TOUR WILL PAY.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 19391, 17 August 1928, Page 15

TOUR WILL PAY.

COMING TEST MATCHES. ENGLISH LEAGUE TEAM HOPEFUL. Exclamations .of delight in broad North Oountry dialect were heard in the Railway Hotel last evening when the English Rugby League team arrived from Greymouth on their way to Dunedin for the second Test match, for there was a bulky mail awaiting them from Home. Many of the visiting footballers show a preference for plus fours in the matter of clothing, and, with only one or two exceptions, they are of magnificent physique. Mr E. Osborne, manager of the tsam, sought the fireside after he had disposed of his mail. He told an interviewer that the EngLshmen were very hopeful ot winning the remaining Test matches, arid were desirous of taking Home not only the silver cup presented to them in Australia on their vanquishing the Australians in two out of the three Tests, but also the cup promised by Mr J. GJeeson, of Auckland. "Every effort will be put forward to regain the Ashes lost to New Zealand in 1924,'' he said.

For himself, he was ' particularly pleased to renew acquaintance with Christchurch. The New Zealand itinerary provided for an enormous amount of travelling, and from then until August 28th, when they would depart for Canada by the Niagara, they would have little rest. They would travel via Suva and Honolulu. "What about a game in Suva?" asked the reporter. • "All in good time," he replied. "We are going to play in Vancouver and Montreal. It must be understood that we are not forcing ourselves on anybody—that is not our policy—but we are doing this at the request of a large number of people in both places."

Enquiries from Abroad. Similar enquiries had been received from Ireland, France, and South Africa for exhibition games, but the English Rugby League believed in concentrating on England and Wales first. It was working from the hub of the wheel out towards the rim, and an extension of the game in Wales, particularly in Cardiff, was hoped for next season, while the present arrangements were for the cup final to be played in the Crystal Palace, London. The New Zealand tour was paying fbr'it'seif, thanks to gates which had reached the high figure of £2062 at Auckland, and the huge profit from the Australian matches would be devoted to oponing up new centres and to propaganda work. Scotland was the only country within range where the prospects for League football were not nigh. Elsewhere people had lost a great deal of thrir old prejudice and were beginning to recognise that the game was well worth watching, while the players appreciated the fact that it was more open and interesting than other games in which they had participated. "There is not a ■ whole-time professional playing "Rugby League football in England," said Mr Osborne, "flayers, are only paid when they are playing, and everybody knows there is no football in summer. The agreements between the clubs is emphatically against payments in the off season. The result of this is that all the flayers follow some occupation ill ihe weekj', winter included, and all the year round. We cdnsider that where gate-money is taken aind when the clubs can afford it, the players who attract the spectators are entitled to No objection is taken when an amateur-sin-ger or musician who feels himself good enough for, more accomplished company accepts payment for his services, which he does without any loss of self-respect or incurring social ostracism —in fact, the reverse is usually the case, people "preferring to hear the professional, because they expect him to be more proficient. On the other hand I think it would he outrageous for a public schoolboy or 'Varsity student to ask for payment for playing football when it is part of the curriculum.

... Thousands of Amateurs. , "There are thousands of players who take part in Mir game who receive no remuneration whatever, and our laws as regards amateurs are as strict as, if not stricter than, those of the R'igby Union. The members of this team leceive only £1 a week on board ship and £2 on land, with allowances for dependents." Mr Osborne said he was glad to realise that a betier feeling existed between the Union and the League codes, as was shown by the action of Mr S. S. Dean, president of the New Zealand Rugby Union, whom he had met in Manchester when Mr Deans was in England with the All Blacks in 1924, extending a very cordial welcome to New Zealand to the English team in Wellington on Monday. This showed a breadth of mind distinctly in advance of anything previously experienced in the Dominion. "Whatever our differences may be on the field with regard to our respective games'," said Mr Osborne, "at least when we are off the field we can greet one another as sportsmen." He was very much surprised that the Rugby Union had seen fit to refuse the use of the best football ground in Christchurch for the Test match, and felt that this denoted there was still prejudice, perhaps not against the Englishmen individually, but certainly against a touring side which did not conform to the particular code of those in authority. Such prejudice was uncalled for, and certainly was not playing the game. .