A MEAN SPIRIT.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1931, Page 12

A MEAN SPIRIT.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Is the Taranaki Rugby Union an amateur body? Or has it become permanently mean—parsimonious and professional? Those who have 2s to spare and time to spend it —but no others, mark you—may enjoy the privelege of following the fortunes of play when Taranaki and Wanganui Rugby teams meet to-day on Pukekura Park. Thirty men who play the game honourably and honorarily, because they love it, are having their efforts capitalised by the supposed guardians of amateur sport. An amateur body has adopted a “dog in the manger” policy. Parochialism has reached just about the limit, it seems. The public hospital has recently been fitted with sets of earphones for patients. The 2YB station is ready to broadcast a description of the match. A description was, in fact, broadcast when Taranaki played Southland; even then the terraces were filled. Many old players of our amateur Rugby game—and such is circumstance —• are, pitifully 7 ', unemployed. Insult is added to injury. If I know anything of these men, they feel not a little hurt to be unable to spare 2s as the cost of seeing the match. Their position is pitiful, for pleasure between times is morally legitimate. In short, their hard times are made just a little harder because an amateur body has become mean —displayed a baseness foreign to the spirit of the game. If the T.R.U. vyas truly amateur it would adopt a high standard of sporting ethics and declare: —“We are the guardians of Rugby, an amateur game; many cannot afford in these hard times to attend matches; those who are able to pay will come, for the keenness necessary to entail coming is no more than that entailed in listen-ing-in. None unable, however (and such is our conception of the spirit of the amateur) -shall be barred from following the game merely because he is poor. The greater the popularity of the game, the greater the number, able to attend, who will attend.”

It pays to advertise. Does the T.R.U. consider that keen followers of football could listen to a match broadcast and not wish themselves transported, able to see? Does the T.R.U. consider a man unable to afford 2s will become extravagant merely because the T.R.U. is parsimonious? I think the T.R.U., iip this instance, not amateur, but professional, not generous, but very mean. —I am, etc., HARD UP.