PAY THE PLAYERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 59, 10 March 1936, Page 17

PAY THE PLAYERS.

AND GET THE BEST. RUGBY LEAGUE FOOTBALL PLAN; PROPOSAL TO POPULARISE GAME. The value of importing professionals to show up a sport in its best light was emphasised by Mr. W. S. E. Moyle at a meeting of the Canterbury Rugby League last week' (reports a Christchurch daily), when the question of paying players was under discussion. In support of his contention he pointed to the exhibitions ot tennis given by Henri Cochet just recently. Mr. Moyle warmly commended the action of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association, and said that lie wanted to see leading overseas players ot the League football code brought out to cncourage the younger players.

A recommendation that a strenuous effort should be made to make the League code more popular by introducing professionalism by paying men to play tor clubs was made, and it was suggested that monev should be offered to induco men to join the clubs . and that weaker clubs should be allowed to offer money to players in otlicr clubs <is an incen.ti\ e to transfer. It was made plain; however, that all such transfers would be required to go through a board of control so that a check could be kept on clubs to prevent one becoming much stronger than the | rest.

Captures From Union Game.. According to the Christchurch "Press" many references .were made during tho meeting, over which Mr. Moyle presided, to an alleged- falling-off in the popularity of Rugby, and it was claimed that the number of men who had deserted the Union codc for the League code overseas was proof of this. , . . Mr. Moyle mentioned that under tins new arrangement it would be possible tor supporters of the League code to otter inducements to players at present playing under Rugby Union rules to change ojcr. He saw no reason why, if the mst class players were accepting contracts overseas to play League, they should not be given the inducements to play the League code in New Zealand. . . , "We should sign «l> Professionals and 1 make the game go," saul Mr. C. H. Good-1 man, one of the vice-presidents. Many first-class players are at pres.entstayi^ng out of the game, but would bc Mil s to join up for a few shillings. The Kugbj Union game is now m deep disfavoui. and that good men are leaving its lanks to play League football is a good advertisement for us. Although Ivtigby Umon football is considered an aniatcuis gam I know that many mduccnieuts aie °"Cied to players to change the places they play *°Mr H. B. Rogers, the secretary, suggested that, if the motion was carried at the annual meeting, they should start by looking for men among the League clubs for the first season, antl that two or three seasons later would be time enough to go after the better outside men.

Acceptance of Offers. "The leading footballers in New Zealand would never have left these shores if they had not thought that they were benefit rag themselves and their dependants by do ng ro Thev would have been fools if they had not accepted the . offers " conned Mr. Moyle. He mentioned that in fralii there w&s a. ' retention fund, by which it was ensured that the remained in the country. If a good player received a handsome offer to go overseas he was immediately B>ven sufficient inducempnt to cause him to stay in Australia. If a young player of great promise was ioit v»f work the fund was also used to provide him with a livelihood, sometimes as much as /£3 a week and .never fVian £1 10/. He said that in new Zealand at present such a scheme was impossible through lack of finance, but he looked forward to the day when it would be practicable. Question of Qontrol. ; ,„3-Sd°Mr d, A. TcS.. fl "i'do r not think that a pl»«r nUendy with ono cln should be persuaded to join up wiin another, and perhaps pause one club become much stronger than the iest. "That would be guarded agamst. as the transfers would have to go hough the board of control, said Mr. Moyle. Another change suggested was the abolition of the executive comimUce and its replacement by a board of control consisting of the chairman, secietary, treasurer and two other members to be chosen either from the delegates from the CIU H TnedThal ?his C S woSid enabll Z 1 work got through in much less time and that the clubs could he kept in +he clubs and members of the boar a. annual xn. ee ting» incorporated STMTS'n •' the annual meeting on March 30.

glenora club. r to TSNurXi3«»:wp ? «e™^ !»» p«™n£"*3si& *3s W&:zrioA^^£ I<. L/MiHe auu outlined various developmem^ r fnf the coming season, includmg 4S?i.US insurance «chcme, winch "oakeS «?"'elected M follow.:T, t f Mr Clias. Robertson; viceSSEs. jfa-jj. sgjstl several additions; chairman Mr. W McNeil; hon. secretary, W. Namara; treasurer, M. • (;onimittee has been U sected to take charge o£ operations for tKis season. v-j CITY ROVERS CLUB. i»S.SS r?S evening.

Woods' Great Peppermint Cure for influenza colds.- —CAd.^