WAIPAWA COUNTY SUB-UNION.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue 86, 13 April 1927, Page 3

WAIPAWA COUNTY SUB-UNION.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the above Union was held in the Municipal Council Chambers on Monday evening. The delegates present were:—Te Aute, Messrs Loten, Okey, Sinclair, Dugdale; Tikokino, Mr S. Houghton; Takapau, Mr W. Johnstone; Waipawa, Messrs Wood, Verran, Wynn; Onga Onga, Messrs Parker and Macfarlane; Waipukurau Old Boys, Messrs Kirby, O’Donnell, Glentworth; Waipukurau, Messrs Adams, Chambers, Gibson; Waipawa High School. Mr Lockhart. Messrs N. McKenzie (selector), W. Anderson (secretary), and A. E. Young, of the Hawke’s Bay Union, were also present, as well as several local supporters of Rugby. ANNUAL REPORT. The report (as recently published in the “Mail”) was the first item of business. The question was raised as to whether last year’s chairman still retained office. The chairman (Mr W. J. Wood) said that was the usual procedure. He then moved the adoption of the report, and in doing so referred to the season’s activities which, he said, might have been better financially, but he was satisfied there had been an improvement in the standard of play. Mr Adams took exception to the mention of gate receipts at Waipukurau, and asked whv Waipukurau was singled out. He also asked if donations or gates had been received from Tikokino, Takapau, and Onga Onga. The speaker said Waipukurau contributed more in affiliation fees than any other part of the Rub-union. Personally, he thought clubs should first consider their own finances. Mr Kirby commented on the fact that mention had not been made of the work of the Referees’ Association. Tile chairman said it was a matter that had been overlooked.

The secretary (Mr Cooper) said that a grant of £ls set down in the balance-sheet showed that the Referees’ Association had not been entirely overlooked. The report was adopted. The chairman explained that the balance-sheet, as printed had, owing to the absence of the auditor on holiday, not been audited. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of officers resulted:— Patron, Sir G. Hunter, M.P.; president, Mr H. M. Rathbone; vice-presi-dents, Messrs Percy Hunter, D. P. McLean, J. W. Harding, J. D. Ormond, E. Wilson, A. Parsons; chairman, Mr W. J. Wood; auditor, Mr H. C. Collett; secretary and treasurer, Mr G. Cooper; delegate to Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union, Air A. E. Young; senior selector, Mr W. Johnstone; junior selector, Mr N. Verran; management committee, a delegate from each club. FOURTH GRADE COMPETITION.

The inauguration of a fourth grade competition was discussed as the result of a communication from Waipukurau High School Old Boys’ Club. It was decided to agree to the request, details to be left in the hands of the Management Committee. HONORARY SURGEONS. On the suggestion of the Referees’ Association it was decided to ask the Waipawa, Waipukurau and Takapau medical men to accept office as honorary surgeons. CHANGE OF NAME. The question of the change of name of the Sub-union then came up. Communications hearing on the subject were forwarded by the Referees’ Association and Mr L. McCarthy, secretary of the Waipukurau High School Old Boys ’ Club. Mr Chambers then moved the following resolution: —“ (1) That the name of the Sub-union he changed fi'om Waipawa County to Central Hawke’s Bav Sub-union. (2), That the headquarters he at Waipukurau.” In speaking to his motion Mr Chambers asked leave to withdraw lhe latter portion referring to the change of headquarters. He said he was not moving his motion in any parochial spirit, hut considered that the time had come for a change. The name Waipawa County, he considered, was a misnomer. Waipukurau provided six teams and Waipawa three. He referred to the fact that the title for Dog Trials and Gun Clubs held in other parts of Hawke’s Bay under the name of “Central” were being' used as an argument against the change, hut the speaker said they were discussing football not gun clubs.

Mr O’Donnell, in supporting the change, sajd there were three centres in Hawke’s Bay, Napier-Hastings, Waipawa-Waipukurau and Dannevirke. The proposed change of name would cover that area from Te Aute to Norse Wood. The names given to gun clubs and dog trials were in rural districts where the population was scattered. He was not actuated by Personal feeling, hut would like the Union to be associated with a name in common with that, body that gave us the Ranfurly Shield team. The name Waipawa County did not embrace the football activities.

Mr Holms also supported the "hange as far as the title. He dressed the point that the name Waioawa did not cover the football activities of the Union. He also referred to the title given the Centra! Hawke’s Bay Power Board and that of the cricketers whose controlling body was the Central Hawke’s Bay Association.

Mr Dugdale opposed the change and quoted instances in the South T sland where similar conditions existed and changes had not been made. The discussion ended hv the chairman expressing pleasure at the friendly manner in which the discussion had been conducted.

On the motion being'put to the vote, the voting was equal, and the chairman gave his easting vote against the motion. CONTROL OF GROUNDS. The chairman brought up the question of the control of football grounds and stated that the Hawke’s Bay Union were urging that the Subunion should have control of all grounds on which matches were played. The reason why Waipukurau was specially mentioned in the annual report was that the ground was a good draw, but was under the control of the Borough Council. He failed to see why some arrangement could not be made.

Mr Adams said as far as his club was concerned they had no jurisdiction as the Borough Council was the controlling body. He asked what percentage would bp expected. Mr Chambers gave details as to the conditions governing Russell Park, and said he was not aware of the Sub-union having' yet asked for control. The Sub-union should make an application for it. The chairman stated that the Hawke’s Bay Union were insisting on grounds being controlled by Subunions and he thought that the Subunion should have control of all grounds upon which football under their jurisdiction was played. Mr Chambers said it was a drastic move, and asked what the position would he if the Sub-union could not secure control.

Mr O’Donnell suggested that the word “endeavor” should he included in the chairman’s suggestion. Mr Loten supported the chairman’s suggestion and it was decided to have the suggestion carried out.

Realism on the wireless led to a curious incident at Penrith Farm, Penybontfawr, Montgomeryshire. Included in the programme was a representation of the chirping of a bird. The sound attracted the attention of the family eat, which was nestling on the lap of one of the listeners-in. The animal raised its head, listened, and finally jumped into the loud speaker head first!

Special air shopping day excursions between London and Paris will be inaugurated by Imperial Airways during the coming summer. Beginning' on April 11th, a fourteen-seater Handley Page Rolls-Royce air liner will leave the London Air Station daily for Paris at 7.15 a.m., arriving there at 9.45 a.m. After a stay of eight and three-quarter hours in Paris the return ’plane will leave Le Bourget Aerodrome at 6.30 p.m., and is timed to arrive at Croydon at 9 p.m. Special cars will convey passengers free of charge between the aerodrome and the centres of Paris and London on both the outward and homewood journeys.

The ancient Devonshire town of Totnes, ten miles from Newton Abbot, is to receive about £150,000 under the will of Mr Sidney Paige Adams, of Bvookesby, Newton Abbot, who died on Christmas Eve, aged 82, leaving £215,881, with net personality £213,339. Mr Adams, who was for more than 30 years a member of the London Stock Exchange, left numerous bequests to relatives and charities.

The residue of the estate is left to Mrs Adams for life, after which sums totalling about £BOOO are allocated to religious and charitable objects. The ultimate residue goes to the treasurer of the Borough of Totnes, the income to be devoted to the benefit and improvement of the town or the reduction of the rates, as the Mayor and corporation may decide.