FAIR PLAY

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 261, 4 August 1928, Page 11

FAIR PLAY

Sir—May I crave space in your valuable paper to refer to the attitude of Mr. Baildon. the Mayor of Auckland, towards the English Rugby League team now visiting New Zealand. Remembering the attitude of Mr. Wright when he was Mayor of Wellington in refusing a ci\*le reeeptic.. to the then English League team on the grounds that they were professional players, the heads of the Rugby League in Auckland approached Mr. Baildon and asked him if he would give the team a reception. The Mayor replied that he would if it did not clash with the Japanese visit. He later notified Mr. Carlaw that it clashed with the Japanese visit, and that he was willing to go and spend a few minutes with the team at their hotel. This was refused, and Mr. Carlaw demanded through the papers that the team be given a reception. The action of the Hon. R. A. Wright during the visit of the last English team had a far-reaching effect, as a Queensland Mayor adopted the same attitude towards an “All Black” team which toured Queensland. It was a slur on the hospitality of New Zealanders which we are all so jealous about, and English papers published the account of that slur. No one objects to the Mayor of Auckland (or Wellington) giving the Japs a hearty welcome, but surely he could have found time to give our own kith and kin a welcome. Surely it is an insult to the lads of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Wales, who comprise the team, that the Japs come before them.

Now, Sir, last week when Tom Heeney was to fight for the boxing championship of the world, did we think any the less of Heeney because he is “pro.”? Certainly not. Even our Prime Minister sent Tom a message wishing him “Good luck.” Wouldn’t the Hon. Mr. Wright and Mr. Baildon have done likewise? When Tom Heeney comes home he will get a civic reception, or there will be questions asked why. Is there any difference between, say. Sir Harry Lauder, who is' a professional entertainer, and the English Rugby League team, who entertain the public also?

It is about time that people who like sneering at the professional footballer took stock of things they do, and ask themselves, if they go to the races, don’t they support professional jockeys and trainers, or go to a cricket mutch, and their nimble tanner goes toward paying a professional whom the association employs. It is about time this distinction between amateurs and professionals was dropped and that wo treated all players as real "sports” will always do.—l am, etc., , CIVIC WELCOME. August 2.