Football.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 149, 27 June 1887, Page 2

Football.

(To the Editor.) i Sib,—" C.8.X." (writing under the heading j of " Whiteside and the Rugby Union") i seems to think that the said Union are juncler an obligation to pay. Whiteside for i all inter-provincial matches. Now I, as an i outsider, don't think they are. In the first ■•place,the Rugby Union has been thoroughly J reorganised with a new Committee (and 'certainly not before it ' was wanted, after the manner in which they squandered j,the public money last season), and therefore, I presume, they are not bound by the promises made by the old Committee. I •think the present Committee have dope the ■'/right thing ; in setting their faces against wqiJld-beprofessional 'fpptMJer,

will simply become a question which Union can afford to pay the biggest salary to the best men all over the colony. Now, I contend that if we are to have these friendly contests they should be fought out by amateur footballers only ; and if a man has not got sufficient patriotism to play for tho city where he earns his living (not only that, but his very birth-place), then ins services should be discarded. If he resided in any part of the province, I maintain it would be quite right that his expenses and time should be paid for; but, as it is, I think it very unpatriotic in him to even hint at payment, especially in the face of him receiving a purse of sovereigns last season. Every lover of football looks upon him as a grand player, but this action of his will tend to alienate his greatest admirers.—Yours, &c, Patriot. (To the Editor.) Sm,—Please to allow me to say a few words about football matches to come, and tho one already played last week against Taranaki. It seems as if there is some misunderstanding with reference to R. AYhitcsido not playing in the team against Taranaki, and several people did not understand the reason ; bub ib came oub plain enough in your evening paper of Thursday last, by C.8.X., and shows that Whiteside will not play except he is paid for his services. But why should ho be paid more than anybody else ? All stand the same chance of getting hurt. We have here in Auckland many good footballers, who play as good as Whitesido in their position placed in the team. I think, with many others, that W. was very handsomely paid last year, and should not on any account be paid for playing, more than anybody else.— Yours, etc., E.C.S.