PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13499, 28 May 1907, Page 6

PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL.

THE DECLARATION QUESTION.

- VIEWS FROM BOTH SIDES. The only topic of conversation in football circles, and, in fact, in other circles, yesterday was that of the dispute now existing between the New; Zealand Rugby Union and certain footballers, included, among whom are some dozen Aucklanders. As previously stated in^thc*.HebAxd, 12 Auckland representatives, who were candidates for positions in the North Island team to piny against the South Island; were asked on Saturday to sign a declaration, but refused to do so. With few exceptions, the prominent footballers in the ' Southern part; of the North Island have signed the de-, claration, which is as follows; '

V 'l, *——, of "—, do 'solemnly and sincerely declare as follow*:—(1) .That'* I .have never asked, received, >r relied on promise, direct, or implied, Ito receive any money consideration whatever, | actual or prospective, for playing football or ren- | derinp any service to ;a- football organisation; (2) 'and particularly that I have, not asked,, received, or relied on. any promise, direct or implied, to ) receive any money consideration whatever, Stctual : or- prospective, or; to. receive any benefit, from, i hoi" have I promised or asked to be permitted to ! take part IH any manner whatsoever; in a scheme having for its object the sending of a learn of Rugby ; footballers from New • Zealand to- play football against . the teams .- of the Northern] Counties* Rugby Union of England. .And I make this solemn' declaration conscientiously believing | the same to be. true under and . by virtue of the provisions of "an : Act of the General 'Assemblyl of • New' Zealand ■ ..intituled The 'Justices of the Peace Act, 1882.— Declared at -,* the — day of '—,'■■' 1907, before me. , , a Justice •of ■ the Peace for the Colony of New Zealand. '*■'".-- ,

! ; The arguments used in favour of the decisive step taken by the' New Zealand l ßugby Union in the endeavour to hip proj fessionalism in the bud are various. Cm the other hand,, any opposition to the movement, or any who think- the Aucklanders in refusing to sign the declaration did the light tiring, talk of - the principle of the thing. •■: One prominent footballer Who reI fused to sign the declaration said, when approached on the subject, he objected to the I principle of, enforcing amateurs to sign a i declaration before a justice of the peace, land thus sell" any liberty they how had. "For instance," he said, "I,': like; others, pay my subscription to a club to play football with the other members. I also pay a shilling-a week to go out to the grounds, and why should I have to sign a declaration? "I have been an amateur footballer for the past 14 years or so, and my status has" never i been questioned. Why should it be questioned now!" Continuing, the speaker said .that the only money he had received for playing football ! was 3s a day from the New Zealand Union when taking part" in representative matches.'".- He could not see how one who played for the love of.-the,game should be asked. to go before a justice of ■' the peace and•; sign'something binding him over to a 'ertain body, the penalty, being that if at any.time he broke ft, he would be "liable to imprisonment. In conclusion, he said that it ..was just the principle of the thing he was fighting for, ! and he would: not ■sign a declaration fpr either side, the union or the professionals.

LEADING 1 ENTHUSIASTS' OPINIONS.

; Some of the members of. the local Rugby i Union were approached on the subject, and in general conversation with them a-HERAID reporter- ascertained that they thought, the men in refusing to sign the declaration had made a false step, v One .member said the New Zealand Rugby Union had the present, 'arid future 'welfare 'of/this game'-in ■ view [when' they placet! theso declarations before j the players. ■ "In ; View of ' the 'All Blacks' itow of Australia, the union is perfectly ; justified- hi seeing that '■■. players " going . to. Australia, and representing New,; Zealand, shall not have about them the taint of professionalism. ; In the past there has been no extraordinary circumstance like the present to necessitate such-a.step as' has now had to be taken. It is done now as a guarantee to the public of New Zealand and Australia that the team representing New Zealand is not' constituted of players who' are. travelling 'as amateurs, while they are promised professionals." . ~, *' Another 'pointed out that it,was but .-&■ simple thing the players bad been asked to j do.- A 'they, were;invited only to put into writing what has : in. the past been taken for granted. ~ ;'. ::" v : '. ■ : A prominent football enthusiast said: "It is contemptible that any plaj-|r should ask another to refrain from signing the declaration, in order that the knowledge that he (the first-mentioned individual) was joining the professional te&m would not become public until such time as he .chose to make it known.". ■ - '.' v' , "And do you say that is what is happening?" A 1 '-■■' .;■ ">:':.-■; '„, -■'.''';'-,"-.' --.' ; "'. '-■''■: : ; " Yes, T do. •, I know that some of the Aucklanders were approached, and at least most of them refused to go, but consider they are under an obligation to those who wish to go, to shield them even at the expense of themselves. Those who anticipate going f should have the moral courage to,admit it." , ■ , Another follower of the game said he considered that; the dispute had resolved itself, into a contest between amateurism and professionalism; He regarded i the matter as very, serious. It .affected the football the future, and if the union did not stand firm the young players would eventually be corrupted. ;..; - ■ • ;.' : . '•

WELLINGTON PLAYER "DEALT .'..-, '. ' WITH." . . :. , '•!;.; BY TELEGRAPH. — ■ ASSOCIATION.] . WiXLiNGTOy, Monday. At a meeting of the committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union to-night a letter was read, which had been addressed by the secretary of the union to H. H. Baskiville, of Wellington. In this the secretary stated that the union had /reason to believe he had information upon Hie .proposed, tour of professional footballers to England, and therefore summoned him, as a member of a city team, to attend a meeting of-the union. Baskiville, in reply, wrote that all the information he had on the subject would be gained from the newspapers in a few weeks. Meanwhile he was bound not to divulge it. The union having considered, the matter, dealt with Baskiville under rule 2, subsection 1, clause 1, of: the rules as to professionalism. /"", : - •■ v. '"' •■ "■'■'■ ' '•■■■ ' -- : -;-,' ' ': ; . ':'•: '■ • ' . ■■ FEELING AT WANGANUI. [BY TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION.] Wasgantji, Monday. lire secretary of the Wanganui Rugby Union tent the following wire to the New Zealand union this evening:— union is of opinion that those players not signing the affidavit should be disqualified from playing this-(season. The feeling is very strong here." SOUTH ISLAND PLAYERS. >' [BY.- XIiLEGEAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] ' Dunedin, Monday. All four of the Otago "All Blacks," viz., Booth, Casey, Mac Donald, and Johnston, complied with the request that they should sign the declaration issued by the New Zealand Rugby Union, and have accordingly been selected for the inter-island match. Invercargiel, Monday. The affidavit required by the New Zealand Rugby Union from players nominated for the North v. South Island match, hag, been signed by E. Hughes, T., Clark, and A. Rcict '(Britannia Club), and G. Lang (Invercargill Club). | RESOLUTION BY THE SYDNEY UNION. ■ By Telegraph.— Association.—Copyright. (Received May 28, 12.33 a.m.) Sydney, May 27. The council of the Rugby Union of New South Wales passed the following resolution to-night:—"That this, council conveys to the New Zealand V Rugby Union its hearty appreciation of the action it has taken with reference to the suggested visit of a professional team to England, being of opinion that such action is in.the best interest of the game." ; The Sydney Daily Telegraph commends the New. Zealand Rugby Union's attitude! towards professionalism. ,