THE RULES OF RUGBY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 26 August 1908, Page 61

THE RULES OF RUGBY.

PAYMENT OF PLAYERS. • TIME FOR ACTION. '-. The dual question of the impiorement of the game of Rugby from a spsctacurar, point of view and the encroachment : likela to be made upon the arena of sport by tha new game under Northern Union rulea came before the committee of the O.R.F.Uv oh Monday evening, bcinsf brought up bj(] the receipt of a letter from Mr Claude Young) intimating that in the- event of nothing being 1 done to cope with the spread ofi professionalism and the new game withi;w the next month (during^, which time thx writer would be absent from Dunedin) hsf intended to take the necessary f steps to call) an .extraordinary meeting of the delegates to the union to go into the matter, and, ii 1 * the event of the New Zealand Rug-by, Union not agreeing to make certain amendments to the rules of the game and pafh players where requested for the loss o$ time, to decide whether it would not b« l better to secede from that body and run? local football on proper lines or under th«^ direction of a South Island union. It wa«, I no use, said the writer, sitting idly watoh£ I ing tho new game spread, as it most cert. ! tainly would, owing to the assistance being,'. I given by the tactics of the New Zealand! Rugby Union. He considered that anjß; player would be justified in asking for ul refund for loss of time, and he did now, | blame any person or club from going over tol j the new game if the authorities persisted in/j j acting contrary to the wishes .of the grcac^ i majority of the present-day amateur foot-] bailers, who should not be at a loss through^ playing the game. The writer concluded :U "Now is the time to strike. We do nots want professionalism, but amateurism, with!- 1 the individual who earns the money not ufc a loss in so doing." - ' The Chairman (Mr James Hutchison)^ briefly referred to the action of the Can"-* terbury footballers, after which Mr F. H. Campbell said it was not wist to anticipate that our players were goingi to take a stand antagonistic to the New Zealand Rugby Union. Their feeling at' present was the correct one — that the New Zealand Rugby Union must see how feeling was in connection with football, and, aal far as anything could be done this year, ii would not affect their football. It wouldj be wiser, perhaps, to follow the Canter-i bury example and pass resolutions for tha New Zealand Rugby Union to consider tha position. At the same time ho thought the/ action that had been taken by certain} clubs in the north had rather defeated their, own ends, because it simply meant that' those players of necessity would be stampedj professionals, whereas had they waited andj let the different unions in New Zealandj realise their position and see what steps' the English Rugby Union was going to take, they might have achieved a gradual victory. The feeling was very strong, an<| they would have to do something. Ho was? not in sympathy with those players whd broke away from their unions and proved disloyal without giving the unions an oppor* tunity of trying to reform the anomalies. He thought those players had taken up aH wrong position a'togethei". Mr Wilson said he thought action should be taken ; some change would have to take place. There was not the slightest doubt that there was going to be a revolution in football. He would be surprised if many of their players did not break away, and travel. He believed there was a team picked out already. They should nip it in the bud. What was wanted was a change in the executive of the controlling body. Mr Campbell said further that the present way of reform was not the best; way to

go about- ii- Thej made themselves pro'Mir "Wilson, interjected: "The men only '^ffapl to get paid for lost ifme. Our own inriou pays men for lost time/ 1 ' — Cries of "-"No, no." "They paid the AU Blacks 3* & day. Its a question whether che time has not come when. w^ should cease to wait on die- English Union."— (Subdued "Hear, -hears.") , <■ Mr Hamel said he considered they should do 6omethin§£this season, as the New Zealand Rugby Union, held its meeting too late in the year-. If they waited they would have a lot of their player* going over to tjie' new game.. They should try to force the hands of the New Zealand Union. Mr Hutchison here .pointed' out that there •■were two points in the discussion. One ,wae the improvement of the rules and the ■other was the question o£ professionalism. •These were Jiot necessarily connected — in fact, they were quite distinct. Mr Hamel said the new game was unHoubtedly an attraction,' especially from the spectator's point of view. Their own game was dereloping into anything but an attractive game- They had had an exhibition of that on Saturday- last. The tChairman- said 1 lie- agreed that tho game could be improved. The unions all ever -the Dominion had made suggestions practically all of which the New Zealand TJnion had thrown out. Until 1 - they moved $he New Zealand' Union they could not move 'the English Union. - - •Dr Crawford said he, thought that during t&e interval between' the two seasons further developments, might take place, tod fcjiat therefore' it would be" wise" to take steps immediately. He moved accordingly •r-^lt is the opinion of this committee that ithe .New Zealand Unions should" reconsider ' Jthe matter which it has recently considered f)t the amendment in the rules of- Rugby football," copies of this motion to be sent to. the various unions -with a. view to getting fheiv opinion in tKe matter. The- motion, was seconded 1 by Mr. Wilson. Mr Hutchison remarked that the mere affirmation of their opinion migfet not carry the matter any further. It would be a better way i£ steps were taken, to secure a tpecial general meeting of the council- of &&>< New Zealand Rugby Union- Such, a meeting could 1 be called by the secretary upon the instruction of the Management Committee on receipt of a requisition from not less than three affiliated unions. Such a meeting could be arranged: in about four .weeks' time. The suggestion was- generally approved^ and was adbptecF into the motion:, which then, read — "In> the opinion of this committee it is desirable that a special general meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union should' be convened to discuss the question of the proposed amendment oh the rules or Rugby , football, and that tfie necessary Bteps be taken by this> committee to secure the co-operation of two other affiliated unions in having the meeting called." — The motion was carried in its revised form unanimously. j