RUGBY FINANCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 56, 8 March 1937, Page 18

RUGBY FINANCE

WELLINGTON CONCERN

- According to the annual report of the Wellington Rugby - Football Union the finances of the union gave the com-! mittee considerable anxiety during the season. Club gates, though showing, a small increase on last year, were still! considerably. below previous years. This was due to some extent to wet, weather and also to the fact that the loss of Newtown Park meant that senior games w v ere being played on non-charge grounds and attracting big attendances. The weather also affected the gates at the Hawke's Bay and Auckland matches. At Petone and Hutt there was a drop of over £100, and, the total revenue for the season was down by over £200, being the lowest since 1933.

On the other hand, the expenses for the season, item for item, were much the same as for the previous year. A : small profit is shown on the year's working'of' £22 9s 3d, but the overdraft at the bank has been^increased by £221 14s 6d. The instalments have been met on the long-term mortgage and the outstanding amount is reduced to £6716 13s 4d. Though it is hoped that the two matches in Wellington against South Africa, in addition to one or'more New Zealand trial games, will. bring in a good return to the union, it must be remembered (states the report) that there will be a considerable expenditure in providing extra accommodation. The committee has been in communication with the New Zealand Union on proposals to make most of such expenditure on permanent improvements that will meet the requirements for New Zealand matches in future years.

of one of these then invincible fleets which made Britain mistress of the seas, as would be those men of Nelson's time could they see a modern giant battleship being made ready for sea.

To keep in. touch with all this activity and the constant arrival and departure of warships, soon after 1793, semaphore telegraphs were installed between the Admiralty 'and the main naval dockyards. On the Portsmouth line, including the two terminals, there were fourteen stations ■ altogether. These were erected on the highest available spots, and each was under the control of an old naval lieutenant. Tn fine clear weather a message could be transmitted from one end to the other in" a few minutes.