ; ng for the Trades Hall. Dr Thacker, by advertisement in yesterday mornit'g’s newspapers, himself summoned :he meeting for the Y.M.C.A. rooms. ».nd in doing so he declared that his • ter to the secretary had not been tended to.

MEETING IN Y.M.C.A. ROOMS. The meeting in the Y.M.C.A. rooms was attended by from twenty to thirty persons, among whom were the following: Dr Thacker, Messrs J. Chick, W. Desmond, W. Rogers (Linwood Club), F. Sheahan, J. M’Quillan, J. R--o’Shaughness\% H. Gillespie, J. C. Dobbs (Marist), A. O’Connor, H. M. Blazey (Waimairi), J. W. Lamberton, W. Le Warne (Sydenham), and N. Vivian (Hornby). At 7.30 p.m., and before the meeting began, the newspaper reporters asked Dr Thacker, who was then in the chair, if the press were to be allowed to be present. The president replied in the negative, stating that it was to be a private meeting at which the players'present would state their grievances. “ Would you consider patting the question of the exclusion of the reporters to the meeting for decision? ” the president was asked. “No. What I say, goes,” replied Dr Thacker. We can then take it that the meeting is in accord with your decision?” queried the reporters. Dr Thacker: I’m not saying another word, for I might be treated like Mr Harry Atmore was at Warner’s the other night. I may have a report supplied to you. The journalistic trio then withdrew, to wait until the meeting should be over. It had not commenced by 7.45 pjn., at which time Mr P. Chick, the Linwood Club’s delegate on the League’s Junior Advisory Board, withdrew and presumably made for home. He stated that he did not care to remain at the meeting when he was the only club delegate present. He had left behind at the meeting two players from his club. “We had a wonderfully unanimous meeting,” stated Dr Thacker to reporters, after the meeting had finished shortly before 10 p.m. “We have drawn up a programme of procedure and are calling a general meeting. of players for Tuesday night. I think that they are going to clean things up' now.” From other sources it was learned that the meeting had passed a motion calling for the resignations of the chairman, secretary and treasurer of the J League. Dr Thacker was the main j speaker at the meeting.

THE. TRADES HALL MEETING. The following delegates were present at the meeting of the Management Committee in the Trades llall:—Messrs J. K. Worrall (chairman), W. Smith (vice-president). L. Cox (Hornby), F-. M’Gloin (Addington), P. Kirton (Referees’ Association), R. English (Woolston), C. Derrett (Waimairi), H. Bassett (Sydenham). A. Wylie (Junior Advisory Board). S. M. Richardson (secretary), and L. Amos (treasurer). It was reported that the secretary had received the following telegram from the secretary of the New Zealand Rugby League (Mr O. Carlaw) :—“Dr Thacker wired Mr Snedden stating the necessity for his attendance at the meeting of trustees and the League to be held in Christchurch on Monday night. New Zealand Council have decided that Mr Snedden’s presence is inadvisable without definite information. Letter follows, reaching you Monday.” Mr Cyril Snedden is president of the New Zealand Rugby League. LETTERS FROM CLUBS. “These letters confirm the opinion expressed by delegates at the meeting on . January 9,” stated Mr Worrall, when the following letters from clubs were read at the meeting:— Waimairi Club.—As president of the Waimairi Club, I wish to state that I was at no time notified of the meeting of players held to discuss the position regarding Monica Parkj or for a representative of my club to attend. My committee has never met, and therefore no official players from Waimairi were in attendance. I am given to understand that only one member of my club attended this meeting. Trusting that *-his information will assist you in a discussion on the matter.—W. Smith, president. Hornby Club.—l wish to protest on behalf of the Hornby Club at the action taken, at the meeting of registered League players held on January 23, as not five per cent of our registered players were notified that such a meeting was to take place. Therefore such players as were not notified had no chance of recording their vote on such a serious question.—A Davis, secretary.

Riccarton Club.—On behalf of my club I wish to state that we are not in. accord with the motion passed at the recent meeting of players, asking for the resignation of Messrs Worrall, Richardson and Amos. Seeing that my club has a membership of over SO players, I think that we should have been notified.—A, Thompson, secretary. Linwood Club.—l am instructed to notify you that my club does not hold with the decision of the meeting of players. Moreover, we have every confidence in our delegate to the Junior Advisory Board, and in the executive of the League.—W. E. Desmond, secretary.

Addington Club.—At a committee meeting of the above club it was moved that we disassociate ourselves from the resolution moved at the meeting of players, and that we have every confidence in our delegate and also in the officials of the League Centre, and endorse any action they may have taken.—G. Yardlev, secretary.

Woolston Club.—l have been instructed by my committee to object strongly to the attitude of certain persons of your League in calling a meeting of players which, in our opinion, was out of order, as the Woolston Club was not officially notified that the was to be held. So on behalf of the Woolston players I wish to disassociate ourselves from the decision of that meeting—W. Main, secretary. Ex-West Coast Club.—l beg to advise that my club have full and complete confidence in the present executive officials of the League.—A Wylie, secretary.