RUGBY "GATES."

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 20 October 1922, Page 4

RUGBY "GATES."

CRITICS ANSWERED. i STATEMENT BY MR. MeLEOD. i Much criticism has been levelled at the Taranaki Rngby Union during the season, most of the adverse remarks concerning the financial management of football affairs in the province. A reply to these critics was made by the chairman of the Rugby Union (Mr. Jas. McLeod) at the Tukapa Football Club's annual smoke concert last night, in the course of which he set out the financial position in connection with both club and representative football matches. : "It is the first time these figures have been made public," said Mr. McLeod, who gave the approximate returns for the.season as follows: Gross takings from club games, £1447; total expenditure, £1363. Details of the expenditure were: Paid back to clubs for travelling expenses, £539 (there were still some small claims to come in); refund to clubs, being 5 per cent, on "gates," £70 17s 7d; advertising, £223; rent of grounds, £162; gatekeepers, £93 16s; referees, £93; half cost of management (including secrej tary's salary £100, stamps, etc.), £148; [ three-quarters of sundries, £33; a ! total of £1363. Thus it would be seen ; that the union had about £70 to come ' and go on to meet expenses. The union had not made a shilling out of club football, nor did it wish to. | A lot-of criticism had been levelled ,at the union, criticism he had not replied to before, as there was only one time to do that, and that was once a ! year, and his own club should know the ' position first. The policy of the Rugby Union had been, and, as far as he was concerned, would continue to be, one in which no interest was tsken in making a profit and hoarding money, but a policy in which the money would be ; spent on the players and the public who j supported the game. If the town clubs under the provincial scheme of foot- ■ ball held their own gates, declared Mr. McLeod, the result would be to make those clubs very wealthy, while other ' clubs, who helped to nrovide the sport, would be languishing. He took the broad view, and said that, though the footballer« provided the means of sport; it was the public the union had to rely on. He believed the gates would increase by 50 per cent, next year, which would mean an additional £500 or £600, while the expenses would not increase. Thus more than 5 per cent, would '■ accrue to clubs. If next season the provincial scheme were abandoned the I gates were sure to drop considerably, ' and the interest aroused during the last . two seasons would be lost. The finances in connection with representative matches were then outlined by Mr. McLeod. For the season the j gross takings had amounted to £1247, j while the expenditure (exclusive of the ! southern tour) amounted to £871, made iup as follows: Rent £129, gatekeepers I £34, referees £5, entertainment and j hotel expenses for visiting and local | teams £111, cars for teams, etc., £42, , printing tickets, etc., £65, expenses of j the Wanganui match £39, jerseys, foot- ; balls, etc., £54, players' expenses £172, ; advertising £70, half cost of managej ment £150: This showed an approxii mate profit of £376 on representative matches, but the southern tour had cqst £615, leaving a loss of about £210, or a loss on the whole season of about j £180. The union were mor<- than sa-tis- ; fied with that result, especially when it was considered that the Taranaki team was the only one that went through the South Island and paid all their own expenses. When these return matches were played in 1923 and 1924 the Taranaki Union would take the whole gate, and thus be in a.better financial position than ever before in its history.— News.