“RUGBY UNION DOES NOT UNDERSTAND.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19117, 9 July 1930, Page 9

“RUGBY UNION DOES NOT UNDERSTAND.”

HOCKEY PEOPLE WANT BACK GROUND, NOT OVAL

Officials at the head of hockey affairs in Christchurch are somewhat perturbed by the pronouncement at last night’s meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Union that the Hockey Association should not be allowed to use a ground at Lancaster Park for the hockey shield match, Canterbury v. Wellington, on July 19. The Rugby Union decided, instead of granting the Hockey Association the use of the oval as a curtain-raiser to the grade game on that date, to offer them the use of the Show Grounds, the association to take all the gate themselves.

Mr L. L. Smith, president of the Canterbury Hockey Association, said this morning that there were several points on which the Rugby Union were not clear. The first was that the- association did not want to play on the oval. They realised that the markings of the ground would interfere with Rugby.

“For these shield matches,” Mr Smith said, “ the ground has to be marked out differently. The length given in the rules is 100yds, to begin with. When the Indian Army team were here, it did not matter so much, but in these games we must abide by the rules. We do not want to have the oval, for that reason. We wanted one of the back grounds. The Show Grounds are a littfe out of the way. If they are in order, however, we will avail ourselves of the offer. Our Ground Committee will inspect the ground. “ The point we are worried about is this:—At their meeting last night, the Rugby Union seemed to be under the impression that we were not ‘ pulling our weight ’ the S-turday before last. We were granted the use .of a back ground early, on that occasion, and the union allowed us £2O. It was said at last night’s meeting that we did not get more than £5 worth of people to the park. We maintain that we got the full £2O worth of people. If they can prove that we did not, we would be willing to adjust matters. “Our Best Friends.” “ We don’t want to fall out with the Rugby Union. We recognise that they are about the best friends we have in the city. They have always been very fair with us, just as we have always tried to do our bit in these matters. An outside suggestion to us was to the effect that we should apply for a ground straight to the Board of Control, but we would far rather have straight out dealings with the Rugby Union.” The committee of the Hockey Association held an emergency meeting this morning, and, as soon as they receive official notification of the union’s decition last night, they will endeavour to arrange a consultation with Rugby Union representatives, to make further application for the use of one of the back grounds, and to remove any misunderstandings that might exist.