INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL.

Evening Star, Issue 11697, 1 October 1902, Page 4

INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL.

THE PROPOSED NEW ZEALAND TEAM FOR ENGLAND.

[Special to the Stab,]

WELLINGTON, October L Last week 1 was able to intimate to your readers that letters had corns to hand by the last San Francisco mail from the AgentGeneral and Mr Rowland Hill (hon. secretary of the English Rugby Union) relative to the proposal of the New Zealand Rugby Union to send a representative team to Great Britain, but at that stage the subject therein discussed could not be disclosed until after the meeting of the Managing Committee of the colonial Union in the following week. The latter Commit tee met, last night, and I am now able to place the contents of the letters before youi football readers. The communications art addressed to the hon. secretary of the New Zealand Union, and are couched in the following terms:— "Westminster Chambers, 12 Victoria street "London, S.W., August 19, 1902. "Dear suv—l have the pleasure to inform you that upon receipt of your letter of 25tb: June last I at once got into touch with Mr Rowland Hill and the other officials of the English Rugby Footb.tU Union, so that I might bo enabled to favorably place before them the proposal of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union to send a team to this country in 1903. They appear to warmly welcome the sug : gestion, but were afraid that the question of professionalism would prove a serious obstacle. The matter wa3 brought up at a committee meeting on Monday last, and it was, I am given to understand, decided to leave the decision in the hands of a subcommittee. I may add that lam very much interested in the project, and it has given me very great pleasure to comply with the request of your Union to bring pressure to bear upon the Rugby football authorities in this country in the hope that the matter may be brought to a successful issue.—l am, etc, W. P. Reeves.

"P.S.—lf I can be of wry further assistance please do not hesitate to ask me.— W.P.R."

"Rugby Football Union.' "Greenwich, S.E., August 21, 1902. "Dea.<: sir,—My Committee have considered your letter in reference to a New Zealand team visiting this country. They very much rcgTet that they cannot see their way to relax the professional regulations. Whilst my Committee are not prepared to guarantee any of the expenses, yet if a team come over-under the auspices of the New Zealand Union they will do everything in their power to get them a good list ot fixtures, and to induce the clubs to give them good terms.—G. Rowland Hill, hon. secretary." The matter was thoroughly threshed out by tho Committee, who ultimately adopted tho following motions: affiliated unions be advised that in tho opinion of this Committee it is possible, under the existing rules of professionalism, to send a team to England, provided that satisfactory arrangements in regard to financing the tour can be made. (2) That the local unions be requested to find out, and forward to this Union, the names of any of their players who would be willing (if chosen) to make one of a New Zealand team to Great Britain, it being understood that tho rules of professionalism must be complied with. (3) That a copy of the correspondence between the English Union and this Union be forwarded along with the above resolutions. (4) That the secretary apply to the English Union for information regarding probable fixtures, and an estimate of the probable receipts and proportion tbireof which would accrue to this Union; also for an estimate of travelling and board expenses of a team of twenty-five men playing two matches a week during a stay of three months in England."