FOOTBALL PROBLEM.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4996, 5 July 1926, Page 4

FOOTBALL PROBLEM.

TRANSPORTATION OF PLAYERS.

POSITION ON THE PLAINS. The difficulties of transportation of footballers in a district such as that Administered by the Hauraki Plains Rugby Union hi this age df motors, when the spirit of commercialism is almost over-riding that of sport in most forms of organised pastimes so that players almost require, "spoonfeeding” before they will consent to play, was grappled with at the last meeting of the Plains Rugby Union, and .though a decision was arrived at it cannot be called a solution to the problem. In the past the union has made arrangements for transportation immediately before it was required, but as it Was thought that carriers were combining to regulate prices it was decided at the beginning of the present season to’ call tenders for all the season’s trips. When the tenders were accepted the fact wa£ overlooked that players from Waitakaruru would have to make their own arrangements to get ,to .their homes from Ngatea, as the contract entered into provided that the team should be taken from and returned to Ngatea, as in previous seasons. In the tea.m that wejit to Waihi there were half a dozen Waitakaruru a,.nd Pipiroa players, and through a mistake in the arrangements they had made they were stranded at Ngatea about 9 p.m. A car was engaged by the president of the union to ta.ke them home, and a,t the next meeting notice of motion was given by Mr Dent to reopen the whole subject. The subject was accordingly discussed at Tuesday’s meeting. Mr Dent explained the difficulty that had arisen on account of the oversight, and proceeded to state that there was considerable dissatisfaction among the players at the class of vehicle, engaged by the union. The players were of the opinion tha.t the union had not done its duty in engaging a vehicle that was not comfortable on account of the lack of sufficient space between the seats. He pointed out that had the union considered the cost of taking the players on from Ngatea to Waitakaruru it would have found that it would probably have, been cheaper to accept the tender of a Waitakaruru carrier. It was realised that a contract had been entered into, but the question could be solved if Mr Nicholson would agree to relieve the union of the contract.

Mr Nicholson indignantly asserted that his vehicle was quite satisfactory, and asked for specific complaints. These, were given by Mr Dent and, with the permissfion of the meeting, supported by players who were present. Mr Thompson, manager of the team, agreed that the players had been cramped, but he asserted that they would not have, had a. comfortable ride in the other tenderer’s vehicle because there was not sufficient seating accommodation tor 20 players. Mr Mahoney pointed out that neither of-the vehicles could legally carry more than 16 passengers, as that ,was the number they were licensed to carry. Al’ter much more discussion Mr Nicholson sa.id that he would not relieve the union of its contract. Mr McClean said that Mr Nicholson had contracted to take 20 players, and if he would not reconsider his decision and relieve the union of its contract it should hold him to it. Mr Mahoney moved, and Mr Dent seconded, that only 16 players be allowed to travel in the busu Mr Nicholson asserted that last year his bus ha.d been engaged and only five players had travelled in itHe had charged foi- those five players, and ff he had net., filled up with passengers and charged them he would have lost money. As he had considered the union last year he thought the union should consider him this sea,son. Mr Dent said that .the players were saying that they would not travel in the vehicle at present provided. He wanted to know what the union was to do under the circumstnces.

Mr Thompson said that other players could be got who would travel in the bus; The motion limiting the number of players to 16 in a bus was carried without dissent, Mr Nicholson intimating that he would fulfil his cobtract to transport 20 players. The question of transportation of the Waitakaruru players wa,s then discussed, and finally it was moved by Mr Mahoney, and seconded by Mr Foster, that Mr Nicholson be asked to submit a price for delivering players to Turua, Waitakaruru, and Kerepeehi on the return from inter-union matches. As o,n amendment Mr H. L. Berney moved that the Waitakaruru players be considered alone. Mr Wallis said that as Mr Nicholson could only take 16 players in his bus he would have to make ariangoments for the other four. In the speaker’s opinion Mr Nicholson should be given something extra to run one. vehicle to Waitakaruru, as it would be much more satisfactory for him to have the service than to have the players transfer to another vehicle on their arrival at Ngatea late at night. It was difficult to say what time the bus would arrive back, and therefore it would be difficult to arrange subsidiary services. Mr Nicholson wa,s sport enough to do what wa.s necessary if compensated. Mr Nicholson said that if tenders were called 'for the transportation of the Waitakaruru players he would adhere rigidly to his contract and neither pick up Kerepeehi or Turua players on the outward journey, nor drop them anywhere but at Ngatea, on the. return journey. Mr Foster considered .that a,ll players should be treated equally, and tenders should, be called for the transportation of players from their home towns to the bus and from the bus on its return to 1 Ngatea back to their homes. Mr Berhey’s amendment was accordingly altered to read that tenders be called for taking players from Turua, Patetonga,, Pipiroa, Waitakaruru, and Kerepeehi to Ngatea and back again, and oir being put to the, meeting it was carried by five votes to three. It was also decided that in the notice calling tenders it be stated that the trips to the players’ home towns would start from Ngatea at 9 p.m., a,nd that the lowest’ or any tender would not necessarily be accepted.