An Unfair Critic.

NZ Truth, Issue 170, 19 September 1908, Page 3

An Unfair Critic.

In last Saturday's "Evening Post" ap- 7 a long tirade against professional 'footballers m .general and the JSlorthern Un;on game m particular, by "Dropltiek. who uses -some woifderful ' and fearful arguments with which to knock down^ a bogey of his own erection. For the' sake of his ridiculous arguments "Dr.opIcick" assumes that the New Zealand .Northern. Union advocates are supporters of out-and-out professionalism, whereas the only difference between thorn arid the iN-.Z.-R.U. is a matter of two shillings, the former advocating an \ allowance of 5s per day as expense^, while the latter", have passed a resolution affirming the., principle of three shillings per day. > "Drop-! kick," howrer, m his last paragraph,, -■turns a complete somersaul t- and admits .' that th-3 devotees of the Northern Union, game only propose to pay for time actually lost." "Dropkick" asserts that the* Northern Union's, claim to possess, a moreattractive game that the original Rugby, one is only a matter of opinion, if "Dropkick" will consult his own files,rproba'bly his own writings, he will find* the following.:— June 13— "It must be admitted that they (professionals) have re--turned with a game from, which the N.Z.R.U. can borrow * a* few excellent rules. Some of the tinie-4i6nored . traditions of the orthodox Rugby, haveoutliv-' ed their aay. . • The IMorthern common sense should not be ignored. 1 ' August 10— "The North of England has an improved edition of Rugby. * September I— "They ;■; (Leaguers) have a game which is an im'prqyement upon ordinary Kugby. . The "Northern Union, was quick to see that tha Rugby rules needed the application of a little common serise,~ and hence produce ed a- game more interesting to players and spectators alike. This, fact has been recognised by provincial unions here, and the N.Z.R.U. must bestir itself." Then "Dropkick" quotes baseball as being a popular game, but he does not say where is popular. Certainly not m h'nglana, , Australia or New Zealand. It is popsulai sin5 m America, but "Dropkick" conveniently omits to state that its popularity there is ■; due to professionalism. Then "Dropkick"' draws a. doleful picture : of a professional 'footballer after : two years of laziness — a term the writer does not understand m connection with professional footb.aU— t^hangiDg on to evanescent shows and^ haunting billiard-rooms; almost as a; .bircHbf prey." "Dropkick" may be an : ; authority on "evanescent shows and bil-^ liardrroonis"— writer is npt-^-he certainly knows nothing, about projess;ional footr bailers. The writer first played against, such English professionals as Ernest Need-, ham, Archie Goodall, Tom Crawslmw and Fred Spikesby over eighteen years ago, and yet three oiut of these four, are playing; yet and two arc still front-rankers, so that "Dropkick" must have had some horrible, dream! the night before he^.penned' his two years of laziness. When "Dropkick" refers to the Northern Union professionals and writes a lot oE pilile about players beiDg unfitted to take up the ordinary walks 'of business life at the conclusion of their football careers, he displays his lamentable ignorance of all matters appertaining to the Northern Union game. As a matter of: fact, the Northern Union Rules provide that professional players shall put m a specified number oiihoiurs per week (minimum) at their crdinary avocations. Had "Dropkick" thought just a moment before he wrote that tirade he would have discovered that Billy Wallace and Gco. Smith,., for instance, have played (not as profes-/ sionals, certainly)' ifor more than two years, and that Smith is 36 years of age and is playing yet. Had Smith played m a professional team at Home during his brilliaut career, he would have been (not a hanger-on at billiard-rooms, where "Dropkick's" friends apparently congregate, practically independent like many exprpfessionals m Lancashire and Yorkshire •to-day. "Dropkick," if he has any knowledge of professional footballers, must be aware that many of them have large businesses for the supply of all sports requis--ites, and the names of four will be familiar to many Old ' Country residents : Frank Sugg, Wm. Gunn, Jimmy Ross and Dick Barlow. ■ Writer could instance many more, but the foregoing will suffice. The fact of the matter is that "Dropkick" concedes the right of committeemen, secretaries and treasurers and the "Evening Post" proprietary to make money out of the game, but denies the right of the players who draw the crowds— the money-finders— to be paid their out-of-pocket expenses and probably begrudges them' even' the half-time lemon. But Whilst "Dropkick" condemns the payment of 5s to Northern Union players he says not a word about the 3s the N.Z.K.U.- ; players receive, and remains m his shell' completely m regard to professionalism m •the committee rooms. The workingmen players of New Zealand should note the shabby treatment meted out to Wallace by the N.Z.R.U. now that the famous back's career is closed, when .considering whether to join the more businesslike Northern Union or remain marionettes In the hands of msn who make money on the game. The N.Z.R.U. have completely ignored Wallace, yet when A. J. Gould, perhaps the finest three-quarter - Wales ever had, retired from the game the Welsh Rugby Union consented to a testimonial being presented to that brilliant player without m any way interfering with his amateur status. But, of course, it would not do to follow the practices of tho Welsh Rugby Union, as that body sus--pended club committees and players for paying and receiving moneys m excess of expenses actually disbursed, and if the N.Z.R.U. endorsed this ruling it would have to suspend every member of its management committee and every member of the famous All Black" team. The daily press has consistently opposed the ■introduction of the Northern Union game into New Zealand from the first, and the "Evening Post" 1 has been the most bitter m its attack on members of the late Mr Basklville's organisation. The promoters of, the Northern Union game need

not fear the opposition, of the fatman '"Evening Post". ; its adverse criticism is the sure hallmark of the criticisod's success, as witness the bitter opposition bt the "'Evening Post" to the late Richard John Seddon at the last general election when he swept the polls.