FOOTBALL.

NZ Truth, Issue 142, 7 March 1908, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

;(By "Pakdist.") V: ; AND PROFESSIONALS. Press Association Differentiation. H Evening Post " Cant aad Hypocrisy. The Daily " Suppress."

The Press Association's London agent has, apparently, cither been inistructed to place the "All Blacks" m as bad a .light as possible before the New Zealand reading public, or the cable despatcher' has been got at' by some person interested m the Rugby Union. This writer prefers to consider the latter thejnore probable explanation. If such should be the case there should, be-no difficulty m placing the responsibility m the right .quarter, which ;wi-ll he found; somewhere about t>tie.. Agent-General's of-;, .fice m London. The cable despatcher: "has sent only the most meagre items-, of- the tour and, With dne exception, the Wigatt match, has; never even recorded the attendances, notwithstanr ding. that, these hav^, 'm alm.pst. every iinstatice-^jiiratcli for match—^beaten -the 1 a.ttfend.aiii;ces recorded When "G-al-.; i'Jaher^s 'fcaai was -on to : ur "by : a con;sMßiable ntimlJeh la. this" coinection *\H be--&-teresting. to. learn oiv-; %iosei authority the ' cafelesrammer. 'fepbrtcd that the team wotild return home -with :' £lsjO toi each man's, credit. "It Was certainly) 'not "oh the authority' of ariyi -official .'. 'pf ; the tea;m, and the .amount has" keen; cabled simply to cause a false impression of the •financial success of the tour. When nine, matches had been played an axi*» thofHatiVO statement was' received m >%■# Zealand that the whole cxI'pensfes- of jhe tour had been cleared, andpthat' all subsequent tiikings would be profit, yet the cablegtammer. cndeavoi'cd to throw dust ifrtb the eyes of ■" the,'' public "by stati ng that each •man would' receive^ ( £lso. notwitlistandingj "that the proceeds of some \25 matches .bad to be accounted for. \'lti is "curious that' the cablfegrammer ! should deem "it" worth while to re- [ port that a New Zealander had been ordered off the fi-eki for fijrhtins and that another New Zealander had to be separated from an opponent as the pair were fighting. But the cablcgramiAer must have forgotten his mission, "to ■ dlg-^iafftd professionalism" when he quoted the "Daily Express," thus : "For brutal tactics the game was a disgrace to professional football." The Daily Suppress of the Doiniraon has all along been impressing on the public that professionalism .is blackguardism, whereas 1 it appears from the "Daily, Express's" remarks that "•angcntlemanly conduct" is a disgrace to professional football, and "Truth endorses the statement.' But the most interesting part of all this distortion is that the cablegrammer didn't record any of the '?sciuabw}ing and fighting" that took place amongst the members of GalJahcr's. team, nor its unfair tactics m the arena ■ (vide Hamcsh Stewart of the "Daily Chronicle"''.. Then again, the last N.Z R.U. team to visit Australia, which came bac«. with its laurels tarnished, was guilty of a deal of "•Larrikinism" m Sydney and Brisbane, but the Press Association man considerately "winked the other eye" and the N.Z.R.U. allowed mismartager Wylie to report behind closed doors. "Truth" was able to publish some of the proceedings which chaiacterised the tpu£ of tlic team, but apparently the N.Z.R.U. did not think that such tactics as pla3%ig,up at ' a certain Sydney pleasurc-houso and pouring beer and other swankoy into the iftterior of the piano, constituted "A disgrace to New Zealand amateur. Rugby footballers." Another point that the Press Association has followed up consistently is to ;quote reports only from the London press, which has never taken any interest m the Northern Union, and never gave the Union a lino m its columns until tlie visit of Baskerville's team. The '"Daily Chronicle" (Hamish Stuart's rag) has been quoted, although writer is not only biased against professionalism 'but was also biased m. his views against Gallaher's team. The proper course to adopt would have been v to supply quotations from the papers circulating within the sphere of the Northern Union. But the Press Association evidently tninks that for information regarding Auckland a Southland paper should be consulted. It is curious to note the views of the "Evening Post" on the professional team, "Compared with the achieyemen't of the 'All Blacks,' the sturdy amateurs who dazzled' Great Britain, the pros, are rather a shadow, and even the goW cannot put much lustre on their clouds." The writer who penned the foregoing sentence m the "Post" is an, ignoramus. No one is prouder of the. achievements of the three-bob-a-day. team