RUGBY BROADCASTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17232, 11 April 1930, Page 3

RUGBY BROADCASTS

AFFIRMED BY UNION BRITISH TEAM'S MATCHES (Per Press Association.) , WELLINGTON, last night. The delegates of the New Zealand Rugby Union, at the annual meeting to-night, declared that all matches played by the British team, in Now #ealanß should bo broadcast. Mr. S. V S. Dean said the New Zealand Union would not lose a- penny if the matches were broadcast, but it would be a serious matter for affiliated unions. Personally, he liked listeningi-in, but the .Radio Broadcasting Co. was a commercial institution. Tho union did not see why the'Radio Co. should not pay! f6r the privilege of broadcasting Rugby matches, as they charged 'listeners-in ■a license fee of 30s. Everyone had sympathy, with patients in hospitals and charitable institutions, ,and they; thought that, if the Radio Co. was sin-; cere in its concern for these people, it should make a donation for the privilege of broadcasting the matches. The expressions which had fallen from the Radio Co. were mere camouflage. The secretary read a reply from the Radio Broadcasting Co., in which it stated that it was not prepared to pay for, the privilege of broadcasting the matches. Mr. H. 11. Sterling considered that if the reports of the British games were not broadcast, it would affect the game adversely. The New Zealand Rugby Union had a service to give to the public, as well as the Radio Co. Ho moved : "That all matches played by tho British team in the Dominion lie broadcast. The motion was seconded by Mr. McDevitt (Waikato). Mr. S Wilson (Canterbury) moved as an amendment: "That this meeting approve of tho action of the management committee in asking the Radio Co. for some fee for the privilege oi broadcasting the matches, as the NewZealand union had not brought out the British team for the benefit of listenersin-" NO LOSS OF REVENUE. Mr. J. Prendeville (Wellington) seconded the amendment. He suggested that tho Radio Co. might bo allowed t'o send a reporter to the matches, and send out a report over the air in the evenings. The Broadcasting) Co. could well afford to pay a fee, and each) listener-in might pay Is for the privilege of receiving the reports over the air. The money received in this way could go to a Rugby insurance fund. Mr. J. A. Mcleod (Taranaki) said tho union was not concerned with the Broadcasting Co., but it was vitally concerned with the public of New Zealand, and the game might get a had set back if it refused the right to send reports over the air. Taranaki bail been broadcasting Rugby and boxing events for the past few years, and found that, instead of reducing! the gates, the added publicity bad brought more revenue. Rev. P. Tainahori (East Coast) made a strong plea that at least tho Test matches might bo broadcast. Mr. Belcher (Auckland) said that bis union was strongly in favor of broad casting, but he had been influenced by what be had heard during the discussion There was .something to be said for allowing tho Radio Co. to send reports out in tho evening. Mr. A Murdock (Auckland) said it could not bo expected that a report sent out some hours after the match would be anything like as vivid as one broad-