RUGBY FOOTBALL

Waipa Post, Volume 42, Issue 3269, 7 March 1931, Page 5

RUGBY FOOTBALL

SUB-UNION CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEME. WAIKATO UNION MEETS. At a meeting of the Waikato Rugby Union executive at Hamilton on Friday evening, presided over by Mr W. Fraser, the sub-committee appointed at last meeting tab.ed its report dealing with the scheme for improving football in the Waikato districts, as under:—

Pursuant to the appointment at the previous executive committee two members of a special comm:ttee set up, met to discuss a scheme for official sub-union matches, a modified scheme as against what is termed the Taranaki system. Messrs Chapman and Yard'ey met and the latter conferred with Mr Speight. The difneu'ty confronting the committee was the question as to whetf-.e • the Hamilton sub-union would join in a championship scheme. Without knowing what attitude Hami ton would take up the committee decided to submit alternate schemes as follow: —

(1) With inclusion of Hamilton the union territory to be divided into east an<l_west sectons: west, Hami'ton, Taupiri, Rag'an, Waipa: east: Mo - rinsville, Matamata, Putaruru, Cambridge, with a final to be payed be tween the winners of east and west sections on a ground to be decided by ballot. The finalists to share the net proceeds (less 10 ner cent to Waikato Union) on a 50-50 basis. Each sub-union to p'ay home and away matches (except fina') a'ternately. (2) Without Hamilton a competition between the other sub-unions on the same principal as No. 1. Five per cent of all ordinary and semifinal gates to be devoted to the Waikato Rugby Union. The championship to be for the Fin 1 ay Cup trophy, the w : nner e-ac'i season to have its name engraved and to hold it until the following season. In the event of a tie in any (or I he) section the venue of the pay-off ;o be decided by the Waikato Rugby Union, which may include a neutral ground. Sub-union matches to commence on the third Saturday in July and to be played each Saturday until completion of the competition, excent'ng when the Waikato Union is engaged in a home match on a Saturday. Th? draw for the season sha 1 be made by the Waikato Union not later than the last Friday in June. Nominations for the competition to be in the hands of the secretary of the Wakato Rugby Union not 'ater than the second Saturday in June.

The two members of the committee referred to consider that a scheme on these lines would be a big improvement on the present Finlay Cup conditions, as half the sub-unions would get two championship matches on their own grounds, whereas at present the weaker unions are compelled, sometimes with the forelorn hope, to travel each year. The Cup record shows that on'y half the unions have held the Cup. The suggested competition should assist sub-unions financially inasmuch as they will have at least one championship Finlay Cup match on their own ground each season. The report was referred to the affiliated sub-unions for consideration, any suggestions' or alterations from them to be put in writing for discussion at the annua l meeting of the Waikato Union on April 17th. Mr Rabone, of the Waikato Referees' Association, reported that his association had been instrumental in arranging for the N.Z. Rugby Referees' Association conference to be held in Hamilton this year. He asked that the Waikato Union accept responsibility for entertaining the delegates during their stay in the district. Mr Marshal explained that the conference is held a'ternately 4 n the North and South Islands, and Hamilton's turn would be about once in fifteen to twenty years. The estimated cost to the Union, if it accepted responsibility as suggested wou ; d be between £ls and £2O. —A grant of £2O was agreed to. The question of sub-union boundaries was raised, but it was exp'a'ned in the case of Waipa and Cambridge, that an ear ier meeting had decided that Cambridge must submit a notice of motion on the subject, and this had not been done. Therefore the Union cou'd not deliberate on the points of the dispute. Howeve", after some discussion, and in view of the fact Waipa'had sent representatives to defend its cairns, it was dec : ded that Messrs A. G. Yardley (president), and B. Chapman (a past president) be a delegation from the Waikato Un on to confer with Waipa and Cambridge representatives at Te Awamutu on a date to be arranged by Waipa, with a view to settlement.