League Finance Undecided

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31655, 16 April 1968, Page 10

League Finance Undecided

kite? a long discussion on ways to raise finance for overseas tours by New Zealand Rugby league schoolboy teams, the annual conference decided to refer the matter back to the schoolboy council to consider the opinions of the leagues. Most delegates confirmed the decision of the previous conference to send a team to Australia every four years. However, Mr W. Berry (Waikato) said his league believed that the finance could better be used to promote the code in New Zealand, and Mr G. Church (Taranaki) said that his province agreed with this. The treasurer (Mr D. Murdoch) reported that the national raffle had received a poor response from many leagues last season, apd that Canterbury and the council members sold more than half the tickets between- them,. Mr P. Christieson (Auckland) said that his board favoured a pro rata system of finance, the leagues paying for the tour in ratio to the number of players selected. The Northland delegate, Mr R. Franklin, said that this scheme would probably gain more' support from the provincial leagues. Mr P. J- Taylor (West Coast) said that a pro rata system could hit Auckland heavily if its representation equalled that of previous Kiwi teams. Also there would be no tin l ® * or prov inces to pay their alloca»

tions because the team would leave only a few days after selection. Tbe system had been mentioned before the 1954 tour, he said. The president (Mr L. A. Stuart) said that S4OOO was needed but that be was not prepared to “go on my hands and knees to tbe senior council" to raise • the money. He would agree to the pro rata scheme only if the provinces were prepared to raise the money and put it in a sinking account. Mr T. J. Wellsmore, a schoolboy representative on the senior council, said that the schoolboy council should apply to the senior body for a grant, and that permission to tour would be granted. A motion that financial responsibility be placed in the hands of leagues with representatives in the team was moved by Mr Christenson. Seconding this, Mr E. Bennett (Bay of Plenty) said that leagues could hand in blank chques before the team was selected. Mr Taylor: They bounce, too. An amendment by Mr M. R. Clinton that the opinions be referred back to the council was carried, 10-3, the votes

against being recorded by Auckland, Wellington (Mr T. Keane) and Bay of Plenty. Tour Approved The delegates approved the proposed tour by the New South Wales schoolboy team this season with the proviso that an extra game be added during the first week of the tour. The itinerary will be:— August 24, v. Auckland XIII at Auckland: August 28, v. Waikato at Huntly; September 1. v. New Zealand at Huntly; September 3, v. Wellington or Wel-lington-Taranaki at Wellington: September 6, v. W’est Coast or South Island at Greymouth: September 8, v. New Zealand at Christchurch. Match Venue The 1969 schoolboys* tournament will be played at Christchurch to commemorate the twenty-first anniversary of the formation of the Canterbury schoolboy board of control. The 1969 annual meeting and conference will be at Rotorua. Messrs Bennett, M. Duke (Otago), Keane, Church and RWoods (Canterbury) reported increased numbers of teams and players last season and again this season.