than is the writer, but. to compare the teams they played against with the strong organisations of the Northern Union is ifcti " height of absurdity. Gallaher's team would have fared no better than has Baskerville's, and as an example of what the brilliant record of Gallaher's boys may be worth, it is only neceiSsary to recall the fact that it was closely followed the following year by the South African team, a previously .unknown quantity. The ' !; inncc" so hiuch boasted, of became rathertarnished when the descendants of ■Wan Tromp and; Coy. were able to put up a superb record. The fact is that "Rugby -Football" m \ England.is a thing of the past and that tha only hope of-' it ever regaining its popularity lies m the general adoption of professionalism. The "gates" recorded ufcbder the Rugby code m England are meagre, whilst the. 4 'Soccer" code draws largo crowds. ,m the north "the ' Northern. Union clubs have been able to draw large 'lgai;es,'-' T 'clearlr proving that the j)of ■pulatibn recognises the. right of the player to some o{ the gate money; But the "Winter 'Game^ of England at the present timjg. i^ undoubtedly "Soccer." On January 4, m six matches played under the l^ 'Soccer" code, that is club matches , m the "Cup" competition, an aggregate at:|endance of 353,000 was recorded with gate receipts totalling, roughly, £5200, Following are the atfondan.ces and. receipts : — '/: •■•' Ciults.. ; Gate. Rec. Newcastle : (N\) y. £. : Not^3 , Forest/ 41,657 1,444 West Brpmwich fA.) ' v.V felrrntjigham 30, G00 1,178 ' Everton v. " Tbttenr " ham Hotspur ... 21,000 700

Chelsea v. Worksop 1&\995 576 Queen's Park (R.) ' v. Reading 18,500 592 ■Aston Villa v. Stockport City, ... 16,000 678 From the foregoing figures New •Zealanders will "readily see that "Rugby" m the Old Dart occupies a very small part m the popularity of the people when compared with the "Soccer* code. But to return to the "Evening Post." Last week, m the same column, appeared two articles, one dealing with the sculling championship and the. otiler with the professional footSmllers. But somehow it seems to have escaped the eye of the "Post" that the scullers were professional sportsmen, as the article is full of adulation, but 'lower down the article referring to tho professional footballers proceeds : "New Zealand sportsmen have> watched/with mingled fadings the progress of the 'All Golds' ' m Great Britain, ami on the wihiole they have not been displeased With the result. For, while the team has a record which does credit to our prowess, its many defeats present a striking contrast to the brilliant, success of tho "All Black" ama-! teurs, and at the same time, it is hoped, the financial results have not "been sufficiently encouraging to threaten ;<us with the permanent establishment of the professional footballer in" -'tons colony."; Ail of. the latter is flapdoodle. '^G-allaher's Mlißlacks" were professionals, recognised by the.N.:Z.R;U.^ executive, who deliberately broke"": the amateur rule drafted toy the English body by paying the members of the team a guir nea a week, so that "the prefessional footballer m this colon v" was established by the" executive of the amateur body, ami will continue for all time. Apparently the "Evening .•Dost" prefers the cheap professional, notwithstanding that it cost this country £20.00 to take the cheap professional team 'through Amerdca. No matter what may foe said of BasJcerville's boys, they left New Zealand with, a clean sheet and wi|l not cost the country a single penny— for which . even the -"Evening Post" might give*" them credit. Th,e following- extract from the pen of Mr J. 11. Smithy one of the foremost sporting writers m the Old Country, is interesting reading :— "It is extremely gratifying to find that the possibilities of professional progress are slowly tout surely 'being reco'gnisod. Critics who m the past ; havD treated the. Northern Union as a nwribund organisation have gradually modified their views until abstract opposition . has (lw nvVexl to its smallest proportions, 1 even if it has; not entirely disappeared. One of the factors which has •brought about this reaction ot feeling against professionalism is tdie humiJiating results of the English international engagements since the formation ( of the Northern Union compared with the . condition of affairs prior to the 'split,' and pub s lic-scliool boys and other supporters of amateurism, whose personal" status is beyond question, are about tired of a policy which prevents the amateur and professional playing side by side — a state of affairs which exists mno other v form of popular outdoor sport, awl Which so limits the