AUSTRALIAN ATTITUDE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 153, 28 June 1907, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN ATTITUDE.

CONTEMPTUOUS REFUSAIi OF HEIiP. SYDNEY, June 27. The statement that the promoters of the New Zealand professional team are contemplating strengthening their forces by the addition of Sydney players has occasioned some comment in Rugby circles. Several officials made it tolerably certain that the New South Wales Union would not fall into the fatal error made by New Zealand of attempting to bind players by a statutory declaration, and that if anyone under the jurisdiction of the union saw fit to go they would simply have an effective send-off in the way of disqualification. They might go where they listed.

Mr. Green, a member of the Management Committee of the union, said he did not think much help would be given here. For his part, if any player showed the least inclination to go, he would say, " Let him go at once—we would be better without him."

Mr. Hill, secretary of the union, said: " Most of our players are in fairly good positions, and play the game for the pure love of it." He had no anxiety about the movement getting a hold in this State."

Mr. Howe, secretary of the Metropolitan Union, believed there was not the slightest chance of their players taking the trip on. At most a player would make £200 for sis months' work, with attendant risks. The bulk of the money ■would go to the promoters. It looked to him as if an attempt were being made to push some of the trouble stirred up in New Zealand on to them, but if the occasion arose their union would take action " quick and lively,", and deal with any men who encouraged the proposal.