NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 338, 27 October 1908, Page 10

NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION.

QUESTION OF CLASSIFICATION. v PAYMENT FOR LOSS OF TIME. An important question-amateurism professionalism—was discussed at the special meeting of tho New Zealand Football Association last night. There \vere~preseut: Mr. F. J. Courtney (vice-president) in tha chair, and Messrs. Cornish, White, Oilier, Martin, Auld, Shields, Brodie, and Salmon. , At the recent conference of delegates from 'the various centres in Dunedin it was recommended as follows-"That. payment b.e al-.-iowed representative players for loss of'time if sufficient, funds are available, '• but any player who is in receipt of wages whilst on tour shall be deemed not to be included in this resolution." And, further, "That, any club or association under tho. jurisdiction of the New Zealand Council bo privileged :tc engage the sorvices of a coach, and that that, coach be permitted to play for the club or association, but no club or association to play more than one coach." I Mr. Brodie moved"Tha.t players ba classified .either as amateurs or professionals, and 'that a subcommittee be set up to draw up rules to govern both classes of football." The mover pointed out that tho English Association had rules, providing for the complete -control' of amateurs and professionals. If tho New Zea.land Association wished to keep the game as much as possible an. amateur One, it was necessary.'to .draw up rules as ho -had suggested. If players- knew that if tliejv received money other than travelling expenses it would constitute ■,them-'profes-sionals .ti-liey would think twice before they made a,i demand for payment. .'The' conference of'delegates had. favoured payment foi' loss of Ume. It might not bo' necessary to put theftiroposed rules into force; for soma ' considerable time. Numbers of' players desired that all playing guilder the auspices of the association- should' be; classified. There was a risk of .a professional body being formed in the Dominion'. , Mr. Salmon, who second the motion, mentioned that tho payment of players by. clubs was not unknown in New Zealand. _ There was "something in the wiiid" in the Northern centre. ' Sir. Shields did not favour tho proposal for classification. Men who could not afford to travel should bo paid their expenses. Mr. White thought the time was not ripe for tho consideration of the question.-. The chairman also thought that action at the present time would be premature. Mr. Martin: I can't see any use for thp motion- at all/. Tho motion, was rejected. Subsequcntlyjthe following motion was carried: —"That -fn the opinion of the council the rules at present provide that payment bo allowed representative players for loss of time if sufficient funds are available, that any club or association under the.jurisdiction of tho council may engage a coach, that the coach may-be permitted to play for tho club or association, and that the council does not', approve of - limiting tho number of coaches."