DRASTIC ACTION

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160737, 25 August 1920, Page 4

DRASTIC ACTION

BY RUGBY UNION. FOUR TAIHAPE PLAYERS EXCLUDED FROM TOURING TEAM. The adjourned meeting of the Management _ Committee of the Wanganui Rugby Lnion was held last evening to consider the action of the Taihape SubUnion and four of its senior McAulifie, Cowie, Batley and Murphy—in ref using to piay for the Wanganui representatives against Manawatu at Palmerston North last Saturday on account of a local cup match being arranged for that day. Mr J. McLean moved' as. follows: That the Committee adhere to the resolution passed at the special meeting on the 18th inst. Mr G. Thompson seconded. A notice of motion by Mr G. Hurst, that the resolution passed on the ISth inst. be rescinded, was not accepted, as being a direct negative to Mr McLean’s motion. A lengthy discussion followed. Mr C. D. Frasier asked the mover to addl to his motion the words; “Providing the selectors can fill the places,” but Mr McLean declined to accept this. The motion was then put, with the following result: For. C—Messrs Meoili, McLean, Wilson, Thompson, Takara-ngi and Hayward. Against, 6—Messrs F. and G. Spriggcns, O’Meara, Fraser, Hurst and Parsons. The chairman (Mr E. O’Meara) gave his casting vote against the motion, which was declared lost. Upon this two of the Union officials handed in their resignations,' when it was realised that one of the members of the Committee not entitled to vote had done so against the motion. The chairman put Mr McLean’s motion to the vote again, and it was declared carried on the voices. The resignations were then withdrawn. The selectors will meet this afternoon to select players to fill the vacancies created through the exclusion of tins four Taibape players. The motion passed by tbe Committee at its special meeting on Wednesday last, 18th inst., and referred to and confirmed as above, is as follows: “That this Committee regards the action of the Taihape Sub-Union as a breach of faith, for representative matches must come before cup matches. The Committee considers it absolutely essential that players selected to play for Wanganui against Manawatu on the 21st inst. should do so. Failure on the part of these players to fulfil the rep. engagement will result in these players being excluded from the team to go on the southern tour.”