LEAGUE OFFER “TREATED AS A JOKE.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18187, 21 June 1927, Page 4

LEAGUE OFFER “TREATED AS A JOKE.”

BENEFIT MATCH SCHEME CAUSES DISCUSSION. That the Canterbury Rugby Football League had been offended by the attitude of the Citizens’ Unemployment Committee in treating a proposal made by th* league for a Rugby v. League match, in aid of the unemployment fund as a joke, was a statement made at yesterday’s meeting of the committee. Mr 11. Worrall said that he understood that the Rugby League had offered to put up a team to play a Rugby fifteen, the proceeds of the match to be given to the relief of unemployment. Nothing had been done in the matter. There was no mention of it in the minutes. lie wanted to know why. “ I believe the matter was given some attention,” said the Mayor (the Rev J. K. Archer), who presided, “ but the opinion of the meeting, I took it, was that the proposal was impracticable.” Mr Worrall said that something should have been done if only for courtesy’s sake. He sat down, but rose again a moment later. “ I take strong objection to that remark made by my rev. friend,” he said indicating Canon J. F. Coursey. “He states that the League people are not sports, but renegades.” The Mayor: Now, now! We mustn't have that sort of thing. Air Grant (secretary) stated that the proposal had been treated as a joke when it had first been made. It had not been taken seriously. Mr Worrall: It was quite a serious proposal. It was made with good intentions. There should be some mention of it in the minutes. Mr 11. T. Armstrong, M.P., said that the committee’s attitude had given offence to the League authorities. They had made the suggestion with a view to helping the unemployed. Their p:oposal had been treated as a joke. That was most improper. They should not insult them. “ I suggest that we reply to their letter,” he said, stating ” The Mayor: There was no letter. One or two of the committee suggested at the last meeting when the matter came up that the proposal was impracticable. I took that as the attitude of the committee as a whole Mr W. H. Winsor: I don’t like the way the matter has come up—using this unemployment meeting as propaganda for League. Mr Worrall said that the League people did not, he understood, propose to go on with the original proposal, but they had made an offer to the Trades Hall Unemployment Committee to put on a match between Hornby and a team picked from the rest of Canterbury. v The whole of the proceeds would go to the unemployment fund with the exception of the cost of the tickets. He moved that the committee approve of the match. The Rev F. Rule seconded the motion.

The May-or said that the committee wanted nothing to do with any feeling that might exist between the Rugby and League codes. They wanted to be absolutely impartial. He suggested that the secretary indicate to the League that the original proposal was impracticable. Voices: They must have known it. The Rev F. Rule: It was side-tracked S 3 a joke. Canon Coursey said that it would be impossible for a League team to play a Rugby team without the League men going over to Rugby or the Rugbv men going over to League. That would be demanded by the rules. So where was the practicability of the proposal ? The motion was carried.