VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA

Chronicle (Levin), 26 April 1946, Page 7

VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA

INVITATION TO N.Z. TEAM | "Au iiiviLnt mu Ikik liicui extomlcd by Ihe Soutli Ahirau Kugby FootbalJ i Huard for a Aew Zealand team to tour j South Afriea in the neur 1'uLure, lo take j the plare of Ihe tour vvhirh was arrang- ) ed for li).'!!t, and wliicli had to bo post- j poned when war broke out, and tlie rouncil has tentalively agreed to accept \ the invitatiou for the li)4S season, sub- j ject to slnpping and other arrangements | being i'avourable, " stales the report o± j the A'ew Zealand Rugby I'nion, to l>e | presented. at tlie annuai lneeting on ! Mav 2. I "A roquest has lieen rcccived. froin the Fiji Jtugbv Union for a visit by a i Mauri team in Ihe 1017 sanson.. The matter will be further discussed by the incoming coiincil." i i ! Thc report says tliat this season 's. : niat.ches will servu as u prelude to the :lrials iu 1017 for the selec.tion of tlie i team to tour .South Ai'rica. j Mention is made oi' thc union 's doep regret that such a Jarge number oi Kugby players will not rcturn to play j again oji Xru Zealand pla.viag lields. j "Sinre 1022 M r. Cecil .1. W'ray has I been Ihe union's reprusentalive on tluItugby Footbali I'nion (Englaiid), and he has imieed been a most uorthy re preseiitativc, and at all tiiues kept .tlie execulive well posled in all malters pertainiug to the game,'' the report con tinues. "Jle has inlbnateil his desire to retire this year, and wo are deeply indebted to hini for ihe valued services rendered over Ihe last 25 years. Opportiuiity has been taken of the visit to Englaud of Mr. J. 11. 1'arker, a member of the exccutivc £o make a prcsentatlon to Mr. Wra.v upon his retirement. Finaiicial Position. "Thc yoar's working, " says tlie re port, "resulted in a prolit of £181 8s Jd, wliieh must be considered very salisfac tory. klost of tlie affiliated unions, if not all, have sliown a buoyancy in re venue and, with -thc* eessation of liostilities, and petrol restrictioiis likely to be removed at an early date, all union« should lie baclt on a sound financial basis. Dufing the year the rouncil wiped X)ff the sum of £1175 4s 9d on account of interest owing by unions which wero unable to meet their obligations on arcount of war conditions." Tlie balance-sheet sliows that the North Island v. South Island match, which drew a reeord crowd at Auckland, had a gross gate of £2493 16s 3d. Of that sum £316 16s 6d was paid in amusement tax, ground rent aceouiiterl for £690 7s 3d, and other cliarges on the talcings aniounted tox£22S 6s 6d. Tne New Zealand union received £1258 6s, and wlien the cust of assembling. the fonm (£295 5s 5d), the selcctors' ox-

penses £89 l()s 9d), and sundry expenses had been niet, the proiil on tlie match was £862 14s ld. The union recejved £99 2s in donations from alliliated unions and £114: !)s ld in interest on loans to unions, and on invcstments and Post Oiiice and uatioual savings accounts. Expenditurc included £805' for scliooi grants, with another £190 given toward school tournaments. Meetings of tlie counc.il cust £204 6s 5d, and the cxpenses of delegates to tlie annuai meet ing totalled £106 1 Is. The accumulated funds, of which £28,911 7s 1 ld is on loan to ' unions, ainount to £43,540 5s 7d.