THE NORTHERN UNION GAME.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14407, 15 July 1912, Page 2

THE NORTHERN UNION GAME.

A SOUTHERN MISSION

A visitor to Christchurch at present is Mr D. W. McLean, who occupies tho position of President of the New Zealand Rugby League, tho body which controls the gamo under tho Northern Union rules in New Zealand. Mr McLean is engaged on an organising tour of the South Island, in the interests of tho Northern Union game. In an interview with a "Press" reporter*, Mr McLean gave some interesting figures regarding the progress of tho game in the North Island, and particularly in Auckland. Tho gamo started'in Auckland in 1909, with only two teams. In 1910 there were three senior teams, and in 1911 there were 13 teams, comprising 5 senior, 4 second , grade, and 4 third grade, while _ 2-*>i) plaj-ers took. part. ' This year tho League had more than doubled its hold : on Auckland. In addition to this there are five district leagues affiliated—-Thames, Rotorua, Goldfi<*lds, Lower Waikato, and Upper , Waikato. Thero aro twenty-nine teams | engaged in Auckland city, comprising six seniors, eight second grade, seven third grade, and eight fourth srnde. and tho number of players exceeds oOft. , The League controls in addition somo 400 -country player*. It has associated with it tho Auckland League Referees J Association, consisting of thirty mem- j Mr McLean added that'Hawke's Bay J possessed four Senior and ei_ht junior clubs, Wanganui three senior and two jun-or, Taranaki one club and Wellington (recently started) four clubs. Tho* League had been started, in Christchurch. and it was intended that tho j New South Wales tram should play, here, s?o that the public would see tho I game in its host aspect. . I What about the profess- onal aspect of the game? Mr McLean said that this was an old bogey; thero was no suoh thin" as nrofr*s*"ionahsm in tho game. The _*opulation oi * Ne,r Zei,_ ' land was too small to stirrort professional footballers, i.e., men who nwd«> their living out of the jjamo. Tiie

League took up the position that it j / was only right and proper that players on tour should be paid for loss of time, 1 and it might pay its men up to lCfe per | day, when they were on tour. They g

would not receive payment when playing in their own district. !It was t sometimes a serious consiaoration if a

player had to forfeit his wages to go on tour to play football. Under tho League rules the most, brilliant man would not bo paid.any more than any other member of the team. j The _ame itself, Mr McLean contended, minimised the r:sk of injury to

players. The line umpires had power to draw the referee's attention to- any

rough or foul play, and in that case it would be the referee's duty to stop the game and investigate the matter at once. Fmdin_ thc touch line was penalised, nnle'ss it was done with a . free kick—a free kick,- hy the way, is atoolutely free, and not chargeable. Then, when a man was down or collared, he must be allowed to get up at once and play the ball. Tho game was full of passing, bright, sparkling, nnd full of incident. Mr McLean is an cnthusfl_t, ; and believes in the merit, of the Northern Un'on game. Mr McLean will revisit Christchurch next week, arid will attend a meeting of Leaguers to be held, in this city.