THE LEAGUE CODE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 28 August 1919, Page 5

THE LEAGUE CODE.

CHRISTCHURCH, Aug 26. A plea for one Rugby code wa s made by the Mayor (Dr Thacker M.P ) in welcoming th c Australian League team at the City Council Chamber. He said ne wanted to see an end to squabbling and diversity of rules/ s o that there could be one Rugby code making possible a round of matches in America, Britain Australia, Africa and New Z^ land- "We. in the Rugby League1 code think we lead as far as rules go, the Mayor added. "We must be leading, because Auckland is adopting our game and falling out with the old conservative Rugby Union. (Hear hear.) The Rugby Union in the country is not conservative but is tied to the conservative English Rugby Union tor the game there is the game for the upper classes, of the universities and so on. A man who is a worker 'however, should not be prevented, if he is a champion, from going on tour simply because his earning capacity i s cut off. Wnen our men went from this country they were amateur soldiers but they 5?« t0 be paiti ' There should be no difference if a man has to go on tour to contest in sport. Nobody would think of calling our soldiers professionals, and nobody should call our champions professionals."