FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2419, 6 February 1909, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

A QUESTION OF PROFESSIONALISM. [Press Association.] . WELLINGTON, Feb. 5. A special meeting of the management committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union was held last night. A case had been reported to the committee of a man named Christie, who had been disqualified while playing under the Nelson Union, having taken part in games under the- jurisdiction of the West Coast Union. It was decided to ask the Nelson Union whether Christie had been notified of his suspension. The secretary and treasurer reported that they had been unable to get from tho ■ Auckland Union any financial statement in connection with the visit of the British team to that town. It was decided to point out to the Auckland Union the great delay which had been caused by the ilaxity in Auckland, -and demanding a statement before* the end of. the month. The rpport of the subcommittee appointed to revise the •rules of the game was adopted and sent on to a general meeting of delegates. It was deckled to inform the delegates that before the game can be played next season under the rules just drawn up the constitution of tlie Now Zealand Union must be altered', this involving separation from tho English Union, and that notice must be given of any motion to thus alter the constitution. In order to give time for such notice, the dap of tlie. general meeting was altered from ALrrcli 4tli to Alarch 18th. An interesting question as to professionalism in football was referred to. Last year the Union was asked whether paid officials of unions were professionals in that they received salaries for their services. The Union’s opinion was that the rules as to professionalism referred _ only to actual players, but this decision was vigorously attacked bv many followers of the game, who held that the rules allowed money to be paid to nobody at Salk Afew days ago tlie chairan&n of the Union (Air. G. H. Dixon) discovered in old records of the Union a letter, written in August, 1896, by the secretary of the English Union of tlie time (Air. Rowland Hill), in. which it was stated: “As regards the payment of a salary a man is not made a professional hy accepting it unless ho plays ifootball.” This completely disposes of the arguments of the Union’s critics, and firmly establishes its interpretation of the rule® as the correct one. So long as a man does not actually play the game be can receive any salary from a union without infringing the rules as to professionalism.