NORTH RUGBY UNION'S SUCCESSFUL SEASON

Northern Advocate, 9 April 1947, Page 6

NORTH RUGBY UNION'S SUCCESSFUL SEASON

LAST season the North Auckland Rugby Union made a net profit of £3BB. This is revealed in the annual report of the management committee to be presented to the annual meeting next week.

From the financial point ol' view, the season had been most successful, states 1 lie report, signed by Mr R. G. Murdoch. as chairman. After the lean years experienced during the war period, this had been most gratifying and showed that football was again on the up-grade. The committee sounds a word of caution, stating that although the union was in possession of a reasonable sum as a result of last year’s operations, sub-unions would realise that the union would have to face heavy expenses for touring during' the coming season, as well as in ordinary lia-

.21 years and had given valuable serv- | ice. j It was doubtful if any person in I Northland had a better knowledge of [the history of the NARFU than Mr Smith, whose service should be suitably recognised. Mr Roseman had carried out his duties as secretary most efficiently and his resignation was regretted by the committee, which thanked him for his services.

During the year Mr Alfred Harding, the union’s patron and donor of the Harding Shield, Mr Roy Becroft, for many years a delegate from Otamatea, and Mr Pat Brydon. of Northern Wairoa, all of whom had been Rugby stalwarts, hud died. The union deeply sympathised with their families and recorded its appreciation of their valuable services. RECEIPTS FROM GA3IES

bilities. I?EI»RESENTATIVE SUCCESSES During the last season several representative matches had been play- ! od, the most important being that against the Australian team and which bad been won by the/Northland team. This match had done more to put Northland on the map than any other, and with wins registered against other representative teams the union might now be considered a major union, and therefore entitled to major consideration by the NZRFU when matches with overseas touring teams were being considered. Northland had lost to Auckland, but had defeated Australia and Taranaki, while Northland Maoris had beaten East Coast Maoris in the Prince of Wales Cup competition, and Northland pakehas had beaten Northland Maoris. A departure from usual practice had been the playing of the NorthlandTaranaki fixture at Dargaville. and the Maori-Pakeha match at Kaitaia. Both had been a success and confirmed the union's policy of spreading big football matches ever its territory. FUTURE ASSET Keen interest had been shown in the inter-sub-union football. Bay of Islands had won the Harding Shield, Whangarei the Brake Shield and Whangarei had retained the Powell Shield. Good progress had been made with football in the primary schools and the union thanked officials responsible for control. A Northland team sent to take part in the Roller Mills ! competition had been narrowly dc-! feated but the experience gained by the boys would be an asset to the un- j ice in the future. ] The North Auckland Referees’ As-1 sociation and the St John Ambulance j Brigade were thanked for their assistance during the year, while congratulations were offered .T. Smith on 'being selected as an All Black, and to I. Proctor. J. Isaacs. P. Smith and C. Stirling on being selected as Maori All Blacks. On the administrative side the union congratulated the president (Mr ,T. A. Finlayson) on being appointed to the New Zealand Council. OFFICERS RESIGNING The committee regretted the resignations of the treasurer (Mr H. E. G. Smith) and the secretary (Mr R. R. 1 Roseman). Mr Smith had been connected with the union for more than

The biggest attraction was the match against Australia when receipts amounted to 710. Principal payments were £306 to the NZRU. £94 for amusement tax. £l2O for accommodation and entertainment. and £54 for ground. The balance was £l6. For the game against Auckland the gate yielded £544, against which were charges including £B2 for accommodation and £65 for amusement tax. the balance remaining being £243. The Taranaki game at Dargaville showed a profit of £123. Takings amounted to £387. and the main expenditure was £3B for accommodation and £44 for amusement tax.

A profit of £55 accrued from the Maori-Pakeha game at Kaitaia. Takings amounted to £IBB. of which £4l went for accommodation and £2l for amusement tax.