FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 102, 4 May 1904, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

THE ENG LIS I i FO OTB ALLE US,

(Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, May 3. The secretary of the N.Z. Rugby Union has received information that the English footballers leave Sydney or New Zealand on .July au, and play matches in this colony on Aug. G, 10, K(, and 17. CANTERBURY RUG BY UNION, CIIRISTCHUUCH, May 3. The Canterbury Rugby Union Committee has decided to recommend an amendment of the New Zealand Union's proposed by-laws, as follows : —Auckland, Canterbury, Wellington and Otago should have four delegates each ; Hawke's Bay, Southland and Taranaki two each ; other unions one each. The subscription to be a guinea each delegate ; also appeals to the English Union should be permitted. The committee resolved to instruct its representative to move that the New Zealand Union undertake the whole finance of the tour of the English team.

NORTHERN DIVISION FIXTURES. SENIORS : May s.—Star v. Stratford at New Plymouth ; Tukapa v. Inglowoocl at Inglewood ; Clifton a bye. May; 12.—Star v. Clifton at, Waitara Stratford v. Inglewood at Stratford ; Tukapa a bye. May 19.—Clifton v. Inglewood at Inglewood ; Tukapa v. Stratford at New Plymouth ; Star a bye. FIRST JUNIORS :

May 5.—-Clifton v. Tukapa at New Plymouth ; Star v. Inglewood at Inglewood ; Stratford a bye. May 12.—Star v. Stratford at New Plymouth ; Clifton v. Ingflewood ftt InjJlewolod; Tukapa a bye. May 19.—Clifton v. Star at Waitar ra; Tukapa v. Stratford at Stratford ; Inglewood a bye. SECOND JUNIORS.

April 28—Star B v. Star A at New Plymouth; IngUjwood v, Tukapa at New Plymouth ; Stratford a bye.

May s.—Stratford v. Tukapa at Stratford ; Star B v. Inglewood at Inglewood ; Star A a bye. May 12.—Star B. v. Stratford at New Plymouth ; Star A v. Inglewood at Inglewood ; Tukapa a byo.

May 19.—Star A v. Stratford at Stratford ; Star B v. .Tukapa at Tukapa ground ; Inglewood a byei.

Repeat for second round, reversing! grounds.

Notes by "Centre-Half.'' The following will represent Star seniors against Stratford seniors on Thursday, at Ractjcourse ground : Full-back, Hill ; three-quarters, Pycroft, Humphries and CaTlender ; liveeighth, L. Allen ; half, Ladner ; forwards, Pulford, Kivell, 0. Allen, Weir, Stroud, Smith, Stokes, Ryan] Murphy.

The following team will represent Star 11. v. Inglewood IT. at Inglewood on Thursday :—FuTT hack H. Richards ; three-quarters, Ludner Elder and Richardson ; live-eighth, McLean half, G abb ; forwards, Aroa, McAllum, Hoby, Rowan, Brown, Skelton (captain), Ova, Black.

Referees for to-morrow's matches are as under :

Seniors.—Star v. Stratford , at New Plymouth Racecourse grounds, Mr Hopkins. Tukapa v. Inglewood, at Inglewood, Mr Kivell.

First Juniors.—Clifton v. Tukapa, at New Plymouth, Mr Proctor. Star v. Inglewood, at Inglewood, Mr G. Griffiths.

Second Juniors.—Tukapa v. Stratford, at Stratford, Mr Spurdle. Star B v. Inglewood, at Inglewood, not selected.

