NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION.

Evening Post, Volume XLIX, Issue 97, 25 April 1895, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION.

THE ANNUAL REPORT. The Management Committee of the New Zealand Engby Union met last evening, and adopted its report for presentation to the annual meeting on Saturday evening. After dealing with the events of the past season, ths proposal to establish North v. South matches during the present season, and the good work done by the Appeal Committee (a precis of tho decisions of which has now been prepared, and, with the English case lnw, ia to bo circulated to all Unions, the report continues : —'I ho furtherance of the Australasian Union proposals has been left in the hands of tho Now Sonth Wales Union, which is now submitting a draft constitution for the consideration of the colonial Unions. The New Zealand Keferees' Association, formed at the beginning of last season, has now spread throughout the colony, and ha 3 done admirable work in improving the status and increasing the influence of referees, while securing uniformity in their interpretation of the laws. The local branches have had a marked effect in raising the tone of the game. Financially the tour of the New South Wales team did not realise anticipations, largely owing to tho initial defeats of the visitors and to tho bad weather experienced at a large proportion of the matches. Prior to tho vitit of the team most careful enquiries were made by a special committee, and estimates of probab c expenses were obtained from the varions Unions. Unfortunately, in many cases Uuions exceeded these estimate*, and this fact, coupled with the falling in receipts from the causcß above stated, have considerably affected the financial position and caused the Union to finish the year with a deficit instead of a surplus, as would otherwise have been the case. The deficit amounts to .£69 3s, all represented by amounts duo to p.'ayers in connection with expenses incurred in coming to representative matches, and it includes a debit of £H la brought forward from the prey ous year. On further adjustment of accounts this amount may bo reduced, but it is placed now at tho maximum sum. The accounts in connection with tho New South Waleß visit havo now been carefully collated, and form a mass of iuformation based upon actual experience, which will prove of the utmost value in tho arranjement of future tours. 'I he detailed statements of acconnt attached show that during the past two years this Uuion lias accomplished two large undertakings with what must be regarded under all tho circumstances as a minimum of cost to the affiliated bodies. In 1893 it repaid the debt of the colony to New Sonth Wales by sending over a representative "team. Uho expenditure in connection with that undertaking was .£BB2 8s 6d, and the year was closed with a liability of .£44 Ib, bringing the cost of the tour to .£926 9s 6d. Of th's sum the Australian Unions found .£738 13s 2i, representing the expenses of 21 men to and from the final New Zealand port, Last year the tour of the New South Wales team through New Zealand cost this Union .£Bl7 10s 5d (figures for the Nelson match and for entertainment at Auckland not included). Of this sum .£695 10a has been received from net gates (again exclusive of Nelson, the accounts for which have not yet been received). The New South Waleß Union will, it is understood, remit a sum of 0s 9d due to them, and tho Auckland Union has made a donation of .£3l 7s towards the expenses of the North Island match over and above its guarantee. Thiß brings tho receipts on account of the tonr to 4763 17s 9d, leaving a deficit upon it of .£53 12s Bd. The management account of the Union, notwithstanding the very large amount of work involved, has been kept at a nominal sum. 'J.o 18 ?? 'Ir £U 14a 9d : in 1894 itw "s ft i li 8 %t' Bnmmed "P. the position is that the New Zealand Union haa financed two intercolonial tours costing J21743 (exclusive of figures already mentioned) on a general management expenditure of .£34 at the cost of a deficit of ,£69, arrived at by calculating only cash assets. As against this .£69 the N.Z. Union has now paid, by paying lho expenses of the New South Wales tour last year, for the visit of its representatives to New South Wales next year, which taking the figures of 1893 represents nearly .£5OO It waß pointed out at the beginning of last season that with undertakings involving ao large an expenditure as those in which this Union engages, the present subscriptions do not provide a sufficiently large contingency iund, bnt it was deoided at the annual meeting to await the financial result of the Now South Wales visit, and should it tbon be necessary, to mako a levy upon Unions to supply any deficit. It will now be necessary eithor to increase the subscription or make • uch a levy, ai d the Union can with confidence look to tho loyalty of its affiliated U m-.ns to do this. A. visit from the Queensand representative team is exp'cted this year, unj the experience Rained in connection with the New South Wales tour <viU enable the finances i f this visit to be plau?d on a basis of certainty The question of tho formation of new Unions will shortly hive to bo considered Prior to the formation of the New Zea'and Union t=ere was no check upon the disintegration ?n ll n fIOUf 10US i' F th ? r ? 5 !- now a c °"P>et9 check in refusal oE. registration. Since iis inception this Union has discouraged the formation ot new Unions, and endeavoured to secure the maintenance and extension of exiting bodies, while at the same t,me ensuring better government. By adopting" system of representation which gives am? * mum of five votes to the largest Union™ -**- reduces the smaller to a minimum of - '' *»* reform whioh the smaller Unions cc •*&— a assisted to initiate— the position ' -aeroasly far as possible adjusted. The « ias been as of close settlement, combiner 1 rapid spread lua whioh the New Ze r - with the stimuafforded, has, however -Jand Unipn has organisations where ' •> produced, football was primeval ■mV out a Bhort time back tha 1 ! such orga- -lernoss. It is important and fostered. uisations should be guided given in tb , And that assistance should be putable •* establishment of stable and roUnion r government. This year two new paw j will apply for recognition — the Waic * and the Kangitikei Unions. Both yver large areas of country not covered by any pre-existing Union. The system adopted in the Anokland province by which the country Unions are affiliated to and through the metropolitan Union is one that is well worthy of imitation where possible, but whero metropolitnn Unions confine themselves to purely local conoerns, this is, of course, impossible, and in such cases the outside Union must be affiliated direct, the rolativo positions being maintained by proportional representation. The forthcoming season promises to bo an excellent one. The Ke\r Zealand Union begin 3 it with cordial relations with the English Union ' and the other colonial Unions, and besides tho visit of Queensland, inter-union football of quite exceptional interest is promised. For the Committee. £. D. Hoben, Hon. See.