N.Z. LEAGUE TEAM.

Auckland Star, Volume 304, Issue 304, 23 December 1926, Page 7

N.Z. LEAGUE TEAM.

MR. MAIR STANDS DOWN. MANAGEMENT BY MR. PONDER THE TOUR TO BE CONTINUED. (By Cable. —Press Association. —Copyright.) (Received 9.21 a.m.) LONDON, December 22. The Rugby League Council has endorsed the suspension of Mr. E. H. Mair, coach and team manager of the New Zealand League football team, and also of the strikers against Mr. Mair's authority. The Council decided to continue the tour with the New Zealand team under the management of Mr. G. H. Ponder, who was originally the financial manager of the team, and associated with Mr. Mair as the New Zealand League's representatives with the team. Messrs. Ponder and Mair have accepted the decision without prejudice. The tour of the New Zealand League team was undertaken at the expense of the English Rugby League, which undertook to pay all expenses and to allot 75 j per cent of the net profits (in the event '

of the tour being a financial success) to the New Zealand Council. On these terms Messrs. Mair and Ponder were appointed the New Zealand Council's representatives with the team, and all matters relating to the management of the tour were discussed between them and the English League Council

direct, without reference to the New Zealand Council. Consequently the New Zealand Council has not been consulted in the dispute which appears to have arisen between Mr. Mair and a section of the New Zealand players, and has no further information on the subject than has appeared in the Press. The first intimation received here that all was not well with the party of footballers was at the end of October, when there was stated to be trouble with : ome of the forwards, who were dissatisfied with the selection of the teams for the several games. At the time it was stated that econom. in the management was also causing trouble, and that Mr. Mair's discipline was irksome to some players. Eventually seven of the players, of whom six were named (Mouat, Henry, Petersen, Wright, Devine, and Carroll) issued an ultimatum that they would return by a boat sailing on November 19, unless their demands were complied with. Then the English League Council intervened, and Mr. Osborne mediated, with the result that Mr. Mair agreed to take no part in the team selection for a month, and the players agreed to carry on. Apparently after the second test match, pn November 13, Mr. Mair again, took a |iart in the selection of the teams, and a ago the trouble recurred. Five of the forwards, Singe, Carroll, Petersen, Devine, and Henry, were reported to

have declined to g play against York- | shire, and Mr. Mair | decided to send six | players home. Again | the English League | intervened, and in. | formed Mr. Mair | that it would not | be responsible for | the return fares of | the players. There- | upon there was | another conference * at which the English League Council

considered the claims of the disaffected players and of Mr. Mair, and also considered the financial position of the tour. It was stated that the expenses would be about £10,500, and the takings to date had been only about £8000, so that there was need of re-arrangement of the programme, and perhaps cancellation of the tour. Apparently the decision reached has been to carry on the tour without either Mr. Mair or the six or seven players with whom he has had trouble.