LEAGUE “Bitter Feelings" Over U.K.-Australian Rift

Press, Volume C, Issue 29673, 17 November 1961, Page 3

LEAGUE “Bitter Feelings" Over U.K.-Australian Rift

(N.Z. Press Assn.— Copyright)

LONDON. Nov. 15. Feelings were bitter between Britain and Australia after the decision to call off next year’s tour of Australia by a British League team, a ‘‘Yorkshire Post’’ sports writer said today. “It is important to emphasise that the rift has come about over the trifling sum of £1800,” he said. “Remembering that the 1958 tour yielded a profit of more than £40,000, the ordinary follower of League will find it hard to believe that such a small straw has broken the camel’s back.” The writer said: “I mention it to illustrate how far the relations between Britain and Australia have deteriorated in the last few years.” Unless there was some attempt at mediation in the

meantime, the initiative for resuming tours rested with Britain, which was due to invite Australia to tour in 1963. “If Britain wants to extend the olive branch, it will have to offer a 65-35 per cent, share of the receipts to the Australians. The temptation to pay Australia in her own coin by offering a 50-50 shareout would be strong,” the writer said. “But it would be a waste of time except as a gesture of self-righteousness,” he said. In the heat of the moment, after hearing the news of the call-off, some club officials in Britain were talking of the possibility of lifting the transfer ban as a reprisal. “Self interest alone will demand that wiser counsels should prevail when the matter is given deeper

thought,” the writer said. “It is true that when the ban was imposed several years ago, it was because Australia complained that she was losing too many of her best players to wealthy British clubs, which could afford to pay big signing-on fees. “But the picture has changed radically since then. The Australian dubs have plenty of money now. "If the transfer ban was lifted, there is no certainty at all that it would react in Britain’s favour.” the newspaper said. [New Zealand has agreed to tour Australia next year in place of the British team.] Schoolboys’ Board Officers Officers elected at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Rugby League's Schoolboys’ Board were:— President. Mr J. Mercer; vicepresidents, Messrs A. Atkinson, C. Day, E. Leeson and H. Woodham; patron., J.Ur W. E. Desmond; vice-patron, Mir L. Huston: life members, Mr L. A. Stuart; board, Messrs A. Meadows (chairman), D. Smith, R. Woods, M. Worters, L. Wolfe, A. Lowe. P. Yaxley, and E. Thompson.