FOOTBALL AT SYDNEY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 285, 17 November 1923, Page 5

FOOTBALL AT SYDNEY

LEAGUE MONOPOLISING GROUNDS. (Received 17, 9.0 a.m.) e Sydney, November 17. Amatuer sporting circles ar©' much perturbed over the Rugby Leagu© seeking to secure a five years’ lease of the Agricultural Society’s ground. As the League already holds all th© other larg© city grounds, if it secured the Agricultural Society’s ground it would mean that amateur bodies for tho next five years would have to plqy the big fix- , tn res o n suburban grounds. A move- : ment is on foot to evolve a scheme amongst amateur and professional • bodies for equal opportunities for play- ' ing th© biggest matches on th© Agri- ( cultural ground. THE STATEMENT DENIED, (Received 17, 11.30 a.m.) Sydney, Nov. 17. Mr Somer, secretary of the Agricultural denies the statement that the Rugby League is endeavouring to secure a lease o-f the ground for five ( years. Reviewing the past, Mr Somer, j said: “Sixteen years ago the Rugby I Union was paying forty per cent of its c receipts for grounds. His society charged 20 per cent, which had tho effect of reducing the others, but the Union refused to stage one match on the Agricultural Ground, as apparently we were small potatoes in their eyes in those days. The ground was subsequently leased to the League, which declined j to pay what was considered a reasonable increase in tho contract price. The Society aims at letting the ground in tho best interests of the members and j the public and to give all sporting ( bodies every chance.—(A. and N.Z.) p