FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 8277, 19 October 1905, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

Charges Against the Manawatu

Team.

The Wellington Episode.

The Manawatu Rugby Union on Tuesday evening further discussed the matter of the alleged misconduct of the team that recently travelled to AVellington. Mr A. N. Gibbons was in the chair.

A communication was received from the Editor of tho Times (in reply to a request of the Union) that "Rugbyite," who recently wrote in the columns of the paper, had declined to permit his identity to be made known. Mr Gibbons, who had been deputed to make enquiries regarding the alleged damage in the Hotel at AVellington, reported that the ignorance displayed by those in charge of the Hotel on these matters was equalled only by that of members of the team. Mr Gibbons went on to give details of a conversation he had had with a daughter of the proprietress, and as far as he could draw from the replies to his questions, the damages were trivial. The charges appeared to be made in a general way. Moreover, the lady had been unable to give the names of any of the plajers making a disturbance, and a reference to the hotel register was without result, for in some cases the names of the occupants were not written against the rooms. A conversation he-had had with the Secretary of the New Zealand Rugby Union gave him to understand the position was that if the Manawatu Union did not make drastic enquiries into the matter, the NewZealand Union would.

3lr Gibbons, in the course of further remarks, spoke of the absurdity of the players, when before the Union, expressing ignorance of the whole of the misdemeanors.

Mr AVarden was rather of the opinion that the players had come back with a somewhat exaggerated opinion of what they had done; but Mr J. Manning said he did not share this opinion. He fully believed, from information he had received, that all that had been reported had been done. He hoped now to be able to sheet home the offences to the players responsible.

After considerable discussion it was decided that as certain charges relating to the conduct of the team at AVellington are to be laid before the Union, a special meeting be called for Friday evening next, at which all suspended players are instructed to be present.

Letters from Messrs Val Scott and J. Stalker, regarding their suspension, were held over till next meeting.— Maitatvaiu Times.