sphere of influence that -Rugby football -has lostits national character. The attempts which have from time to time been, made to show that the English Uiiaob' lost nothing m point of playing strength ,by tli'o withdrawal of the rebels who instituted open professionalism, have utterly failed m their obieciive. and there axe few, even 'inside' tlie Ryg-by Uiiiori,. who do not now admit the high capacity of Northern Union players as exponents of the handling code. ' Further, there is strong reason to believe that a very large number, if not an actual majority,, of the players associated with the parent body would be quite willing to. join hands with their, professional . contemporaries were it not for the uncompromising" attitude of their legislators, who regard suoh a contingency as criminal. Yorkshire County Committee have recently decided that a youth may take part m Northern Union "•intermediate" competitions without endangering his ami ateur status. If this is correct, and I make the statement with due rer serve, then it means that a boy under 14 years of age is held to be contaminated by association; with the professionals, but from 14 to 18 y«ars he is not, and during this period of his life he, is free to follow his own inclinations. A fine example of logical' reasoning, is it not?" In connection with the foregoing a friend, writes .: "For -six years I played as an amateur m a 'Soccer' Club, m the Old Country, w>hioh included a majority of professionals m its team. The Rugby Union and the New Zealand Rugby Union regard me as an ; amateur and would allow me to play as such, m any .of the clubs under their jurisdiction, but on the other hand, a brother of mine played. as an amateur m a Northern Rugby Union team, but he is regarded as a professional by; the English Rugby Union and its affiliated Unions. In other words, he is unclean. "And why ? Sim-, ply because he has "handled" an oval ball, whilst. on the other hand had he only "toed" a 'circular ball he would still be a "football gentleman." What a distinction, to be sure ! •There is one important and significant omission from the annual report* of the Sydney District Football Club, a copy of which has been forwarded to. me. per medium of a friend, viz., all referenoe to the professional movement. As a few members of this Club "seceded and were actively concerned m the matches: against the New Zealand profession- , als, the absence' of any reference.; thereto is passing strange, more especially as the names of at least' two of those referred to haye openly "Rone.over to the enemy." With regard to the announcement that Gfeor«e Sm/ith and Todd have signed on with Lancashire Clubs, it ■was hardly expected that the fleet-: :' footed three-quarter would return, but with Todd the case is different. Some time ago he refused £300 to sign on for a club at the close of the professional tottr, and he also refused to return to Australia, play with the ,N.S.W. professional the reason : assigned being that ho was sick of football. It must have been vcrv substantial inducement that led to the Aucklander changing his mind. Reported that Wellington Rugby Union delegates will be called together on the 20th foist, to dicusss last season's happenings and fleet officers for the 1908-9 period ; also that Champ ion ship competitions will bo under way at T3aster m- view of the early arrival of the Englishmen en the scone...

Canterbury Rugby Union holds its .annual meeting" on March 20. ? Tis' said that players m the 'Canterbury '■■ ! c^ty are fufll up of one or two of the Rui?by bosses .there, but President Rhodes-i nfluence TY'iH probably save them fr^in being Iviclrcd out into the i darkness. It is only a question of* ! time when they" will have to ''pit,'? however. ■>, . ' ' The stprf; is .again revived that Jack Murray is m deadly, earnest about setting a seat on file New Zea-, i land Rug^y Executive this season! J Tis a w6ll-known fact that, Jack would have jumped out of Ms sKiii . had the • .position been his last year; Personally- Jack is as decent a ielfow as you could find m a day's march, but when it com.es to Rugby administration, particularly on a body of so njuoh importance as the New Zealiind Rugby Union, candour compels the writer to say that Johnny would be much more m his element m handing round tea and cakes,- at, say, a lawn tenuis tourney. •"On-side" (Petone).— No. he's not dead — neither is he petering out. He. will be on parade m all. his glory wheri the Englishmen make their bow in ' May next. That Chest expansion act promises to be a more entertaining turn than ever.' "Player" (Nelson).