EXCLUDED FROM EDEN PARK

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 980, 24 May 1930, Page 1

EXCLUDED FROM EDEN PARK

PUBLIC MUST GO WITHOUT PAPERS EXTRAORDINARY ATTITUDE OF RUGBY UNION rE' SUN was notified by Mr. T. W. Maben, Secretary of the Auckland Rugby Union, that it would not be allowed to sell newspapers on Sden Park today before three o’clock. The explanation given by Mr. Maben was that the sale of THE SUN interfered with the Official Gazette published by the Rugby Union.

The publisher of The Sun waited on Mr. Maben to protest against this extraordinary attitude which had been •adopted by the authorities, and was told that it was the decision, of the committee. No newspapers would he allowed to be sold in Eden Park before the hour mentioned. The publisher then informed Mr. Maben that, the public would be surprised to find no papers on sale at the usual time, and that, it would be necessary to publish an explanation. Mr. Maben thereupon objected to the publication of any explanation whatever, and threatened that if we did publish one The Sun would be excluded from Eden Park altogether. ■p.he Sun accepts Mr. Maben’s challenge, and takes this opportunity of telling the public why the authorities say they must be content to sit for an hour before the match starts without a newspaper to read. Everyone connected with the ! sport of Rugby football knows that The Sun has done more in the past three years to popularise the game than its competitors- did in the previous twenty. The great interest taken in football,

arid the big gates that have been so profitable to the Rugby Union, are largely due to the publicity The Sun has giv.en to football. By introducing ; competition, into the newspaper business it has compelled other papers to give far more space to football and sport of every description than they ever gave before. One would think that the Rugby Union would be grateful. Instead of that it has put obstacles.in our way. It has discriminated against The Sun in the matter of advertising, and has refused advertisements to , this paper that were freely sent to our compete -tors. - . The Sun thinks it is only right that the public should know this. Thousands of patrons of football throughout the Auckland Province know what The Sun lias done for football, and show their appreciation by subscribing to the paper and by taking advantage of our Free Insurance scheme, which alone provides for accidents to footballers. We are sure they will resent the attitude of the authorities and demand fair play.