The point having been put to The Billiard Player that the entries of amateur championship aspirants living at a distance from London who were not well-to-do and whose expenses were proposed to be subscribed by local friends could not be received under the rules relating to status, The Billiard Player has put a typical case before the Billiards Association and Control Council, and has received from the Secretary (Mr. Stanley Thorn) the following reply: —
"The governing body has always definitely declined to allow an amateur to accept any expenses incurred in connexion with playing the game, it being considered that any laxity with regard to this rule might easily lead to abuses creeping in, and to the term 'expenses' being interpreted in a very elastic manner. The only exception was in the case of the Inter-County Amateur Championship, formerly promoted by the late Billiards Association, in which teams of three players were selected to represent each county competing.
In certain cases, long distances had to be travelled by the visiting team, as upon one occasion Middlesex played Cornwall, at Penzance. It was then considered that, as the players were not competing for their individual honour and glory, but for that of their county, their expenses might legitimately be paid for them. They were accordingly requested to forward vouchers for their actual travelling and hotel expenses, which were duly examined and paid by the Association. In no other case within my experience, however, has an amateur ever been allowed to receive expenses.