STRONG AUSTRALIAN VIEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 136, 8 June 1907, Page 5

STRONG AUSTRALIAN VIEWS.

liSy Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) SYDNEY, June 7. Professionalism in football was severely criticised at a reception given to the Queensland team at the Town Hall, Sydney, to-day. M»- Calvert, president of the New South Wales Rugby Union, said he saw some danger of the taint of all taints in regard to football—the professional game —looming up, and he hoped New fcjoutk Wales and Queensland would resolute!;/ set their faces against it. The moment professionalism entered anything, behind it came that abominable thing, the gambling spirit, and that was the spirit they wanted to keep out of a good, manly game like football. The Attorney-General (Mr. Wade), referred to the damage that professionalism had caused in England, --aid the higher aspects of the game were entirely lost, and it came to be a matter of having in one pocket a large amount of money, and in the other a large amount of blue metal. Mr. Oaks, M.L.A., said he was glad to see that the first attempt to introduce professionalism in New Zealand had been shut down on. Mr. li. Teece said it was gratifying that the first attempt in New Zealand had met with such a formidable rebuff. Mr. Lea, manager of the Queensland team, said he did not think there was the slightest chance of professionalism getting a hold in Queensland, but there was always a danger of it creeping in. They were determined to watch and keep the game clean.