Professionalism Criticised.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8778, 8 June 1907, Page 5

Professionalism Criticised.

(Received Last Night, at 11.2G p.m.)

SYDNEY, Yesterady.

Professionalism in football was severely criticised at the reception given to tho Queensland team at the Town Hall, to-night.

Mr Calvert, President of the New South Wales Rugby Union, saw some danger of the. taint of all taints as regards football, the professional game looming up. He hoped New South Wales aud Queensland would resolutely set their faces against it. The moment professionalism entered anything, behind it came that abominable thing, the gambling spirit, and that was a spirit they wanted to keep out for the good of a manly game like football.

The Attorney-General, Mr Wade, referring to thedamage professionalism had caused in England, declared that higher aspects of the game were entirely lost. It came to be a matter of having in one pocket a large amount of money, and in the other a larger amount of blue metal. Mr,.Oaks,a member of the Assembly, said he was glad to see the first attempt to introduce professionalism in New Zealand shut down on. Mr R. Teece said that it was gratifying that the first attempt of professionalism in New Zealand had met with such a formidable rebuff.

Mr Lea, manager of the Queensland team, did not think that there was the slightest chance of professionalism getting a hold in Queensland, but there was always a danger of it creeping in. They were determined to watch and keep the game clean.