"A GREATER HOLD"

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 93, 22 April 1925, Page 7

"A GREATER HOLD"

RUGBY IN NEW ZEALAND

CONTROLLING BODY'S ANNUAL REPORT.

In its annual report the New Zealand Rugby Union's Management Committee congratulates players and officials on the further progress made during the past year. It was estimated that over 40,000 players were taking the field under the auspices of the affiliated unions, while the primary schools competitions were •well maintained. '"As a national pastime the Rugby Union game has a greate>' hold than ever on young New Zea■laud," the report states, " while the enthusiasm of the general public has been splendid. "These results niust satisfy the enthusiasts, while those who have the well-being of the rising generation truly at heart must be more than satisfied with the part the game is tak- : ing in their physical development and iv inculcating those lessons of self-con-trol and resource which are so essential to a high standard of citizenship." Dealing with the distribution of £500 for the encouragement of school football, the report says: "The principle adopted in this distribution was to encourage as much as possible unions who had a. wide territory to administer and whoso local finances were limited. The balance remaining from the vote has been _ devoted towards compiling and printing the text-book on Rugby, copies of which will be available for distribution'to sill primary schools early in the coming season." -OVERSEAS TOURS. ; '"-The assembly of the team to tour j England, Ireland, Wales, and France was i the all-important event of the year and [ aroused unparalleled interest and enthusiasm. Your committe was faced with the task of combing New Zealand for the very best Rugby players available and followed very largely the ideas laid down at the annual general meeting in doing so. The result lias been that 29 very fine players were chosen to uphold the honour of the Dominion, and the record of results speaks for itself. The New Zealand Selection Committee was increased to seven in order to make it cover as wide a territory of first-hand local knowledge as possible, and this committee was ably assisted by local committee which chose the sides from which the subsequent Possibles v. Probables trial teams were selected. As the result of the methods employed your Management Committee is satisfied that every player worthy of consideration had a trial, while the success of the subsequent tour both in Australia and the Old Country proves how effectively the selectors did their work. "Prior to the departure of the team for England 24 of the players chosen were sent to Australia under the management of Mr. E..A. Little, and succeeded in winning three out of the four matches set down as their programme. They lost the first match (which was a w +1? $ y *ia small margin of P°intsbut the other three games were won by substantial margini. By this visit the New South Wales Rugy Union were materially supported in their efforts to maintam tle R ugby Un ; OIJ gdmQ . fl btato, and, fanancially, their position! '.',as placed on a sound footing. Your committee has received letters of very' sincere thanks from the New South Wales Ruby Timor, for -the support given by this union, and itis a matter ki ow°?f ? p3tT r? -a! 1 c°"<*rned to know that Rugby Union must look to the New South Wales Rugby Union for wS T^ r$ aaT , °i visits without which the New Zealand standard of play cannot be measured c r due to send us a team to tour the Do-minion,-and, from correspondence received, it is clear that it will make-i every eftort to send a fully representative side. Pnor to the arrival of this team, however, your committee has agreed to send a team to New South Wales to play-five matches. This arrangement has been made at the request of the New South Wales Rugby Union with a view to still further assisting them in their efforts to extend the interest m the Rugby Union ganie. Prior to the departure of this team a match will be played m one of the chief centres with a view to minimising the expense to the New South Wales Union as far as possible. Players who have recently returned from the English tour will not participate in this tour. FINANCE. ■ /'Notwithstanding the heavy expenditure undertaken during the last season in order to give the Selection Committee facilities for witnessing the play of nominees for the team to lour England Ireland, and Wales, owing to the very great public interest which was displayed hi the various trial matches and the North and South Island match, these matches resulted in the substantial profit of £3116 19s 3d. It is, however worthy of note that but for these' matches the year would have shown a « ■rh. e^ mount of £88 8s lid written off Maori Tours Account shows the loss wh lc h has been sustained by the various Maori tours undertaken by the union Ihe amount was left outstanding in the previous balance-sheet pending adjustments witj, Mr. Parata, and does not therefore relate to the past year's operations. Ihe amount of, £740 8s lid, expenditure, tour to England, represents expenditure incidental to outfitting team etc., additional to £500 recoverable from ( the Rugby I'ootball Union (England) | under our agreement. The delegate's e.x- . penses to England other than passage money have yet to be ascertained, and I will appear in next year's statement of accounts. The summary shows the heavy expenses entailed in running the various matches, and gives some interesting scope for comparison. "The policy of your committee in advancing money to unions for the acquisition and improvement of playin* areas has been actively pursued. The amount °n n o -,i°/ n to umons "as increased from £8134 9s 8d to £13,950 since the pro vious year's financial statement. Where local unions take Hie initiative and raise locally a reasonable sum towards the acquisition of a playing area, it i s the practice of your committee to advance iunds which may be available at a. low rate of interest for a large part of the money required for the purchase and improvement of sucli areas."