NOT APPROVED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 April 1938, Page 7

NOT APPROVED

RESTRICTION OF RUGBY TEAMS PROPOSAL BY WAIRARAPA UNION. ONE MASTERTON FIFTEEN SUGGESTED. In no uncertain terms delegates to the annual meeting of the Wairarapa Rugby Union on Saturday night, rejected a scheme, brought down for consideration by the outgoing Management Committee, to restrict to four the number of teams competing in the senior team from . the Masterton, Red Stars and Old Boys Clubs. The president, Mr A. Corskie, said circulars embodying the scheme had been sent out to all clubs, but only the Greytown Club had replied in .writing. While it did not agree with 'tile proposal to restrict the number of competing teams; the Greytown Club considered. that.. something should be done to raise the standard of football in the district. Mr F. Clarke said the Red Star Club was strongly opposed to the scheme. He thought the lack of interest in club games was due in great measure to the way the fixtures were drawn up at times. On some Saturdays there was no senior game at Carterton. It was a wrong policy from the public’s point of view to play two senior games at the same time at Memorial Park. As an alternative, he suggested that an effort should be made to improve matters in lower grades. Everything possible should be done to foster and encourage the game in the schools and the lower grades. Mr Q. Donald said he did not think the way the fixtures had worked out had anything to do with the attendances at the club games. The South African tour was responsible for that. Referring to Mr Clarke’s suggestion that when two games were set down for Masterton, one should be played as a curtain-raiser, Mr Donald said it was very difficult to get a team from Martinborough to Masterton by 1.30 p.m. No good would come of the proposal, observed Mr S. Henson, who pointed out that last year Old Boys had won the senior championship and Red Stars had been runners-up with Gladstone.

Mr E. Selby said it would be a very detrimental move to place any restriction on the number of senior teams. There was far too much criticism. The Management Committee criticised players and the delegates criticised the committee. They should endeavour to build up confidence between the players, the Union and the delegates. Instead of that they were always criticising the payers, while half of the delegates would go out after the meeting and criticise the Union. Mr Corskie: “It is not fair to say that.” Mr Selby: , “I have heard them.” Mr Corskie: “Well, I haven’t." Mr H. J. McKenzie: “I thought it was only the referees that were criticised?” Mr Selby: “You expect that.” Mr N. G. Rayner said the Old Boys’ Club opposed the proposals. Mr J. W. Colquhoun: “What are you going to do with the overflow of players if you only have one senior team in Masterton?” Mr E. McKenzie: “They can go down to the lower grades. There are a lot playing senior football that are well below standard.” Mr Colquhoun: “The senior players will not go back to junior. They will turn to some other sport.” Mr McKenzie: “If many of them are no better at something else than they are at Rugby they will not be much loss.”

A vote was taken on the proposals, which were turned down.