Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929), Saturday 7 May 1904, page 4


A FOOTBALL POINT.

A knotty problem affecting the football electorate rules was decided at the meet-ing of the association on Friday evening. T. Beachamp, an ex-Fitzroy player, came

to reside in South Australia last October-. He worked and lived in Sturt until about eight weeks ago, when, desiring to play with the Norwood Club, he changed his residence to East Torrens. He applied to the permit committee for permission to play with that- team under rule 42, and it 'was granted. The rule in question reads— 'Any senior player from another state . . . desirous of playing with a club in South Australia must have been a bona fide resi-dent in South Australia for at least 12 weeks immediately prior to being allowed to play.' An appeal was lodged against his being granted a permit, and at the meeting on Friday evening Mr. A. C. Tho-mas, the Sturt delegate, moved that it should be withdrawn, he contended that all the electorate rules should be read to-gether, and submitted that as Beauchamp had qualified for Sturt, and then chang-ed his district, he was brought under rule 39, which provides that a bona fide resi-dence of 12 consecutive weeks immediately prior to being allowed to play shall be re-quired of any player changing his district. It was argued that if Beauchamp were al-lowed to assist Norwood an interstate man could, reside in one district and play for another, which was opposed to the spirit of the electorate system. Further, that a man coming from another state could live in one district for years and then on the last day before the season started get a permit for another club and play with it. To free an interstate man from the neces-sary 12 weeks qualification in one district, it was submitted, might lead to a player from another state offering himself for sale to the highest bidder. Against this it was contended that rule 42, which specially dealt with interstate players, was the only one which applied to the case, and under it as- Beauehamp had resided 12 weeks in South Australia he could play for any club.

As the matter was subject to an appeal to the association the Chairman declined to give a ruling, and by 11 to 3 the permit was withdrawn. Beauchamp will have to reside another month in East Torrens be-fore he can seceure his certificate to play with Norwood.