— The matter you refer to has been investigated, and the verdict, so far as we are concerned, is— not - guilty. The parties had redress per medium of the Criminal Court. Seek advice from Tommy Wilford or some other barrister of standing.^ The Nelson Rug-by Un- , ion has jurisdiction, but there is the right of appeal to the N.Z.R.U.v.in the first instance, and afterwards 1 o the Appeal Committee of that body set' up m May last. '^Disgusted" (Wcstport).— We sympathise with you, but it is absolutely impossible to make such arrangements as will enable the Englishmen to play m every town and hamlet of ■the. Dominion. The programme seems to have been drawn out very fairly, though it would have been better, m our opinu-on, were the Inter-Island contests cancelled m favor of AllNew Zealand v. England fixtures. We can't see the force of your contention that a gross insult has been levelled at the people of Westport by the New Zealand Union failing to arrange a fixture m their town. Unquestionably the West Coast Union had^th-e priority of claim. Why blackguard the parent Union m that Way ? You talk bally nonsense when you say that the Englishmen should have been tied down to a six months' stay m the Dominion . . If they are a type of some of the cricketers and footballers we have had from Fogland in* the past, New Zealand will be damned glad to see their backs long before a quarter of that period has passed. "Who's Who" (MasJertonJ.-U) Would advise you to make application to the Wairarapa Rugby Union for the papers to be sent on to the N.Z.R.U. (2) Too serious to deal with m these columns without corroborative evidence, " and plenty of it at that. "Forward" (Wellington).— (l); Jack Swindley played for the Athletic Club. (2) Yes, 1894 and 1895. "Interested" (Dunedin) .—Thanks for information. Will prove valuable for future reference. "Scrum" (Stratford).— (l) Never said so, cast your eye over the page again. (2) Wa» a first-class wing forward, I grant you, but not m the same, street with W. McKenzie. (3) What are you giving us ? Jimmy Duncan forgot more than the player you mention ever stored up m his brain-toox, or is likely to do. '•'•Yellow and Black" (Wellington). —So I should think. There aie a lot of your kidney who never see any good m a rival crab's ■qualities cither on or off the field. The quilldrivinK bounder is generally, pretty luke-warm m the matter of squaring up his club account, and as often as not he never troubles to toe the mark at all. We could name a fair number of this class m Wellington, and will, if circumstances necessitate it. Seemingly you fill an 'important position m the gang. Your writing has 'given you clean away. We 'have seen other specimens of your scrawl elsewhere. "In the Mire" (Greymouth).— Were you'll have to stay, I am afraid. "Pakeha" has a few records m his possession, but nothing that will indicate where the player you mention was at the time Seddon's team exploited this country. If you drop across "Ofi-side Mac" he may be able to quench your thirst for that information: Any of the older Rugby bands m the. valley ought to know something about him. "Leather" (Wellington-).— lt has already •'been officially given, out that the .programme is subject to alteration. Your argument is unsound m more ways than one. / "Wager" •• (Wellington) .—The softest bet on record, and you win m the commonest of canters. Neither Wv- : lie nor Gralbraith have ever repr^esentled New Zealand m the Rugby arena. | Wylie has donned the jersey for Wei-. [ lington and his colleague was once fortunate enough to scrape m among Wellington's junior representatives against Manawatu m 1891. Never saw Ikey Hyams m the Rugby arena and consequently unable to compare him with either Pat Keogh or Freddy Roberts. The soience of surgery is coming alone, particularly m its application to football. Here is a Rugby accident forecast. Injured player sends a wire to his best girl :— "Nose broken—winch de you ureter, Greek or Roman, before the dpctor sets it ?"

I Frank. Glasgow, the All-Black fori.ward, is ..increasing m. girth at a" igrea-t rate since he took up his residence m Inv-ercargill. Glasgow has. a ijreat regard for D. Hamilton, who, he thinks is 'one of the best scrumjiniagers m the Dominion. He himself I has chucked the game. ' * J. O'Leary, the well-known Wairarapa back, is coming to Wellington, .so report says, m which case Athletics will. likely secure his services. „- , Southern, which is flying for higher^ iigifcme 'this setacson, has ssnaveiled 1 - Reed, formerly of Petone, and In-> stone, who has hitherto worn a red and black jersey, m ' town competitions. Dwyer, of Central Otago, ■ may also come to Wellington - and throw m his lot with; the Southerners.