RUGBY LEAGUE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 70, 24 March 1942, Page 7

RUGBY LEAGUE

AUCKLAND ANXUAL, REPORT

In the course of its 32nd annual report, released yesterday, the Auckland Rugby League states that notwithstanding the overshadowing effect of the war, it was able at the end of the season to shcpw a profit of £309. The consensus of opinion of the leaders of Governments and military authorities is that recreational sport such as football should be carried on. It was in keeping with this viewpoint that Rugby League was played. The Board of Control and all concerned were, nevertheless, conscious of the fact that all energy must be directed to the task of winning the war. The war made serious inroads among the players, while in other directions Rugby League played its part in the war effort in New Zealand. Since the commencement of the war Carlaw Park has. without cost, been placed at the disposal of many essential units engaged in war activities. The accounts show a satisfactory position considering the times of stress through which the country is passing. An analysis shows that the financial surplus was £309 against £399 of the previous year. The main source of revenue, gate, grandstand and rep. proceeds, has dropped from £4486 to £3923, a decrease of £063. In spite of this, owing to economies effected in the expenses of working, the surplus on working account showed a reduction of only £271. In spite of the enlistment of over 10 per cent of the Referees' Association membership to either the army or the air force, and in spite of the fact that many of the members were engaged in war production work, and employed on Saturdays, matches (luring the 1941 season were controlled with very little inconvenience. The performance was the more meritorious when it is realised that on occasions some members refereed no fewer than mree matcnes on one Saturday.