LEAGUE RUGBY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17034, 7 May 1923, Page 8

LEAGUE RUGBY.

There was general satisfaction with the decision, of the committee to postpone all fixtures on Saturday. The executive decided on Saturday evening to invite all players and supporters to attend the gathering to be held next Saturday evening to make a presentation to their president, Dr H. T J. Thacker, who is leaving for an extended visit to England and America this month. The doctor has been a keen supporter of the code since its inception. and has endeavoured in many ways to further the interests of the game in the Dominion, and at various times has donated trophies and medals in connection with local competitions is well as against Auckland and Australian teams. It- is probable that the pre sident will witness some of the important club aud county fixtures in England during his visit, and on his return will be able to give particulars of the personnel of the English team which »s i to visit Australia and New Zealand next ; season. A letter from the New South Wales i League in reference to the published report that the New South AYales executive had furnished over £IOOO for propaganda purposes in the Dominion last season, puts quite a different aspect on the report sent out from Sydney. The cabled report was brought up at the annual meeting by Dr Thacker, who stated that it would be to the advantage of the code if the attention of the New South Wales League was drawn to it. It is now shown that the expenditure referred to covered the visit j of the delegation. Alessrs L. Dargiti. 1 \Y. Kelly and R. R. Craig, who toured j the Dominion last April, the expenses i of the Sydney University team to Auek- ! land, and the visit of the New South TVales team to Auckland in September i la.*t. Prominence has been given recently ; to the reports that- many applications | have been received by the New Zca- j land a-nd "Wellington Rugby Unions from players for reinstatement to the j Union ranks, and the reason that was | advanced was because the Union game j was the better one. This, of course, t- • ridiculous, for past i-ecords are sufficient to prove that the Union is only | toe readv and eager to grant reinstate , ment. The case? of K. Ifwerson. H. i Tancred and H. Nicliolls are three outstanding cases, and locally there are ] the cases of members who were eagerly : welcomed to the Union ranks. To 4 o ■ the statement made that the players ! preferred the Union game there is the case of H. Tancred. one of the best northern forwards in the Union game prior to his playing League football. After visiting Australia with the Ne.v 1 Zealand League team, the ex-Welling-tonian was lestored to the Union game, and quite properly was suspended by the New Zealand Rugby League. He recently made an effort to play with ■ the Balmain Club, Sydney, again as a lveague player, and naturally was refused reinstatement, a« he. is. a disqualified player under the rules of the. New Zealand Council. As to which is the better code, ask any player who has taken part in both. One of the best, advocate* of T he League game that the writer has heard of is a wellknown Union player who for business . reasons left the League game to play ! Union football. He had the option of his position or the pastime, and wisely chose his livelihood. Though playing the Union game he has been instrumental in getting recruits for the League game. The West Coast .Centre reports good i progress in its district and judging by the last annual report the. centre has the services of some energetic and keen supporters- As is the case in otlmr centres efforts were made to keep the players off recognised 6ports grounds. Tliis. however, did not cause any setback on the Coast- A suitable ground w»« secured aud fenced at a cost of £IOO. and already the greater portion of the money the ground cost has j been paid off. , On-operation and enthusiasm can aeeoirmlish a great deal. An instance of this is the case with the Linwnod Club, whose members by combining have installed the electric light for . their training grounds. The ground question is the hardest proposition that the Wellington League!res have to face, and the capital city’s League committee have had formidable opposition to overcome to provide grounds for their players. The secretary, in a ietter to the local executive, stated that, there "bad been a good increase in club membership this season, despite opposition. This will ho pleasing to all supporters, of the code.