RUGBY IN WAIKATO.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17077, 14 April 1927, Page 2

RUGBY IN WAIKATO.

CONFERENCE DESIRED.

HAMSLTON UNION'S DECISION.

DISCUSSION BY DELEGATES

Al Hie annual meeting of delegates to the Hamilton Rugby Union last evening, it was unanimously agreed, that it be a recommendation to the Management not to affiliate with the parent body, the Waikato Rugby Union, until a conference was"" held between Waikato and Hamilton to inquire into the conditions existing between these two bodies. The decision follows a conference called -for Hamilton recently which Mr S. S. Dean attended on behalf of the New Zealand Union Hamilton was represented, but the Waikato Union delegates did not attend that conference. Mr A. S. Cliffc said that a meeting recently had discussed the relations with the parent body, and this recommendation was the result. At the proposed conference the differences of opinion between the two bodies could be discussed and rectified. Mr F. Hawkc said that the outgoing committee felt that it was necessary to define some steps lo find out where the position stood. He referred to a reported statement or utterances mado by an official of the Waikato Union at a recent meeting of the Morrinsville Union, which he thought was the attitude Waikato was taking towards Hamilton. The further statement made that Ho milt n was causing dissension among the affiliated subunions was perfectly untrue. Mr G. Morris asked that more defined reasons be given favouring a breakaway.

Mr Clit'fe said that any breakaway would be pending the holding of a conference whereby the differences would be considered and satisfactorily settled if possible.

Grounds for Dissent.

Included in the main grounds, as outlined by the speaker upon which the union held that that there was a eonflict of interest and a conference was desirable, were that Hamilton had insufficient representation on the Waikato Union. There were too many Waikato rep. matches, stopping local fixtures. On the occasion of a Waikato rep. match seven or eight of the Hamilton Union's players got a game, but the balance of 80 to 90 senior players were looking on. The failure of the Waikato Union, after a fair trial (six or seven years), to improve football under the present scheme, and the hostile action of the Waikato Union in endeavouring to obtain another Rugby ground in Hamilton when the Hamilton Union had already spent £I3OO to £I4OO on grounds, and had since spent a further £3OO to £4OO, were pointed out. It was maintained that Waikato's object in acquiring a new ground was to block Hamilton from receiving a percentage of the gates at Waikato Union matches for the use of Hamilton's grounds. Hamilton had never refused Waikato the use of its ground. Refusal to grant exemption to Hamilton's players in unimportant matches was another point outlined. It was maintained that the splitting of the present Waikato Union into two would be in the best interests of football. At present the Waikato Union consisted of nine unions, and extended from Putaruru to Kawhia. On only one occasion had a representative match been played outside of Hamilton,, and this was at. Hamilton's request. Waikato refused to exempt the Hamilton players from this game. It was pointed out that there were 1150 registered players under the Hamilton Union last year.

Remarks in Discussion.

In answer to a question Mr Cliffe said that a conference would take place between Hamilton and the representatives of Waikato. They had'the assurance of Air Dean, of the N.Z.R.U., on the point, and if he could not attend some other representative would. , Mr Colin Speight said that near the end of last year Hamilton had asked for an inquiry through the Waikato Union. The latter had sent the request on to the New Zealand Union, who granted it, and Mr Dean had come to Hamilton to hear both sides, but Waikato had refused to attend. Waikato had put themselves in that position. The reasons, as set out, were full and complete why the conference should be held. Air Hawkc said that Hamilton wanted more representation on the Waikato Onion.

Air Cliffc added that a feeler to that effect had been put to Waikato. Hamilton, which was a big union, shouldering heavy financial responsibility, was really only on a par, so far as representation was concerned, with the small unions of Te Akau, Raglan, and Kawhia. He wished to make it clear that they were discussing the advisability or otherwise of not affiliating with the Waikato until a conference had taken place. He. felt that the conference would sett.l9 a lot of differences, and that was what they were aiming at. He admitted that they were risking disqualification, but the matter had been fully before the delegates, and they were prepared to lake the risk. Not All On One Side.

Mr W. Eraser agreed that a conference was decidedly necessary. He further agreed that a certain section, and only a certain section, of the Waikato Union were antagonistic to Hamilton, but he did not believe that this altitude was wholly on the.side of Waikato. 11 had. been smouldering in Hamilton for some years. He referred to the several members associated with Waikato who were linked with football in Hamilton and the Hamilton Union. These gentlemen knew to a certain extent the differences existing, and it was rather a strange thing that they were not always prepared lo support Hamilton. Perhaps they bad become enlightened. "Tail Wagging the Horse."

In referring to the recent visit of Mr Dean to Hamilton, he said that as a member of the Waikato Union he was asked to attend. The invitation had come through the secretary of the Hamilton Union and not ilio N.Z.R.U. To his view it was a case of "the tail wagging the horse," and he refused to attend. Mr Dean had apologised most profusely, and said it was due to an oversight. Waikato did not know thaL at the time. Would Hamilton have attended a conference of one of its junior clubs, or one of the senior clubs, under those circumstances. "I know What they would say quick and lively," added the speaker. Mr R. 'Jobnston said that it was Hamilton's duly to sec that football was properly catered for in its district. To his view the only way to bring the conference about was to take drastic action. An Untenable Position.

Mr F. Jones, in dealing with Rugby affairs over several years, said that football was in a good position, when they were affiliated .with Auckland. He criticised the action of Waikato in its

endeavour to get another ground, and the refusal last season to free Hamilton players for an important final while an unimportant representative game was on. The question was whether they were going to cater for the majority of players or the few who got into the Waikato reps. The position as at present was an untenable one. It could not go on. The present idea was drastic, and he had raised a lot of objection to it. Something had to be done, and he wished that he could sec a feasible way of achieving results which would le for the betterment of the game for all concerned. In replying to Mr Frascr's remarks in. regard to Waikato not being officially notified of the repent conference by the New Zealand Union, Mr Hawkc said that such was an oversight on the part of the N.Z. Union, and was not Hamilton's fault. He read the correspondence which had passed between Mr Dean, Mr McDavitt, the Waikato and the Hamilton unions on the matter, and maintained that it proved that Hamilton had done everything possible to put itself on-side.