RECEIPTS FROM RUGBY TOUR

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1930, Page 7

RECEIPTS FROM RUGBY TOUR

ARRANGEMENT WITH AUSTRALIA. NEW ZEALAND UNION’S POSITION. By Telegraph.—Preus Association. Wellington, Last Night. With regard to the criticism from Australia of the New Zealand Rugby Union’s action in claiming a share of the takings from matches played by the British Rugby team in. u Australia it is pointed out >by Mr. S. S. Dean, chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union, that a variation' has been made from the original agreement in order to give Australia a bigger percentage of the takings. In the first place the terms of the tour, which was arranged by the New Zealand Union, provided for the British team visiting Australia on condi; tion that 50 per cent, of the takings Wei’e given to the New Zealand union. It wds agreed, however, that the team should be landed in Australia by the New Zealand union, so that the only expense to Australia would be in paying the expenses of the tourists while in that country. . The return fares from England were paid, by,the New Zealand union, which recently agreed to allow Australia <l® per cent, of the net takings for the matches in. Australia. By this arrangement Australia was being treated more liberally than was the case of New .Zealand in 1904, wherf the Australian authorities, handled the British team’s tour. On that occasion New Zealand had to bring the team from. Australia and during the tour the proceeds were split on a fifty-fifty basis. The New Zealand Rugby Union at the .time was in a much worse financial position than the Australian Rugby controllers at the present time. Mr. Dean added that advice had been received from' the New South Wales Rugby Union stating that it dissociated itself from certain references. in newspaper articles over there to the financial arrangements in connection with the visit of the British team.