TEE FOOTBALL SPLIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13845, 3 September 1908, Page 5

TEE FOOTBALL SPLIT.

NORTHERN UNION GAME. LEAGUE FORMED IN DUNEDIN. [BT TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENT.] ■' ;' DonediN; Wednesday- & meeting of footballers was Held this evening for the purpose of making arrangements for starting the Northern Union ' game in Dunedin. About 80 were present, . the majority being young members of various clubs. " ' .... Mr J.' L. Corson, of Invercargill, one ol the promoters of the Northern Union game there, was present, and outlined the movewent for the formation of e Northern Union League in that town. Their membership fee was 2s, and over 200 membership tickets had been sold. The conditions i nnoer-wbich they would play there were the paying of all expenses, and the allowance of 5s per day inside the Dominion, and 10s per day outside, and the providing of the whole of playing uniform. Mr F Given, an old member of the ' Alhambra team, and a prominent footballer - for years past, said the New Zealand Rugby .Union and various provincial umons had treated footballers in anything but a fair .- way The majority were working men. "Although the New Zealand Rugby Union was the richest sporting syndicate in New Zealand, it treated its members worse than anr other body. It was time they tad. a \ change, and both players and .public would benefit by it. ~ ~ ~ -The meeting was then asked if it was m favour of the formation of a Northern Union League, and the introduction of the -Northern Union game, and every hand in the room showed approval of the-move-stent.- ■/ '•■ . , , . A practice match is to be playen next • Saturday, and on September 20 * match is ;. to be played at Invercargill against the %a«ue formed there, and probably matches will be played in Dunedin between the same two leagues on October 3 and 10. ' ' The Membership fee for the local league baa neen Bxtd at 2s. ''~: The giM»« is to be playe- bore on purely ' an RK-afcettr . basis, and the profits de- , lived from this year's playing are to .l» devoted towards the purchasing of a 'jgrotjod next year.. ,