LEAGUE NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1491, 13 July 1912, Page 12

LEAGUE NOTES.

[By D. W. Sl'Lean/JPresident of the N.Z, .'." . ■ ,"' Rugby League.] ; ' ..■:'•■ •:

■As; showing the progress which' League football is making in New Ze,aland"A'uck'-' land's 'figures: are very When : we began'in. 1909 wo "-, had extreme difficulty in Taising two teams. . In 1910 we had four teams, and in 1911 'we had.l 3 senior, .-four second,' and- four third. The' total number of players that year was 250. In 1912.Auckland has made a J very' marked leap/-'and, our ■ "effective establishment" more than doubled Itself. Wo have now six senior, clubs (not. teams) and foirr 'junior 'clubs, Ibesides, which five sub-districts are-affiliated. Those: are' ':—' Thames, Goldfields.Rotorua, Upper Wai- : Kato, and Lower.Waikfttp. The-number of: teams now playing in, Auckland city-' is 29, these comprising six senior,- eight second, seven' third; find eight fourth' grade.v, The number of players is close-on 500, and besides those tyie League has something' like.. 400. , provincial ■ players marching under its banner. , Ample ground accommodation has been secured in Auckland.. Tho League's Rel- - Association now has 30 active members'and can provide referees for all engagements in tho fonr grades. As a matter of fact, , the League now appoints more referees per Saturday than tho Auckland.Rugby Union. . disposition : hi Hattke's Bay at present, is are four' senior. 'Leagne'.'clnbs, and eight.junior clubs.' Tho playing membership'is 160, ond jhe' League's ground is M'Lean Park, Napier: In..Wnnganui. there are three senior and two junior clubs, and Cook's Gardens has been" secured as a plaj-ing ground .on &■ fifteen: per, cent, tax on-tho gross "gate." so far, has only one club, numbering 20 players. .-; i "■ No League clubs existed in Wellington last season, but'this year we have four, though there is, as'yot, no , power to charge. Personally, % consider that tho prospects in Wellington ore better than those of any branch of the Leaguo outside Auckland. The League is going to do all in its power to put as much football in Wellington's way as it possibly can. . ■ In common with all League men the writer experienced distinct pleasure when; it becamo known that the Management' Committee of the Wellington "soccer" game had gonerously determined to givo us the ,uso of their ground at Newtown Park on July 20 'and August 24. The latter is the date for the match, Wellington v. New South Wales, and perhaps it may be of interest to state that the coming of tho "Cornstalks" to play hero is a certainty. Tho League authorities are nnxious that the public should thoroughly understand that the League game is, to all intents and purposes, an amateur game. Wo believe, however, that it is only fair that 'plnrors should be paid for loss of time while on tour. Nothing is paid over to playors engaged on home grounds. It will no doubt bo remembered that at tho New Zealand Rugby Union's meeting on October 10, 1908, tho Auckland delegates represented that the time had arrived when players should bo paid for los 3 of timo when travelling and it was moved that this remuneration should bo Gs. per day. At that meeting a Wellington player of slanding'staled that ho had received .610 on his first trip lo Australia. . So—as between League and Rugby on this point where is the difference ? ■ [Mr. M'Lean, who is contributing League uoles, is not only actively associated with League footbnll ns president, but is iil?o president of Hie North Shore Bowini! Club, Aucklnml. vice-president of ths Devon port Cowling Club, 'Xenuia Club, jind HooXttj Qub.l