RUGBY MATTERS WELLINGTON UNION'S REPORT FINANCIAL ASPECT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 72, 26 March 1914, Page 8

RUGBY MATTERS WELLINGTON UNION'S REPORT FINANCIAL ASPECT.

The report of the Wellington Rugby Football Union to be presented at the annual meeting on Monday, 30th March, states that the number of active players engaged in matches under the union's jurisdiction totalled 1640, not including players in the Public Schools competition. Keen interest was displayed in the senior games practically to the end. The performance of the winners was a meritorious one, their play being consistent right through. In the other grades the competition was also keen, some more than ordinarily close games being seen towards the close of each series. The following were the winners of the various competitions : — Senior, Athletic ; Junior, Petone ; Third Class, Oriental ; Fourth Class, Petone'; Fifth Class, Petone; Sixth Class, Petone ; Wednesday, Petone. "Taken right through," says the report, "the season must be regarded as an average one, and Wellington Rugby as a game well maintained its position as the Dominion's premier winter sport." The season's operation included a large number of representative games, the res.ults of which were : — Senior — v. Wairarapa. at Wellington, with 14 against 11 ; v. Taranaki, at Hawera, 13 against 9 ; v. Auckland, at Auckland, 5 against 6 ; v. Hawkes Bay, at Wellington, 18 against 0 ; v. • Taranaki, at Wellington, 3 against 0; v. Auckland, at Wellington, 9 against 11 ; v. Wanganui; at Wellington, 3 against 16 ; v. Otago, at Dunedin, 18 against 11 ; v. Southland, at Invercargill, 0 against 0 ; v. Wairarapa, at Carterton, 21 against 3 ; v. Australia, at Wellington, 30 against 5; v. Native team, at Wellington, 23 against 21 ; v. Mariborough, at Blenheim, 15 against 3; v. Mariborough, at Wellington, 36 against 5 ; v. Canterbury, at Christchurch, 6 against 3. "In previous reports." continues the statement, "the committee has made a point of the necessity for care in dealing with the finances of the union, and the result of the pa.?t year shows the justification for bringing the matter under notice. At the beginning of the season your committee went thoroughly into ways and means, and, after much careful consideration, it was decided to increase the charge for admission to cup matches. As Avill be seen from the accounts, the expenditure has been cut down somewhat, while the receipts do not show any marked increase, compared with previous years. This question of charge for admission will be one of the matters requiring the serious consjderation of the incoming committee; in fact it appears necessary that the whole question of finance should be reviewed as it must be clear that unless funds are available some of the expenditure must be curtailed. "The 1 lease of the Athletic Park expires at the end of thi3 season, necessitating a rearrangement of the rental for the next period of twenty-one years. Alleady your committee has discussed the matter and the president, Dr. Newman, in conjunction with the chairman^ has been deputed to deal with the matter." The statement of revenue and expenditure for the period ending 31st January shows — Revenue, £2346 9s (including Athletic Park, £2162 8s 2d) ; expendituiej £2589 lls 3d (including Athletic Park, £774 lls 4d) ; loss in working, £243 2s 3cL