FOOTBALL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9108, 30 March 1908, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

THE QUESTION OF PROFES- * SIONALISM.

Press Association, Dunedin, March £O. The annual meeting of the Otago Rugby Football Union was held last night. Tiro President. (Mr G. O. MacDonald) referred to the fact that last season a professional team left the. Dominion for England. No man was more strongly opposed to professionalism than he vras. but lie certainly thought that the over-string-ent rules of amateurism adopted by the English Rugby Union had led to the establishment of professionalism. If a player who went on tour with an inivrprovincial team lost his wages why should the Union not make up his wages? The man did not get his living by the game. Auckland, March 29. Many complaints were made by injured ])layers of Rugby football in Auckland lust season that while they were turning out week by week at the risk of limb, and incidentally filling the coffers of the Union by the gates they attracted, yet when they wore unfortunate enough to he injured they had to wait weeks for money from the accident fund. This tended to strain the relationship between the officers of the Union and the players, who surmise that they are being used to build up a large bank balance, and, when in that mood, are likely to listen to the voice of the professional tempter. Locally, the professional movement appears to have fizzled out. Although a few weeks ago “the man in the street” was saying that there would he four teams started, and that the Eden District Cricket Club’s grounds had been secured, yet nothing has developed. Inquiries have elicited the fact that the Eden authorities have not been not yet been approached by the professional promoters as to renting of the ground. The promoters may bo like “brer rabbit, ’ ’ laying low and awaiting the arrival of the team now on its way from England, hut if that were the case surely tongues would wag.

The annual meeting of Wanganui Rugby Union was held on Saturday. 'Mr George Spriggens was reelected president, Mr A. Dunkley, seci’etary; and Mr L. Craig, treasurer. It was unanimously resolved that appreciation of the work of the late secretary and treasurer— Messrs Hall and Mountfort—be placed on the minute book. Mr A. W. Mountofrt represented Rangitikei Sub-Union at this meeting.