BRITISH RUGBY TOUR

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 115, 11 April 1930, Page 4

BRITISH RUGBY TOUR

MATCHES TO BE BROADCAST. SERVICE TO PUBLIC. ' Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 10. The delegates of the New Zealand Rugby Union, at the annual meeting tb-night, decided that all matches played by the British team in New Zealand be broadcast. Mr S. Dean said that the New Zealand Union would not lose a penny if the matches were broadcast, but it would be a serious matter for affiliated unions. Personally, he liked listeningin, but the Radio Broadcasting Company was a commercial institution and the union did not see why it should not pay for the privilege of broadcasting Rugby matches, as it charged listeners a license fee of 30s. Everyone had sympathy with the patients in hospitals and charitable institutions, and if the company was sincere in its concern for these' people why should it not make a donation for the privilege of broadcasting the matches? The expressions which had fallen from the Radio Company were mere camouflage. The secretary read' a reply from the Radio Broadcasting Company, in which it stated that it was not prepared to pay for the privilege of broadcasting the matches. Mr H. H. Sterling considered that if the reports of tho British games were not broadcast it would affect the game adversely. The New Zealand Rugby Union had a service to give to tne public, as well as the Radio Company. He moved that all matches played by the British team in the Dominion be broadcast. The motion was seconded by Mr McDevitt (Waikato). Mr S. Wilson (Canterbury) moved as an amendment: “That this meeting approves of the action of the management committee in asking the Radio Company for some fee for the privilege of broadcasting the matches.” The New Zealand Union, he said, had not brought out the British team for the benefit of listeners-in. Mr J. Prendeville (Wellington) seconded the amendment. He suggested that the Radio Company might be allowed to send a reporter to tho matches and send out a report over the air in the evenings. The Broadcasting Company could well afford to pay a fee and each listener-in might pay a shilling for the privilege of receiving tho reports over the air, the money received in this way to go to a Rugby insurance fund.

Mr J. McLeod (Taranaki) said that tho union was not concerned with the Broadcasting Company, but it was vitally concerned with the public of New Zealand and the game might get a ,bad setback if it refused permission for reports to be sent over the air. Taranaki had been broadcasting Rugby and boxing' events for the pasj few years and found that, instead' ,of re-

ducing gates, the added publicity brougnt moro revenue. Rev. P. Tamahori (East 'Coast) made a strong plea, that at least the Test matches might be broadcast. Mr Belcher (Auckland) said that his union was strongly in favour of broadcasting, but he had been influenced by what he had heard during the discussion. There was something to be said for allowuig the Radio Company to send reporrs out in the evening. Mr A. Murdoch (Auckland) said that it could not be expected that a report sent out some time after the match would be anything like as vivid as one broadcast while the game was in progress. Mr A. A. Adams (West Coast) said that, after hearing the discussion, his union would be prepared to lose a few pounds in order that/ the greater good of the game might be served by broadcasting the matches. He pleaded that they should do the greatest good for the greatest number and ' allow the matches to be broadcast. Upon being put to the vote, the amendment was lost. Mr' J. T. King (Wellington) then moved as a further amendment .that reports of Test matches only bo allowed to be broadcast. This was also lost. Mr Sterling’s motion was then put and carried. TRIAL MATCHES. N TWO IN NORTH ISLAND. Per Press Association. - WELLINGTON, April 10. At the annual meeting of Rugby delegates, .Mr J. Prendeville (Wellington) asked what the union’s policy was with regard to trial matches this year. Mr S. S. Dean explained that it was intended to hold three Irial matches, two in the North Island and one in the South. Mr Prendeville asked if there was any necessity for the proposed trial game on May 14. It had also been rumoured that the New Zealand Union intended to aesemble the New Zealand team a week before the first Test and for the team to play at least one match before the first Test. Mr Dean explained that it was intended that the New Zealand team should play a match against North Otago on the Wednesday before the first Test match. It was not considered fair to ask the team to take the field without at least one game together. Mr J. T. King advocated that the New Zealand versus Maoris match should be made an annual event. The exhibition which had been given by the Maori team in the first spell of that match had-been brilliant, and had the Maoris been fit they would have “towelled the pakehas up a treat.” The match had done a great deal of good for the game in Wellington and had resulted in a profit of £4OO. Thus, from a playing and commercial aspect, the pakelia versus Maori match was a first-class proposition. If the fixture were made an annual one, it would encourage the Maori players. The motion to recommend that the fixture be made an annual one was carried.