The fee payable to Linesmen shall be 10/6 and third-class railway fare. (See instructions to Clubs, &c.). Any Club paying a Referee or Linesman more than In paragraph dealing with illegal payments, his just fee and railway fare shall be deemed guilty strike out "paying," line 1, and substitute: "or of misconduct, and shall be dealt with as herein- official or other person acting on behalf or in the before provided. presumed interests of a Club paying or offering to pay." Where a match is postponed, and no gate taken' At the end of the paragraph add: "Clubs will the officials shall be paid third-class railway fare be responsible for their officials." and half fee. Each Club shall pay the Referee and Linesmen At the end of the paragraph dealing with time their fee on the day of the match, in their dressing and place of payment, add: "within a reasonable room. time after the conclusion of the match." In the event of a Referee or Linesman being unable to reach his destination, going to or returning from a match, without staying at an hotel, he shall be entitled to an extra charge of 10/6 for each night, to cover his hotel expenses. The Referee shall have power to decide as to the fitness of ground in all matches, and each club must take every precaution to keep its ground in a playing condition, and, if necessary, the home Club may require the Referee to visit the ground two hours before the advertised time of kick-off. Canvassing by Referees and Linesmen will be regarded as a disqualification. NEW RULE 31 :— "All professional players who are re-engaged or transferred shall forfeit the proportion of wages from the 1st day of May, 1915, until the players come up for training for season 1915-16. New New Rule players shall not be signed on under a contract whereby wages are payable before training com- mences. "The date fixed for players to come up for training shall not be earlier than the 2nd day of August, 1915. "The amount of wages payable during the nine months from the 2nd day of August, 1915, to the 30th day of April, 1916, shall not exceed 75% of the amount which the player could have received for the whole season under Rule 7 of the League prior to its alteration at the Special General Meeting on 29th day of March, 1915. "Any payment in contravention of this Rule will be regarded as an illegal payment and punish- able under Rule 12." The following explanatory notes will explain the alterations:— The Conference of the three Leagues was unanimously of opinion that no summer wages should be paid between the 1st May and the time the players come up for training, the latter date to be not earlier than one calendar month before the commencement of the playing season. But some Clubs will not be able to pay players until the playing season actually starts. It is unfair that after a special effort to continue the game this season they should lose the right to retain such players as they desire, and thus pay a severe penalty for their loyalty to the game. The present rate of wages can not be maintained, and the maximum must be reduced. The question of what is reasonable wage must be viewed from the standpoint of the altered financial condition and status of all Clubs. Next close season it would be unwise to pay summer wages or even a retaining fee, as it would be urged that such payments would hinder recruiting, and thus create opposition to the game. The proposed alterations to League Rule 6 would have the effect of limiting the considera- tion of what is a reasonable wage to what is reasonable for the Club to pay during the playing season. The alteration to Rule 7 reduces the maximum from £208 per year to £156 per year, and provides for increases for continued service. Rule 11 deals with agreements, and by the alteration it leaves the Clubs free to make agreements for any period not less than four weeks, and gives the Clubs the right to terminate on any reasonable ground by giving four weeks notice. We are bound to say reasonable grounds to satisfy the F. A., who would rightly see that the Club was not vindictive or unjust. War and financial inability to continue the agreement would be reasonable grounds. New Rule 31 makes payment of summer wages illegal. Registered Office : CASTLE CHAMBERS, MARKET PLACE, PRESTON, 9th March, 1915. 5