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Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32776, 29 November 1971, Page 10

NO QUICK RELEASE

Kiwis may be held

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND. The New Zealand Rugby League is still turning a deaf ear to the clamour that English clubs have been raising In laeir efforts to sign on members of the Kiwi touring team. 6

The N.Z.R.L. council has agreed that it should continue to ignore any direct requests from England and deal only with clearance applications from the players once they are back in New Zealand next month.

The council also decided that a player’s application, assuming it is cleared by both his club and his provincial league, would be considered on its merits.

When it comes to assess the merits of a case, the council would bear in mind that all of the Kiwis have signed contracts with the N.Z.R.L. Some of these do not expire until the end of next season, and some carry on for another two years. The implication is that no Kiwi would be able to sign with an English club until his contract expires. That news will be a disappointment to a number of English clubs, particularly Wigan, which has been especially energetic in pursuit of the Kiwis.

H. Tatana, K. L. Stirling, B. R. Lowther, D. A. Williams, D. J. Gaiiley and P. C. Orchard are the New Zealanders most in demand.

Hospital chapel fund.— The sutn of $3300 was still needed for the Princess Margaret Hospital chapel, said Deaconness M. Feeney yesterday. Last week’s donations, amounting to $564, brought the total sum so far raised to $2186, she said.