RUGBY FOOTBALL N.Z. UNION’S FINANCIAL LOSS LAST YEAR

Grey River Argus, 20 April 1948, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL N.Z. UNION’S FINANCIAL LOSS LAST YEAR

P.A. WELLINGTON, April 19. The 1947 season set an all-time record in the matter of first-class representative matches, over 130 ot which were, played in the Dominion, states the fifty-sixth annual repprt of the New Zealand Rugby Union. Financial!” however, the season was unusually expensive, the , national controlling body showing a loss of over £3OOO. The report states that transport is likely to be a source of worry in the coming season, and it is expected that air travel, when available, will be used more than in the past. It is hoped that petrol restrictions will not be sufficiently drastic to curtail matches where no other form of transport is possible. The report traces, unsuccessful negotiations for a visit by a French team this season, and mentions that the air fares alone would have cost £22,250, and, though Australia asked for a big proportion of matches, it was prepared to contribute only two thousand pounds towards the cost.

On the financial. side the. " year showed a heavy deficit of £3429. Over one thousand pounds was distributed in school grants, and a similar amount in other grants to unions. The sending of two delegates to the London, conference also accounted for. more than one thousand pounds... Expenses connected with the tour of Australia amounted to £952, and the total expenditure for the year , was £6287,. sources of revenue were the match .'between the All Blacks and Auckland, £1015; interest, £1,003; and trials, £637- The accumulated funds b’f the union now stand at £43,134. The, gross gates for the three trials were: . Christchurch £328, Palmerston North £590, and Wellington £1556. 1 The report is to be presented to the. annual meeting in Wellington oh May 5.

New Rugby Rules Cause Difficulty

WELLINGTON. April 18. The Council of the New Zealand Rugby Union has decided that amendments to the laws agreed upon by the International Board, following discussions at the Imperial conference in London, , are to be enforced this season. It is reported that a field goal. is in future to be worth three points,, instead of four, and that the outside hooker on whose side the ball enters the scrum yill be allowed to follow the ball into the scrum with his outside, foot.

The application * which changed the scrum law invblyes difficulty. The New Zealand union has. so far been unable to ascertain from England the full text of the new scrummage law. , , Mr Dean (chairrnan), advised the Otago Union, ..whosechampionship matches began yest'erd’ay," to put the new laws into force. He suggested that the outside front row forwards be allowed to follow the ball into the scrummage, as. - indicated in the information to date.

The secretary of the Wellington Referees Association. A. D. Chant) said to-day that his - association had decided that it would not change its rulings uhtil -it received written authority to do so, and had been fully advised of the changes.