THE EDITOR'S LETTER-BOX.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 248, 18 October 1924, Page 39 (Supplement)

THE EDITOR'S LETTER-BOX.

NOTES AND QUERIES. Interested. —The wager is a draw. "Football" desires to be informed the number of players registered respectively with the New Zealand, English. Cheshire, Durham, Yorkshire and Cornwall Rugby Unions, as "the above particulars would settle a few arguments." Perhaps they would, but I doubt if the particulars are obtainable, and also if they would settle arguments. At any rate I have never seen a census of the Rugby players in Britain, though the New Zealand players have been roughly calculated at 50,000. Obviously following the same line of thought, "Digger" inquires if, on a population basis, more men play Rugby in New Zealand than in England. As already stated, I have never seen the English figures and consequently cannot give a definite reply; but it is generally admitted by those who have had an opportunity of knowing intimately the Rugby conditions of both countries that, relatively, a much greater part of the male population of New Zealand plays the Rugby game. "Rugger" askes if the All Black footballers now on tour receive any payment or salary for their services. They receive no payment of any kind. R. C. Campbell (Grey Lynn) deprecates the continued comparison between the 1005 All Blacks and the present team, recalling that the military team of 191!) had almost as good a record in Britain as had the 1905 side, in winning 33 out of 38 matches played, and losing only two trames. He is of opinion that the game of 1905 would not be tolerated now. , Times and styles change in football as in other things, and the comparison, he holds, is like comparing a 1905 model motor car with a 1924 model. "The present team," he concludes, "is going the right way to beat the records of both the 1905 All Blacks and the Digger team —and good luck to them! ' "Cocky" (Grey Lynn), the holder of the Australasian eculling championship is Hannan, who beat McDcvitt for the title at Auckland. Bert Facoory writes: "Sir, —I notice in your Sports Edition dated Saturday October 11, 1924, that Bert Welsh, of Ponsonby is "burning" to have the gloves on with mc at any time, any purse, any place, etc. I now hereby accept the challenge, and will fight Mr. Bert Welsh for £100 aside on a date to be agreed upon, and the sooner the better, as he may lose that "burning" feeling' shortly should there be a slight change in the weather. lam willing to fight any bantam or feather in the Dominion under any Association. I [bar no one under 9st. n