Restriction sought on league voting

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33447, 31 January 1974, Page 28

Restriction sought on league voting

CNew Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. The Auckland Rugby League wants the New Zealand league to give voting rights at council meetings only to leagues that field senior, junior, and schoolboy teams in regular club competitions.

The Auckland league will submit a remit seeking this to the annual conference of the national league, which will be held in Auckland on February 22 and 23. “Auckland’s attitude is that other leagues have to face up to their responsibilities,” the Auckland chairman (Mr G. Rainey) said yesterday. “The game is more than just senior football. Some leagues haven’t made any real effort to find schoolboy footballers.” The remit is an extension of the Auckland policy of forcing clubs to build up their strength before they are allowed to play in the senior and premier competitions. It feels that New Zealand league should follow the same policy. Auckland will also suggest to the conference that delegates to the national council should be either the chairman or a member of the league’s control board. “The advantage of this, is that the council would be in much closer contact with the game,” said Mr Rainey. If necessary, all leagues would contribute equally to finance the scheme. COAST REMIT A West Coast remit will suggest that imported players be banned from provincial football. Last year, Wellington brought out the English international, W. Francis, for the season. He helped Wellington to beat the West Coast.

The conference will also consider proposals for a re«organised Rothmans competition.

The suggested scheme has Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and the West Coast in the championship group. N orth Auckland, Waikato, Any of Plenty, Midlands and I‘a iranaki would be in the I U a Ufying group, and Hamil-

ton, Manawatu, and Otago in the quadrangular tournament. The winner of the qualifying group would join the championship, and the last team would compete in the quadrangular tournament.