FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 472, 2 April 1909, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

» RUGBY INSURANCE SCHEME. OUTLINE OP THE PROTOSALS. Among i other questions ivhich will come up for consideration at the annual meeting of the JJew Zealand I'ligby Union is a proposal to inaugurate tin accident insurance schemo embracing all players under the jurisdiction of the governing body. M-essrs. A: L. Humphries and W. C. Cargill, who woro appointed to franio recommendations in connection with tlio proposed schemo, recommended that each union shall insure at least 15 players from each of its clubs. All representatives in provincial, ' North and South Island, and New Zealand teams must bo insured. Tho proposed subscription is 3s. Gd. per member per season. No player shall participate in the benefits of tho fund until his subscription has been received. The claims must relate only to injuries received in matches under the jurisdiction of the union. Unless a pliiyer who changes from one district to another procure his clearanco from the union under which he was playing at the time lui was insured his claim shall not be allowed. Incapacitatcd players shall receive 30a. per week whilst unable to follow their usual occupation providing that such time did not exceed IS weeks. If an injured player shall play football within eight days of the accident or skill receivo his customary wages lie shall not to entitled to participate in the fund. Should an injured plaj'er be unable to work at tho ead of twelve, weeks he shall receive, 10.;. per week for an additional six weeks, and, if stiH incapacitated, his case shall be dealt with as the union deem fit. "If a player is totally disabled for life lie shall receive a further sum of .£IOO. In the caso of a player being killed, or dying within six mouths as tho direct outcome of an accident sustained in a. match, his executors shall receive .£l2l. Claiitn? shall not be entertained in dases where the .effect of injury does not continue for seven tfA.vs. In order to participate in the benefits otf the schemo the player must report the accident within 96 honrs of its_ occurrence. Power ..shall bo invested in the union to appoint a doctor to attend an injured player drawing on the fVmds. The union shall subsidise the fund, if rtcessary, to the extent 0f..£250 per annum. If.with the subsidy the fund proves inadequate each union shall lie responsible to the extent of a further 10s. per team. It was further recommended that all claims be made through tile secretary of the local union. According to tho subcommittee the establishment of any scheme which would provide for the maintenance of players ir.eeting with accidents would not only cut away the ground from that section of the community which supported the payment of j'layers, because amateurism did not provide for them wliPn mishaps occurred, but would overcome the obcctions of many young men who would willingly play, but,' in the absence of insurance, were not prepared to take the risk. It was essential from a' financial and working standpoint that any. scheme which was adopted mist be applicable to large and small, to city and country unions alike. Under the existing system in the larger cenfres.doctors' attendance was provided for, but that would be impossible in tho country unions. Therefore, the subcommittee considered it advisable to increase tho amount of the payment to injured players l and the neriod over which they were to extend, and further to provide a substantial sum in case of total disablement. or death. Any conclusion y as to the average number of accidents was largely eness-work.' It was felt that the amount of the proposed contributions would fully provide for all Claims. "We hope," added tfca subcommittee, "that the unions would regard the recommendations not so much as'a definite scheme, but as a suggestion to fill a • langneeded want." ■ NEW ZEALAND RUGBY'UNION. The Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union met last night. Presents Mr. G. Dixon (in ,the chair), and Messrs. Galbraith, Laughton, Laurenson, and Isaacs. The date of the annual meeting was fixed for Thursday, May 13. It was resolved -that it was desirable that a conference between representatives of New i South Wales, Queensland, and New 1 Zealand Unions should be held at an early date, with a view to concerted action to secure alterations in the laws of tho game. Members decided to ask the Otago Union if the newspaper- report o£ th§ remarks alleged to have been made at its annual meeting by its retiring president (in which certain allegations were preferred against them) were a correct report of'hiS'ntteranoes. •Poneke.team picked , to..play Orientals at Athletic Park to-morrow is as follows:—F. Gardiner, ■ Tresize, Price, Hunter, Shadbolt, Mentiplay, ■ ; Dennehey,, . Nansen,. Calcinai, Sinclair,' Elliot, Mitchinson, Ryan, Flanagan, Tillyard, Oliver, and Mitchinson.