MOKOIA SPORTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 30 May 1927, Page 4

MOKOIA SPORTS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Would you kindly allow me space in your valuable columns to air a grievance with the Mokoia Settlers’ Association sports, in which the seven-a-side football tournament was the chief attraction. Firstly, do. they think it a fair thing to charge the players, the makers of the sports, 2s gate entrance, when their club has already paid their Q.Os 6d nomination fee. They will also charge a shilling if a’ player wishes to . take his car in for convenience of undressing and leaving his clothes. Truly enough, the association provides a tent for them, but there is no convenience in it at all. All clothes have to be laid on the ground, when there could be a row of hooks round the tent to which to hang them up by, for when there are 15 teamsi to get into’ a small tent there is not much loom when all clothes have * to be thrown on to the ground. Considering the time the last games are played off in the fast falling darkness, 1 think a lantern should be provided to allow the players to' find their right clothes;, for there is always a mix-up in the:darkness. For instance, an Opo player took by mistake a blue jacket coat belonging to a Pukengiabau player, leaving his own for the latter, and another player finds his boots gene and another pair in their place—all this inconvenience just through the sports committee not thinking it fit to find a lantern for the players. Secondly, I .think the association should have a medicial man on the grounds, or a conveyance to take the injured to. the doctor or the. hospital should the occasion arise, as it did in

the recent meeting, and net leave the responsibility to a- private party, who ■has already paid hie 2s to see the sports. I know tne party never got a -refund for putting himself about when the committee should have seen to it instead. Now another small item : X think the association would have made itsell more popular had it given the winning team and' its coach a buc-kshee pass to the concert (which was 2s 6d door entrance), to which they were asked to attend to receive the handsome shield and a medal to each player, and not be told they would have to pay to have their names engraved on them if they wished, or let their own club bear the 2s per medal expense. This would liave been a very small item to the association, ,seeing they had the medals given to them by the different trades people, .seeing that they can show a credit of £34 IBs, a. tidy sum for a small body. Now the footballers alone had 15 teams; nominations at 10s 6d per team amounts to 1 £7 17s 6d; 15 teams with 7 players and 2 emergencies at the gate at 2s per mail i.s £l3 10s ; a total of £2l. 7s 6d for players alone besides the numbers of supporters each team took with them. I might say this is the first sports body holding a seven-a-side tourney 1 know of charging the makers of the sports 2s gate entrance besides the 10s 6d nomination. Most sports bodies do charge gate entrance to playens, but as soon a»s they are ready to play they get a refund from the secretary, leaving their nominations only. Now Mokoia Settlers’ Association, this football tourney means a big thing to you. judging by-the report in the paper, as it says it looks as Tf the association will have to- soon consider setting aside a special clay for the football alone. Wake up or you will see there will he no need to hold a football tourney at all, seeing what the charges are. Some teams have to travel long distances and pay bus fare on top of the charges, when they get there. This means an expensive day for players when the pay-out is only lOd per lb. butter-fat, .and most of the playens depend on the land l directly or indirectly for their living. Give them a cup of . tea, Mokoia, same as you do the band. You are not paying the players as you are the band, so give them a cup of tea and their 2s gate back and you will prosper—otherwi.se. you will die a sudden death. Thanking you in anticipation for vonr valuable space, I am, etc., WITNESS. Bawara, 19/5/27.