RUGBY REFEREES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20106, 27 March 1928, Page 8

RUGBY REFEREES

WANGANUI ASSOCIATION & ANNUAL MEETING HELD. The annual meeting of the Wanganui Referees 1 Association was held last evening, the president, * Mr f. C. Atkinson, occupying the rhair. In a brief resume of the past season the chairman said that referees had had a fairly strenuous time. Members of the association officiated wral games on 1.37 days during •s*27 and in addition controlled m* representative ami interprovinci.il matches. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: —I*resident.* Mr J. S. King: vice presidents, Messrs I’. Wilson, R. Greenwood; secretary and treasurer. Mr W. H. Rowe; assistant secretary, Mr W. R. McEl waine; hon. auditor. Mr F. E. Boulton; delegate to N.Z. Referees’ Conference at Nelson, Mr R. Greenwood; executive committee and appointment board, Messrs J. B. Rowe, and T. Hurley; Sub-Union representative. Mr J. B. Rowe. In discussing the election of the appointment board Mr J. Rowe suggested that non active referees should hold office. He contended that it was necessary that those controlling appointments should see the various referees at work. Mr J. Molau considered that the fixtures committee of the Rugby HubUnion with one representative of the Referees’ Association should deal with appointments. Mr I’. Wilson expressed disapproval of delegating the association’s powers to another body, and he felt sure .he iSiib-Union was averse to accepting any responsibility with regard to referees’ appointments. It had confidence in arrangements as they were last year. It was ultimately agreed that existing conditions should continue. It was decided to support an Otago remit to the New Zealand Conference that referees’ rulings, at that conference, be submitted to the Rugby Union for confirmation before publication. Exchange of Referees. Remits to the annual conference x raised the matter of the appointment of referees to control Ranfurly .Shield and interprovincial matches. Mr Simms, a member of the New Zealand- Referees’ Executive, said that present arrangements from one end of the Dominion to the other were not satisfactory. There would always be trouble unless the Rugby Union delegated more power to the referees who should have a much greater say than they were getting m all matters pertaining to appointments. “The Auckland referees contend that the New Zealand Association wants a guod clean-up” said Mr Simms. “Perhaps they do, but the present trouble is deeper rooted anrl will not be overcome until referees’ controlling bodies have wider powers.” file speaker pointed out that the Wanganui Rugby Union was averse to the Referees’ Association appoi. ting men «o control inter provincial ma tches. Mr Hurley cunumuroUd the scheme in vogue in Taranaki where appointments were handled entirely by the referees themselves. The manager of a visiting team was handed the name of the roferee on arrival. Mr Simms said that that scheme was quite good but it took away the ok! right of visiting trams to make selections of referees i I -m names submitted. Players wouhi not forego that right without a fight. • The conference delegate was given a free hand to deal with the matter at the conference. With regard to local appointment difficulties, Mr Wilson moved that it be recommended to the Hub-Union that the controlling body in this dis trict take steps to call a conference of ail referees’ associations in its area, including Taihape, Kangitikei, Wainuia Rua and Wanganui, and that a selection of referees to control inter-pro-vincial matches be made and forwarded by that conference direct to the ’New Zealand Rugby Union. This was carried. Votes of thanks were accorded the Cosmopolitan Club and the Press for services render**! during the past /ear.