CORRESPONDENCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1449, 25 May 1912, Page 12

CORRESPONDENCE.

LETTER FROM HAWKE'S BAY. The following letter, which has been received from Hawke's Bay, relates to a burning question. The writer says:— Sir,—l notice that moribund body, yclept the Now Zealand Rugby Union, has been hard at it making itself ridiculous. I wonder how many of those important individuals ever read the "Athletic News," and especially the column under tho initials "W.L.S." There they will find, or rather should have found, the reason why no invitation was extended to New Zealand for another tour through Great Britain.

About eighteen months ago an article appeared wherein it was stated that it was hopeless for New Zealand to expect another invitation, as it was certain that Scotland ami Ireland would not join iu, and now we find, on reference to a late paper, that Wales has said that she won't'jiiin meiHiyr for the present. Ifow long "present" stands for was not stated, but, judging ),y articles in English sporting papers, it stnnds for imlet'milclv, I think.

Mr. Campbell and others feared isolation. Well, they need nut trouble themselves about that, a? another "amateur" "All Black" tnam will not visit Great Britain for a Inns; time yet. If tho delegates who were jire-onl" nt. the annual meding had known anything nf what was going on outside of New Zealand, they would know that South Africa were given power to reinstate men who had played professional football, provided that they had become bona-ttcie residents of South Africa, Again, why

all this fuss about professionals? If a aoccer professional came out from England, he would be allowed to play as an "amateur" Rugby footballer, and as our legislators in football well know, amateurs play with porfcssionals in soccer, and (heir amateur status is never brought into question. Thev are allowed to run as amateur?, and also tliey row at Henlev.

Generally speaking, the annual meeting of (he New Zealand Hugby Union was about the best advertisement which Che Northern Union ever got. There wore one or two tilings said, though, that were not quite in accordance with fact. Mr. M'Grath, in moving his motion, said that renegade players wero trying to get back again, tio far, I have heard of only oii3 in Hawke's Hay, and that is a player Mr. M'Grath is trying to get into his team. In fact, so cocksure was he nf getting tho reinstatement business put through, that the player in question was selected to play last Saturday. Mr. Kelly also eaid that it was the Northern Union players applying for reinstatement. A greater mistake was never made. It is certain that prominent Rugby Union officials who are moving heaven and earth to throttle the coming Northern Union game, that seek for the return of the prodigals. A fair comparison of the two players, Rugby Union and Northern Union—in Hawke's Bay at anyrate—is that the former has his expenses paid for him by the union, while the latter pays all his own, including insurance. It cost tho latter players last season 355. each, and everyone was satisfied too.

Another absurd thing is the suspension of patrons, presidents, etc. Leaving out the fact that some of the most prominent men in New Zealand are involved, perhaps some of our Hip Van Winkles would like to know that H.M. the King is patron of the Northern Union, and the Bari of Derby president. There is one other thing I would like to touch on before I finish. That is, the calling in the aid of the Swimming and Kowing Associations to assist the Rugby Union to fight the spread of the Northern Union. If the former game cannot stand without extraneous assistance, it is timo it went under and let something better take its place. There is a saying, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread," and it will apply in the present case, Onco the amateur bodies, such as our Rowing and Swimming Associations, tnko up the cudgels, they might not see how far they go without hurting themselves. Because, strictly speaking, neither of the bodies mentioned are strictly amateur, "according to Cocker." There is no use debating that point, because, if all the facts were stated in cold print—say, in England— some amusement might be caused. However, I am plad to see that eptoebotly has been stirred on the question, because it might mean that football might once again reach something of the standard attained by tho Duncans, Gages, Wynyards, Balys and Co., not forgetting Ellison, and some more of the for-1 wards of long ago—l am, etc., Napier, May 21.