The. Star first juniors are notified that the team leaves for Inglewood to-morrow by tho 11.10 a.m. train.*

Complaint was general this year at the annual meetings of various clubs with regard to the huge amount of outstanding subscriptions amongst playing members. Some interesting figures were produced in the various balance-sheets, which showed that there were many players who were but little removed from professionalism. Whether these worthies played in their own "togs" or not tho clubs history is not plucky enough to record, but it is quite safe to say that a little inquiry into tiie customs of footballers would elicit some, interesting "copy" for the foolbail column, a few trying moments for those responsible for club management, and discomfort und perhaps disqualification! for iimny of -our alleged sportsmen, who.pay no "sub," pay no fares when travelling, and depend on the clubs for "togs." There may not be many men who sin in each of these particulars, but eveiy club hais in its ranks players who must plead guilty under one of tho above heads. And be it known that these offenders are generally the prominent players, the men who can be depended on to pull the game out of jeopardy, who cun kick, pass, collar and holler with the best, and who aro consequently the idols of the barrackers. These are the men who have to be run after, and begged to take the field ; who must be treated as "little, tin gods," as people from another sphere, who will only condescend after much persuasion to again face the music. And they go right through the season, asserting all the right of a Britisher to talk and growl, assume a voice in selecting teams, have their say in club management, air their opinions on Mo-and-So and So-and-So, and look forward to a place in the reps. And all this time they cannot truly be said to be members of the club for which they are playing, for wearing tho colours and being enrolled on the club's books should not be held to constitute members Kip without the payment of the member's sub. Meanwhile these idols have kept, in the background men who, though not such brilliant exponents of the tricks and points in modern Rugby, have ligiously complied with the rules and paid up their subscriptions. • No use for them to stand on their dignity and refuse to travel at their own expense. If they don't like it they can leave it. If they - won't pay .'their share of the brake hire they can stay at home, tho while the club's beloved, in a club jersey, or perhaps a borrowed one, shinguards, regulation boots (provided by someone or some body not generally mentioned) sits up near the front, and takes his ride "on the cheap." How much of this goes on in Taranaki is not, of course, ascertainable, but it has been known to exist. Some discussions have been jealously guarded and kept* out of the press, members knowing that publication would result in a charge of professionalism Taranaki is not singular in this respect, of course. So far us I know, only one club in the district has made any attempt to cope with the subscription difficulty, the I'ntea Club having decided not to admit to any team any player whose "sub." is unpaid. The Wellington Rugby Union does not leave the matter to the clubs, but assumes the management of thiij part of the game. Last week there was an instance of its working w hen t,he W. K, I'. Management Committee decided to award tlve ret oneWellington match, won by l'otone on April 2a, against., the winners on the ground that the I'etone Club played a man who is on the defaulters' list, as not having paid his subscription for till! season JiJOil. The player in question denies that, he is a defaulter. According to the Evening Post, the position of the committee seems to be that the defaulters' list is prima facie evidence that the men on it have not paid their last: season's club subscriptions. The list is compiled by the union's auditors, who annually call in the books ofthe clubs, examine them, and report to the union tlve list of names of those who have played during the last season and who are not credited in tho clubs' books with having paid their "subs." The committee says it has only this carefully compiled list to go on, and it cannot do more. It is the duty of a club, if a member haß got on t,ho defaulters' list by any mistake, to point out

the (it <;i ( r committee, and got. his rmvn-* n-jnovcii from the li:-.t. before pinying him. It is main lamed that any club U:ut. j.l;i, u 'ri,<n un the list i^ju:curler tho r.y-!ii forfeit. In lh«; \\ ciiirir ■ou ; \ in 1903 thero wore aimuLsi* names on the defaulters' list, and an equal number in J/JO2. Of last year's defaulting members one club had' !J47 P and another 120. It is plainly apparent that, the great majority of Now Zealand footballers do not pay their "subs." and this is no credit, but rather a disgrace. So far as I have been able to ascertain the Wellington Union in the only one that has taken any steps to cope with this diflieulty, and is doing it effectually. Clubs are almost powerless except by united movement. Generally speaking the club is not "game" to threaten to block a man from playing on account of his being "unfmancial," ,as the saving is. Such a threat would mean losing his services, and probably this player would next be found in the ranks of an opposing team. Here is a matter for the T.J.UJ. Management Committee to grapple with, and by taking it into earnest consideration they may confer a boon on football. This wholesale evasion of payment of "subs." is o disgrace to football and footballers, and if the game is to continue as the national game, and to enlist the sympathies and support of the public, some scheme must be devised to wipe out the practice, which produces amongst its many evils an unmistakable professionalism.