RUGBY LEAGUE N.Z. Council To Reconsider Tour By Kiwis

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 June 1948, Page 6

RUGBY LEAGUE N.Z. Council To Reconsider Tour By Kiwis

A special meeting of the council of the New Zealand Rugby League is to be held at Auckland tonight to reconsider the proposal that the New Zealand team should undertake a tour of New Zealand on its return from Australia. A tentative itinerary has been submitted by the council, but it is unlikely that the team will play at Greymouth, as the date suggested clashes with the fixture already made between South Auckland and West Coast.

A special meeting of the Board of Control of the West Coast Rugby League was held on Sunday night to consider an urgent communication from the New Zealand League on the matter of the proposed tour. Mr W. Meates, deputy chairman, presided. “It is apparent that the matter of a tour of New Zealand by the returning Kiwis will require further consideration,” stated the letter from the council. “The proposal was made at the annual meeting and lapsed owing to the lack of definite applications from the leagues concerned and the difficulties which were apparent to the council. A meeting of the council will be held on June 8 to reconsider the tour and, ’in order io obtain further facts to assist in arriving at a satisfactory conclusion, I am writing to all leagues concerned so that they can forward their views and suggestions before the meeting.” Suggested itinerary ' The suggested itinerary is as follows: —June 16, return from Australia; Junfe 19, play Auckland; June 22, South Auckland; June 24, Wellington; June 26, Canterbury; June 28 (Monday), West Coast. The letter added that the advantages of the tour from a national aspect were obvious, assuming that satisfactory opposition could be provided at each centre, but there were six possible objections—the question whether the type of football, which would be played would be a fair indication of the team’s overseas standard; the availability of players to tour; the present opposition to mid-week sporting fixtures; accommodation difficulties; the fact that the proceeds would have to belong to the New Zealand League and the fact that the extension of the time that the Kiwis would be away from club teams would be a change of policy, contrary to the expressed wishes of some leagues. After some discussion on the proposal, the West Coast Board of Control decided to advise the council that, whilst it felt that the proposed tour was essential, it had acted on prior notice and had made arrangements to entertain the South Auckland representative team on the week-end suggested for the Kiwis’ visit, and those arrangements could not now be upset. The South Auckland League advised that its representative team would leave Huntly on its South Island tour on June 17 and would be in Greymouth from June 22 to June 28. South Auckland Matches It was decided that the West Coast selectors be instructed to choose a West Coast team to play South Auckland at Greymouth on June 27 and a West Coast colts’ team, under 21 years of age, to play the visitors at Hokitika on June 26. The earlier arrangement that Runanga seniors should play South Auckland at Victoria Park at 3.30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23, was confirmed. In view of the forthcoming representative teams’ visits and the return of the Kiwis, it was decided to set up a social committee to arrange entertainments and Mr J. Kidd was appointed convener. The Otahuhu Rovers Club (Auckland) advised that it proposed to

send its fourth grade side to Greymouth again this season and sought permission to play games on the week-end of September 18. It was decided to grant permission for the visit and to submit a list of proposed games at a later date. It was decided that the Board of Control should make its annual official visit to the Runanga Club tomorrow night. .