FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1054, 18 February 1911, Page 13

FOOTBALL.

a.Visitor from .new south j AVALES. •: IBy Telesrapti-Scccii.l OorrospondenU ! • Ailokland, February 17. ■, Mr., Lewis G. Abrams, father of the electoral football'- schemo of Sydney; and for 27 years with tho New South Wales and Metropolitan Riigby Unions in offices, is at present on a visit to Auckland. Mr. Abrams rWently resigntd tho position of vico-prcsident tho Metropolitan Union becausa tiiat body .would- not give effect to tho . wishes '.j of a-. footballers' meeting which,ho called. He also introduced and established tho electoral cricket schemo in Sydney, and has been for 18 years on the" committee of tho Now.South Wales Cricket Association. Speaking to a "Herald" representative last evening, ho had'much to say regarding tho position of affairs in tho Rugby football world of Sydney.- Ho said at tho outsot that ho was an advocate for tho reimbursement to players of tho money lost by tliern when on tour, and also tho payment of a small sum per day for tabic money. Ho was against men making a livelihood out of football, and in any ca&o lie considered tliat > Australia ana New Zealand were n°t in a position to. pay men to play football only. Neither woro'tho countries largo enough to run tho rival Rugby codes, and ho suggested that efforts should bo made to bring alxiut tho amalgamation of tho Rugby unions and leagues. Tho Northern' Union, opposition had been 'disastrous to tho Metropolitan Union. Tho' players wcro deserting the union in largo bodies,, and their matches wcro being played to enipty benches, while thousands wcro going to"tho more attractive Northern Union rules. Ho was quite tiwftro that ho was going to raiso a storni of -protost, but it socrrted to him to be manifestly unfair that tradesmen with others dependent on them wtfro una bio to take, part in tours, while thoso omployod in'offices,-whoso weekly salary was not stopped,-were ablo to travel. New Zealand was not large enough to support tlio rival codes. Mr. Abrams said that ho had been asked by local footballers to address a .meeting of Ilughyitos in Wellington on tho subject, .and ho would probably accedo to' their request. 110 will leavo Auckland on Saturday for Rotorua, en route to Wcl-' lington and tho South Island .