IN DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1546, 16 September 1912, Page 6

IN DEFENCE.

OF THE LEAGUE CODE.

Speaking at the' reception' accorded to tho Now .Sout'i. Wales League :football team in Christchurch on Friday, slr. 11. If. Miller, manager of the team, said that the members fully appreciated the kindness shown to them and the- expressions of-goodwill. He did not think that the team had received in the North the consideration it ought to have received. He asked those present, as gentlemen, if they thought Hint , it was likely 'that the members of the team would' como over from New South Wales to play in the way stated in some New Zealand journals. They had come solely to carry on propaganda work. Tho tour would cost hundreds of pounds, and it was not likely that they would do anything to fefnme this good name won in Now South Wales. Both The Dominion' and tho "Post" in Wellington had commented favourably on the game they played. A great song had been, made of tho trouble with Mr. Deane, one of their team, in the Auckland match, but he could assure-thoso-present that the referpo did not see whnt nctuailv took place. He wished Canterbury footballers to see for themselves how the New South Wale; men plar«d. They .should give the team a, fair trial and take no cotice'of what happened in tbo north. Tn Sydney, their matches had attracted larger crowds than had ever l>3en fsen Morn in the football history of New South Wales. The public over there were just as keen critic? as the public in New Zealand, and if , the men had done anything derogatory to tho interests of the gamo they would have been promptly hauled ovei , the coals. He was somewhat, alarmed at Dr. Thacker's description of , this City of Cliamnions. If Dr. Thacker had continued in that strain much longer the New South Wales team, would have been inclined to get up and go away without waiting for the match. Apparently they were in for a very rmiph time. Still, in the North of England, they had won two test, matches out of three, and they felt that they had a chance of giving Canterbury at least a fairly, good game. Speaking of (ho League rules, he said that the play was far superior to the old methods. It was believed that Rugby could bp im proved, and it was only rijrli't U> put the improvements to the test. He asked those present, to disbelieve stateNew .Zealand journals that the New South Wfllos men were out-and-onl-proiessionals. There was not one man in New South Wales playing football at present who earned his living at the name.