CORRESPONDENCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1545, 14 September 1912, Page 12

CORRESPONDENCE.

CLAIMS OF THE LEAGUE GAME. Sir,—We have heard a great deal lately about tho professional conditions of the Northern League game. Most people are led to believe that a player has only to play the Northern Union game and he immediately becomes a professional. In fact, some of the Rugby people will try and convince you that a Northern Union player forfeits all his amateur status. This is not -so, as some of the leading oarsmen in the different towns are Northern Union.' players. The Northern Union game is controlled hy the New Zealand Kugby League, with its headquarters at Auckland. I quote the following rules from the bye-laws of the controlling body:— Rule 2G: "The council of management shall have power and authority to suspend or disqualify any club, league,. or player for breaches of any of its' by-laws or for rough or- unsportsmanlike play,, or for doing anything which, in thn opinion of the council of management, may bring discredit on other players of the game directly or indirectly under the control of the league." •■■'■.■ Rule 29: "No club 6hall compensate any player for playing football except for loss of time. No player shall directly or inditectly receive or take from any club, league, or person, any sum of money or thing of reward for playing football, unless such receipt is authorised by tho controlling body." I want to make it clear that the Northern League does not pay any playpr for home or club matches, but pays each man his wages, viz.,' 10s. per day for loss of time, whilst on tour. A good deal has been said about the men receiving , this 10s. per day, and it is this that has caused them to be called professionals. The New Zealand Rugby representatives received 3s. per dny whilst on tour, yet we hear nothing of professionalism about them. Whilst we admit this is a starvation 'price compared with the wages earned by tho different members of the team, it must also lie admitted that the principle of receiving it is exactly the samo. So it will be finen that the only difference on the nionetarv side is 7s. per day. Tho benefits in the rules of the new game hnve already been admitted by most nf thn Rugby Unions. The finest rule the Northern Union game has that differs from Kugby is: "When n player is tackled ffith thn ball, both he and the tackier must immediately get up, the tackled player must retain posses-ion of tho bull, mid immediately put it down in front of him; until he has done this he cau in no way be interfered with."

This' rule has done away with the old style of piilliii!,' the man along the ground with the bull, packing over him, kicking, nnd kneeling upon him. You need only listen to the remarks of the spectators to pee the benefits of this rule. What a contrast to hoar them shout; "Lot him up; piny the ball." compared to thn Rugby shout of "full him o(T; put the boot in!" I might state that when a good man, amateur or professional, comes along, Hie public have a right to --pi* him. From lonif connection with thn so-called nmatpurs. I have st'en a lot of their so-called nmntem'tent, more thoii I care to ftnte. Amateurism w,i- an imported llmvpr from England, where innii strove not for thr* intrinsic value of tli>> trnnh.T.. l,nt for tho honour. In Sew Zealand the.v took a different viow. Amateurism here was "nil raU"—that wight be a slans expression,

but still it is'expressive, Tis those who have been connected with it know quite well. In conclusion, I might state that Rugby ! has been a good old game, but it must ! now give way for the improved .and vastly superior rules'of the now game.— (.((•_ . W. J. PLliliLi 1. iiitham, September !). pit. THACKER-REAL SPORT. Sir,—Tho Canterbury Leaguo is to bo congratulated on having been fortunate enoir'li to secure the services of such a pushing and thorough sportsman as Dr. Thncker. Anything the doctor takes in hand is bound to be a success. That the Lenguc will boom in Canterbury goes without saying. The public lovo motion, ond they will go where they are likely to get it* nnd that is at the League ma toll. No slogging, struggling, mauling, and sacks-on-the-mill business about modern L <('uite agree with, the doctor when lio says tlie League game offers an excellent opportunity to tho light, clever men. There aro union men from 11st: 71b. to list, playing junior grade in this town who never get a chance to play senior because they have not that necessary weight and brute force that the union game demands, whereas under the League theso men would be shining lights. Then, again, there aro players in the union ga:uo who would be absolutely useless at League. Take Cunningham (Auckland) and Bendy (Wellington) for instance. Hα .v long could they keep with the pace /at the League ' code—not five minutes. ' Con Sullivan (12st. 31b.), for example-ono of the cleverest forwards playing tho League, game, Would he <M in a New Zealand Rugby team? No. Why? Becauso he lacks the weight required for the old, slow, brutal game. Three Hutt colts plnymg the union game are so enthusiastic over the League code that they havo given up the idea of playing the old game again, and intend training throughout the summer, so as to be "in good condition for next season. As several Rugby Union players are leaving for Sydney shortly, and intend ioinin" the League there next season, I might inform them that they must first join the Wellington League before going, or they will find on arrival that tho Ivew South Wales League cannot accept them. No player irora the Dominion, whether union or League, can participate in the game in Australia without a transfer.— 1 am, OATJXH EiJ)'"MASTE'BSON. Lower Hutt, September 10.