THE LEAGUE CODE

Evening Star, Issue 18668, 24 June 1924, Page 2

THE LEAGUE CODE

PROPOSED MATCH IM DUNEDIN, BEQUEST FOE A GROUND. EUGBY AUTHOETTIES UNAIO;KOUSLY DECLINE. A request from the New Zealand Rugby ! Football League for the uso of a ground in Dunedin to play a match between a Canterbury team and the visiting English team which is due in New Zealand at the end of this month was unanimously declined by a meeting of the committee of the Otago Rugby Football Union last night. The matter was brought before tbo committee by Mr H. A. Millard, official organiser of the New Zealand Rugby Football League, who attended the meeting in company with Mr H. Divers. Mr Millard, who is a rapid and clear speaker, said it was proposed to play the match in Dunedin on August 9. lie had been told by the man in the street that there was a stereotyped reply waiting for him, and that it would be a waste of time coming to ask for the uso of one of their grounds. He refused to believe it. It had been said to tho discredit of the League that its players and officials in New Zealand were disgruntled players and disgruntled officials of tho Rugby code. Ho wished to refute that. Tic had been a Rugby supporter once, but after returning from overseas had become a League man. He claimed the right- to play whatever game he liked. lie would not ask for a ground for an interprovincial game, but they should remember that tin’s was an English visiting Ham. Ho asked them to take an Imperial outlook of tho matter. They had no antagonism for the Rugby game, but merely waited to play their own game and govern it in their own way. The fact of tlioir not gelling a ground on this occasion would not prevent the League from coming to Dunedin. He knew there was a prejudice here against their game, but it was false prejudice. Ho wanted an official refusal from the union—that was, if it would not grant Ins body a ground. Ho asked the union to take a rc i‘ enable view of his application, and look at it from a broadminded point of view. The Chairman said they had had nu application from Canterbury for a ground, and had refused it. Mr Millard pointed out that, he was speaking for tho parent body—the New Zealand League. Mr Millard having retired, the meeting considered (ho request. Mr Nelson said he doubted whether they had tho power, in view of tho rules ro-g.-eding professionalism, to grant a ground. lie referred to the fact that tho visitors came from England and represented tho British Empire in a very big game, which had numerous followers in the Old Country. He was prepared to say they might grant a ground for a week-day. The Chairman said it was doubtful whether the question of professionalism did not apply in this case. Mr G. MTjarcn moved—“ That wo cannot fee our way to grant the Now Zealand League tho uso of any of our grounds.” He said the two games were as wide apart as the poles, and they should try to keep them apart. Mr Mitchell, in supporting the motion, said they were there to support tho amateur game of Rugby. They knew, in spite of what was said, that the League was antagonistic to their game. Mr Stuart said that by granting a ground they would bo acting contrary to their work. He did not think' they should do anything to encourage the game to come lime. Mr Harris stated that they would be foolish, in his opinion, if they did anything to help the League game. lie did not see why the League should expert them to provide grounds. The motion was carried unanimously.