WHAT CONSTITUTES PROFESSIONALISM.

NZ Truth, Issue 133, 17 August 1907, Page 3

WHAT CONSTITUTES PROFESSIONALISM.

NORTHERN UNION DEFINITION. The Northern Union's definition of professionalism is as follows :— "A. professional is a player who receives remuneration over and above travelling, expenses actually paid. From, this it will be seen that every member of 'George Dixon's team and every member of the team just returned From Australia would be. if playing under the Northern Union rules, a professional. The line 1 dividing "pros." from amateurs is very clear, consequently unless a 'player isfyonafide an amateur, he must come into line as a professional. The writer of football- notes •m the "New Zealand Times'"'- is & little"

tin gori m his own opinion.; In dealing Vi'-h the personnel of the "All Black i-iofessors," the said scnibe thus delivers himself : ''If the three players mentioned (Smith, Wrigley,, McGregor) were at the top of their •form they would be a formidable three-quarter line. The reserve backs can only be classed as a good provincial combination. The team is far inferior to the 'All Blacks' of 1365." It is considerate of "The Times' " scribe to grant that the resarve backs are ia good provincial combination ,< still his opinion m this and other respects,- taken on past prophesies, is not worth much. ''The team is far- inferior to the 'All Blacks' of 1905," .'but if "the writer "will consult his own files of 1905 he. will find that the team, which had just been selected, did mot meat with "The Times' "- approval, "as far better men were.being ignored for personal reasons," etc.,. "and a <team could be selected from Wellington alone to give "the chosen ones a drubbing/- But, notW'ithstandinie;. ''-'The Times' " opinion,-, the "All Blacks'' achieved a marvellous success. But our "Times"' friend, while disagreeing with Baskeville"s new blood, thinks new blood m the Wellington provincial team may be productive of good, as willbe seen from his concluding paragraph, which it as follows : — It will be noticed that nearly the whole of "the Wellington representative forward division has been annexed by the team. This will lead to . younger players being given chances to prove their mettle,; and so may be productive of good. Still another marvellous deduction is arrived at by "The Times'" scribe im the following paragraph :— If they ("All Black professors") em-erge victorious from the tour, their success will dispose of the theory, often advanced — that had the ''All Blacks played the Northern Union clubs they would have suffered defeat. Now, what does this mean I It means, according to "The Times' ■" scribe, that the 1905 team, never having met Baskeville's team (which includes some of the 1905 representatives) is proved a better combination, just as Squires was until Burns knocked him out m one hit ; it further, by the same system of reasoning, means that if Baskeville's men defeat the Northern Union teams, then so also could the 1905 "All Blacks." Proceeding on the same line of argument, Queensland defeated New South Wales, New South Wales defeated New Zealand, therefore it is proved, conclusively, according to "The Times' " mode of argument, that Queensland is the Premier Rug>by combination of Australasia. Such alleged reason-ing could* be knocked out by any ten-year-old schoolboy and is on a par with the fossilised phrases of "Times' " football scribe's chief m his leading articles, which are a mass of '''We for ourselves," etc. An interesting wager was made during ttoo present week. An enterprising pressman alleged that there was not a oopy of the English Rugby Union's Annual to be seen m Wellington,and as he was prepared to back up his assertion, a bet was soon made, with the result that his brother scribe hied him to the offices of the "Evening Post," "N.Z. Times," and "Free Lance" m search of tbe "Annual," but it was not forthcoming ; as a last resource, the "N.-Z. Times' " football scribe advised the enquiring one to consult Mr J. D. Avery, Secretary to the' N.Z.R.U. ; this was done, and the genial Avery regretted that he could not oblige, as he did not possess a copy, and, he added, "The English Union has not sent vis •any literature for the past two or throe years." 'Incidentally Mr Avery referred the diligent one to a gentleman m the employ of the Education Board, who had, toe said, borrowed one from Auckland. The diligent one smiled as he saw the wager safely m his hands, only to be" informed by the man of education that the book was m Australia, and would not be m New Zealand until Thursday. Now, what does tbe wager reveal ? It reveals the impudence of sslf-constitut-ed "authorities" on the game m airing their opinions m the public press, and it certain does not reflect to the credit of the N.Z.R.U. that it has not a copy of the latest regulations for guidance, yet takes upon itself ttoe right to coerce players into signing . legal documents which it has not the power to enforce. The following from the "New Zealand Times" is evidently extended as a startling piece of news :— Footbali ,was a crime m England during the reign of Henry VIII. 'From this it will be seen that a number of football bodies and football scribes are as up-to-date as the lawmakers of Henry VIII's. time..