RUGBY LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19258, 23 August 1924, Page 15

RUGBY LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

TO THE EDITOH. •Sir, —Evidently your Christchurch football correspondent, “Ex-Dunedinite,” is sorely troubled over the progress mode by the League game as his notes of late have been filled with expressions of riotous, if not righteous, indignation at this calamitous happening. Unfortunately it is a case of pretesting too much. Suspecting that this was the case I recently instituted careful inquiries whilst in Christchurch. Although your correspondent attempts to belittle the game the fact is that the attendances at the League club matches have been, in the majority of cases, far larger than those recorded at Lancaster Park, where tliroo senior Rugby games have been played every Saturday. This seems to indicate that all the lovers of clean sport in Christchurch have not all been hypnot ised by such hoous as your correspondent deals in. The recent Addington and Marists’ A match was described by the Christchurch correspondent of the Sydney Referee as one of the finest club games played for many years. Tho time is coining in New Zealand when the public will not be hoodwinked by the propaganda of those who naively imagine that Rugby is the one and only game worth seeing. This awakening has already taken place in Australia, where Rugby has been swept clean out of Queensland until not a vestige remains. The same is true of a,II other parts of Australia except Sydney, where the game has been kept going mainly through the efforts of New Zealand. The players and the public are the final judges and the League can tide its time, knowing that it will have the final say. Even “E\Dtmedinite,” with all his colossal cocksuroneas, will not be able to stern the tide.— I am, etc., Ex-Chiustciitjp.chite. 268 High street, August 21. Sir, —A number of local Rugby supporters seem very perturbed because of the likelihood of the League game being started in Dunedin. They evidently do not know that League is a decided help, in some ways, to Rugby in this country. Dunedin will find that it is an ideal “cleanser.” The rough element and the malcontents will naturally drift to the new game. The few misguided players, not in the above category, who go over to the League, will soon find that they are out of their doss, and will endeavour to return. They will discover that the followers of the League game attracts are not of the class they have been led to expect. Dunedin is not big enough for both garnets, and three or four teams do not make, a satisfactory competition. Those players who go over will soon tire of playing to errmty benches. By all means let them go; they will soon find their level; and per,haps the Rugby game can do with a little cleansing in Dunedin.—l am, etc., Tp.aveli.ee, Dunedin, August 22.