THE ENGLISHMAN IN AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1905, 25 May 1888, Page 26

THE ENGLISHMAN IN AUSTRALIA.

I see by latest files that some of the matches against the Englishmen, arranged by clubs playing the Victorian game, are likely to be cancelled owing to the greediness of the clubs regarding the gate money. " Follower," writing in the Leader some time ago, had the following scathing criticism on the subject;-» The English footballers, will os. compelled to confine their matches to the other colonies, where the lih.era.l treatment, they have received is fa striding contrast with the attempted raid upon tb,eir finances which is threatened in Victoria, as wiU he seen, further oa, The worat part of the business i& tha.t this illiberality of spirit is not confined to the football olubs, as, to the surprise of all who know it, the Melbourne Cricket Club also demands Us third for the use of its. ground, therefore when the Englishmen play the Melbourne Football Club, as arranged, the proposed division is equah parts eaoh to the M.C.C.,-to I the M.F.C. and to the English promoters (who, be it remembered, it will beatthecost of the travelling and hotel expenses of about 26 men for eight months). The Melbourne Cricket Club is 1 eminently the one institution which has done more than all o^herg put together to raise Victorian athletics, in the eyes of the world, and therefore it seems incredible that \t should on this occasion be a party Ijq the demand of terms which are so extortionate as to mean nothing less than absolute prohibition In New Zealand, New Soqth Wales, and South Australia, the Englishmen are to receive 80 per gent, of the receipts* and the local people will pay a^l expenses pertaining to matches out of their 20 per cent. Tnere is something straightforward, generous, and British about that ; whilst the Victorian demand might have been formulated in a pawnbroker's shop. If the competing club and the cricket club on whose ground the match takes place agree to take one-sixth each and pay the .expenses out of their joint share I they will do remarkably weil^ and take more money than is derived from their usuaj third of club matches, and certainly no reasonable man, will allow that any further demand should be tolerated, ft fc very certain that if this gate- J

money scramble is permitted to ostracise 1 Ifag English players from yiotorjan football. ground^ as it threatens to do, the public, who keep the game alive, will strongly resent it. . It is almost amusing to consider that every colony, but Vie* toria has acted most generously .respecting the monetary aspect of the visit, though Victoria was the only one in which it, was foretold with the gravest apprehension that the English visit might contaminate the gentle and guileless native-born footballer, with a desire to turn "pro." 0 tempora, 0 mores, and, Oh! "Sugar"!! What is that almighty dollar.not responsible for? It has come to this, that as we welcome our British visitor with the right hand, we feel with the left how much he has got in his breeches pocket, and, as we .are shaking him by the hand (the most hypocritical . custom > of civilisation) wonder how we can get- at his ", bank." But although hardly, any of us dare publish a balance sheet to show what is dona annually with the football gate money, we are scandalised by' the mere possibility of any of our players being looked upon or openly proclaiming themselves as professionals. There is a limit to everything, even to extortion,, but, to, ask thefc* Englishman with their enormous expenses -to accept what,, would practically amount to, only one-third, of the receipts, is an altogether dis» graceful stretch of avarice. It is reasonable toexpect .that the coming visit 1 will lead . to an invasion of the Old Country by, Australian footballers, and what would ,the latter-, hava .to say of British fairness and . hospitality.' if they were met in. suoh a spirit as most of the Victorian clubs . are ■ disposed ,to evince towards their approaching, ; visitors ? The intending visitors have not v asked for any specially favourable terms, although their expenses will be enormous. They know that Victorian clubs "go for the gate" (whioh unfortunately " nobody can deny ") and are pre» pared to be reasonable. With 26:meri"to :keep» expensively globe-trotting for eight months, it is understood that they would be satisfied' with two-thirds of the gross receipts, the other "third to be divided between their opponents and the club.on whose ground the match is to be played after expenses have beenfpaid outof it, and nobody can question the fairness of these terms, esuecially when it is remembered that in the other; colonies'they are offered 80 per cent, of the gross clear. For the credit of the colony and its repu*tation for fairness and hospitality, it hehovea the several committees of the clubs who have arranged matches with the Englishmen, and of the cricket clubs on whose ground* the matches are to be played, to take speedy and creditable action in this matter, and let the public ato'iiCe be made aware of which clubs are prepared, like Carlton, to accept reasonable terms, and those which have merely pretended to welcome the Englishmen for the sake of what they tsan make out of them. The extremely liberal- action of Hotham above referred to, I ©an hardly expect to be generally followed. As mattersnow stand the footballers of Victoria occupy a most'unenviable position in the eyes of of their neighbours and of the world at large, and it will redound very greatly to the credit of the first committee or club which j undertakes to set matters 'right* for as they how stand the meaning of the- word ".sport " is disgracefully prostituted. ' 'I shall be glad to hear officially on th/6'subjeot from the secretaries of all clubs concerned, 1 and as the season is at hand the sooner the better.