“JOIN THE QUEUE”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1035, 28 July 1930, Page 1

“JOIN THE QUEUE”

MR. SPEAKER GETS HIS INSTRUCTIONS WANTED TEST TICKETS THE SEX’S Parliamentary lleporter PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Today. Considerable dissatisfaction exists among members of Parliament because of the high-handed attitude adopted by the New Zealand Rugby (J.nion in connection with seats for the fourth test. Members of Parliament, who have helped Rugby football on more than one occasion, did not even have -the privilege of being able to book seats in the grandstand for the test, but have been given “grudgingly” a chance of taking seats on an improvised grandstand in front of the main stand at Athletic Park. Ninety per cent, of the members are anxious to attend the game, and naturally they have been unable to form up in queues or make leisurely booking arrangements, as the ordinary public does.

Most of the members are connected with the sport of Rugby in their electorates, and many of them are patrons of their unions or vice-presidents of organisations, yet it is stated that when a representative of Mr. Speaker himself, who embodies the whole spirit of Parliament in New Zealand, went to seek a seat for Sir Charles Statham, he was told that Mr. Speaker could take a place in the queue. Iu view of the large profits from the tests, and the fact that during the session Wellington is the headquarters of the official party in New Zealand, and that the official party usually goes to every match, it is felt that the New Zealand Rugby Union could have been more generous, and exercised a little courtesy to Parliament. Country opinion has been expressed freely that the New Zealand Rugby Union will not be sympathetically received if it comes to Paidiament seeking State assistance at any time.