Rugby Money-Grabbers. Rugby Money-Grabbers.

NZ Truth, Issue 147, 11 April 1908, Page 3

Rugby Money-Grabbers. Rugby Money-Grabbers.

Wanganui Hysterics. Atythe annual meeting of the Wan- - ganui Rugby Union, W. Hall, the retiring secretary, took advantage of the occasion of his resignation to m- i dulge m sweeping denunciations of the policy of the N.Z.R.U. Mis-man-agement 1 Committee m dealing with \ ihe surplus of several thousand pounds, which the trip of the All I "Blacks resulted m. Hall got going strongly from the jump and finished i m great style. To his way of thinking, the grabbing policy of the parr \ ent body was responsible for the professional movement having gone as far as it had. The New Zealand, Union was (apparently) endeavoring to build up a capital to send another j team to England, but he contended that a large proportion of the funds now m hand should be expended for the advancement of football throughout the Dominion. At least the expenses of teams competing for the Ranfurly Shield should be paid: Another instance of the high-handed and grasping attitude taken up by the parent body was the fact that Wanganui had been informed that a matcli against the British team was. to be played there, but the New Zealand Union woftld take the net proceeds, leaving the local Union to pay for any entertainment it felt called upon to .extend to the visitors. Ho considered that if the New Zealand Union would make some attempt to allocate its vast funds so that Unions would not be m such a position, the professional cry would not re- ! sound throughout itfew Zealand. The Union's delegate.s were instructed ■to do all iv their power to have the inte_est due on existing loans remitted, and at the same time endeavor to have a portion of thr parent Union's surplus set aside for the encouragement of football generally a--;iong the' smaller Unions. But why doesn't Hall himself make the jour-

ney to Wellington and give his aid to the movement for reform instead of relying upon men like Pownall, whose wowser-like drivel is enough to drive one off one's pannikin ?"