Image TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage Tile
Image size: 5632x6656 Scale: 35% - PanoJS3
Page overview thumbnail

Article text

RUGBY LEAGUE DISPUTE.
NEW DISTRICT BODY FORMED.
A meeting of northern district Rugby
League players at the Trades Hall, New-
castle, last night, gave consideration to
the position that has arisen with regard
to the differences between the Rugby
League and the northern branch. Mr. W.
Bailey was voted to the chair.
Mr. S. Lewis, general secretary of the
South Newcastle Rugby League Football
Club, wrote as follows:- The question
of the disqualification has been placed
before my members, and the matter gone
into thoroughly, and it Is with pleasure that
I am able to inform you that a resolution
was passed, that the above club would not,
under any circumstances, play under the
jurisdiction of the northern branch of the
New South Wales Rugby League Football
Association. I shall therefore be glad if
you will include my "B" and "C" grade in
the competition, which it is proposed to
continue. I have been instructed to send
you herewith £1 1s as a donation towards
the funds of the proposed new body.
Wishing you every success in your pro-
posed venture." Mr. Frank E. Butter
worth, secretary of the Kurri League,
wrote, apologising for inability to attend,
and stating, "We are in favour of the new
association, and have every confidence in
your committee." Other delegates ap-
pointed by various clubs were:-Lambton,
Messrs. F. Doherty, A. Bailey; F. Bell ;
South Newcastle, Messrs. Bailey, Barlow,
and S. Lewis; Northern Suburbs, Messrs
Patfleld, Price, and Hackworthy; Broad-
meadow, Mr. H. Walters; Central, Messrs.
G. Patterson, R. Morgan, W. Vallenden.
Mr. J. Patileld (Western Suburbs) mov-
ed, "That a new body be formed to-night."
Mr. Bell seconded the motion, which was
adopted.
Mr. Burnett rose to speak, but was in
formed by the chairman that no discus-
sion would be allowed until the body was
formed.
Nominations were then called for office
bearers.
The following were unanimously elected:
-President, Mr. W. Bailey; trustees,
Messrs. R. Paine, W. Bramble, R. Webber;
treasurer, Mr. Patfield; secretary, Mr. F.
Grahame; assistant secretary, Mr. S.
Lewis.
The chairman said he was sure the offic-
cers would administer the rules pro-
perly, and they " would have no
body over them to disqualify
them for nothing at all." Re-
ferring to the organisation in connec-
tion with the formation of the new body,
he said there was not a dissentient voice
In the clubs. He hoped everything would
go right on smoothly, and that in the mid-
dle of the competition there would be no
body to overrule any decision of the com-
mittee.
Mr. G. Paterson (Central Club) stated
that his club had donated £1 Is to the
now body. Mr. Grahame said he had re-
ceived two collection boxes with contents
from the match between Northern and
Western Suburbs for the new body.
Mr. S. Burnett (one of the man-
agement committee of the Now
South Wales Rugby Football League)
said he was appointed to come to
Newcastle and express their opinion and
endeavour to place the governing body's
side of the question. He was really in
a quandary. They had now formed a new
body to break away, and that did not give
the governing body an opportunity of plac-
ing their views before them. If they
would agree to revoke the business already
done and give him an opportunity to ad-
dress them he was quite prepared to do so.
The chairman : This branch has been
formed, and as far as I am personally con-
cerned I am prepared to let anybody have
a say, but I am not prepared to let the
business that has been done be interfered
with one Iota.
Mr. Grahame said the matter of break-
ing away had been fully considered by the
delegates around the table. They felt
they had not had fair treatment from the
League, and they felt they could conduct
their own affairs.
Mr. Burnett said he felt that the League
had not had a fair deal. To expect him
to put the case before the players at that
juncture was wrong. There were some
players in the district who were sacri-
ficing their future as footballers. Some
time they would realise what they had
done. The responsibility rested on the
committee that was leading them.
The chairman said he was glad Mr.
Burnett had stated that the responsibility
rested on the committee. "Every point of
interest to the players has been dis-
cussed," he added. " We organised vari-
ous centres, and the whole matter has been
placed before the various clubs." It was
the players who had taken up this atti-
tude. He denied that the League had
given the northern branch every consi-
deration, as had been claimed.
Mr. G. W. Cuthbertson, as representing
the League, expressed the hope that even
at the eleventh hour the differences could
be adjusted. He believed that all the mat-
ters at issue could have been fixed up at
a round-the-table talk.
Mr. Grahame, in the course of his re-
marks, referred to various matters at
issue. With regard to the Davies case,
he said that player was played by West-
ern Suburbs, who were short of men, and
that was done so as not to disappoint the
public. He condemned the League for
their action in refusing to accept a certain
nominee of the northern branch as their
representative, and for their attitude in
regard to a vote of no-confidence that was
carried by the branch in respect to a
representative of the branch.
Mr. Burnett spoke at considerable
length. He said he had come to the meet
ing at personal inconvenience. He world
ask them to hesitate, and think very
seriously about what they were going to
do. They would cut themselves out from
football of every description, except that
controlled by the new body. They had a
wealthy organisation to fight.
The chairman asked if Ray Norman's
case was exactly the same as the Davies
case, residential qualification, and whe-
ther the Sydney body imposed a three
months' disqualification
Mr. Burnett: I don't say whether they
did or not. It is my recollection that they
did. I think that was before the Davies
case.
Various other questions were asked Mr.
Burnett by different members.
Mr. Nightingale, secretary of the
Referees Association, was asked by the
chairman whether he had, prior to the
competition opening, demanded of the sec-
retary of the northern branch the
League 1916 rates
Mr. Nightingale said he did not deny it.
Other matters were also discussed.
$