State Control?

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 1, 24 September 1937, Page 3

State Control?

- Press Association.)

RUGBY AND RACING

Advocate in the Upper House INTERESTS OF THE PUBLIC

(By Telegrapb-

' WELLLNGTUN , Tflis JL)ay. ' 'There are two sports bodies which I think should have some control placed over them by the Government — the Racing Conference and the New Zealand Rugby Union," said the Hon. W. H. Mclntyre (Nelson), speakiDg in the Address-in-Reply debate in tho Legislative Council yesterday. Mr Mclntyre said he thought the setting-up of a National Council of Sport was timely, and he hoped that there would be legislatian this session. His only complaint was that it was not ptoposed to interfere in any way with the administrative management of sport. He did not know that that was wise. The general public was very interested, and it had no say in the management of sport. The general publie found the money in the linal analysis, and it should be able to have some influence on the, proper conduct of sport. The Racing Conference had practically absolute powers. He was not objecting to that, because it had kept the sport of racing very clean in this country. There had been times when people had had occasion to appeal to the Minister and he had said he had no power. He should take power. "Another body that should be under some control is the New Zealand Rugby Union," Mr Mclntyre said. Several members : Heax, hear. "It is about the most autocratic body I know of in th0 Dominion. It pays no attention whatever to the public. The Government should have some control, some say in that." Treatment of Players. Mr Mclntyre said the chief objectibn to the action of the New Zealand Rugby Union was because of the way it treated its players who were injured, and refused to recognise any xesponsibility. It made a small contribution to individual expenses. That was to keep the sport amateur, yet it was the most commercialised sport in New Zealand He thought the Government should insist that the nnion should take out a comprehensive insurance policy on players playing under its rules. Its attitude at present was preventing boys taking up the sport. It would be one of the most popular things the Government could do to see that boys who were injured were not cast pn the scraphea--, Rugby Union was the national sport of the Dominion and they should take steps to eee that the Government had some say in it. A reply to Mr Mclntyre was made later in the debate by the Hon. J. McLeod (Taranaki) who said the honourable member had raised two questions of which he happened to know sQmething. "i am one of those who welcome the Council of Sport because I am sure cooraination can be brought about in a way that will make for the health of the people," Mr McLeod said. "I am. a member of the Racing Conference and of its executive comniittee, and I am sorry to say Mr Mclntyre is totally astray in his facts. Racing does come under Government review. "I do not think there is a cleaner sport in the whole world than that provided by the racing clubs and the conference of this country," Mr McLeod continued. "Every aspect eoines under Government review." Speaking with long assoeiation with Rugby Union football and as more than once president of the New. 2iLd.aud Eugby Union, Mr McLeod said there was not a single word of truth in what the honourable member had said except in the rnatter of accidents to players. No uni.on in the country had any money at all. A member: "'jvhat do they do with it? Mr McLeod: *Ihe New Zealand Union has not one single- penny. It is lent out to the unions to provide groimds for the boys who play the game. The whole. object of endeavouring to make money out of tours is to provide the grounds that are more and more wantea. It is necessary to provide freehold grounds. The money from the people goes back to them again in grounds, There had been endeavours to estabHsh injury msurance schemes, but to establish a scheme that would' g'ive £1 a week in cash the figure had been estimated at £85,000, a perfeetly hopeless figure. "There Is no surplus money in football at all," Mr McLeod added. "There is no hjige profit in the present tour. All that is happening is that the money is going round and. round. There is no accumulation of money whatever."