Mirror (Perth, WA : 1921 - 1956), Saturday 21 May 1921, page 4


FOOTBALL.

Mr. 'Bert' Edwards, M.P., Barred by ' South Australian League— Unfair Treatment Alleged.

An interesting case is worrying the minds- of the football people in Ade-laide, and just what the upshot will be it is hard to say. Mr. Bert Edwards one of the Labour M's.P. for the dis-

trict of West Adelaide, was recently elected a delegate to the S.A. Foot-ball League on behalf of West Ade-laide. When be came to take his seat at the first League meeting, one of the delegates pointed out that Mr. Ed-wards had many years ago been dis-qualified by one of the junior associa-tions for having used alleged abusive language. Mr. Edwards immediately announced that be had not been given a fair trial in that instance, and offer-ed to explain the whole of the posi-tion to the League delegates, and abide by their decision. However, a reso-lution was carried that Mr. Edwards be not admitted to the League meetings until he apologised to the junior as-sociation. Mr. Edwards will not do this, for he takes the view that be knew nothing about the disqualification until some time after it was passed and that he was not given a chance to give his side of the case before be was disqualified; but, in order to overcome the some-what peculiar situation, he was readyto appear before anybody the League might think fit and give his side of the question, and abide by the decision. The League remained adamant. It was a case of an apology or no admittance. Mr. Edwards then consulted one of the leading K.C.'s of the State, and at the last meeting of the League he took his seat in the room, and refused to budge. A resolution was carried that the meeting should be adjourned, and that is where the matter now stands. Mr. Edwards threatens to at - tend every meeting called by the Lea-gue, while his fiercest opponents talk of having the League wound up and disbanded and another League formed without the West Adelaide Club. It is a matter which is being followed by all shades of sports throughout South Australia, and no doubt will arouse plenty of interest in the other States among officials of various sportingbodies.— 'Referee.'