SWIMMING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 102, 2 May 1935, Page 19

SWIMMING.

MEETING OF AUCKLAND

CENTRE.

MORE ABOUT WATER POLO

DISPUTE

The Auckland Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association further considered last night the resignation of two water polo referees, Dr. T. H. iettit and Mr. L. Brighton, an action these olncials took in consequence of information which they claimed had been wrongly spread by the assistant-secretary, Mr. Harry Moore, prior to the New Zealand championship meeting in February, Dr. Pettit and Mr. Brighton briefly reviewed the root of their complaints. Mr. Brighton said Mr. Moore informed him that a letter received from the New Zealand Council instructed that Mr. R. J. Upson should control all games, and that Dr. Pettit and himself should be goalscorers.

The chairman, Mr. R. M. Sheffield, said the honorary secretary, Mr. W. Batty, could not find the letter referred to, but it did /.ist, and he could state that he saw some correspondence which named Mr. Upson as convener of referees.

Dr. Pettit said the fact that Mr. Upson was appointed convener had caused trouble. The council, he claimed, had approved of all three as referees.

Mr. Moore claimed that the council did appoint the convener. On February 15, the day before the opening of the championships, a list of approved officials was received from the council, which advised that all those nominated by the centre had been approved. The council recommended that one of its members, Mr. C. Bryant (the New Zealand Council's official representative), should be interviewed, but, as Mr. Bryant had not arrived in Auckland, Mr. Moore said he saw Mr. L. Annand (another member of the council).

When asked by Mr. Annand for his opinion of the referees' ability, Mr. Moore said he considered Mr. Upson the best. Thereupon Mr. Annand replied: "Sergeant Upson shall have matches; I shall take one or two myself, and Dr. Pettit and Mr. Brighton shall be goal-scorers." These arrangements were communicated to Mr. Brighton, who expressed satisf action. When Mr. Bryant reached Auckland, he said he supported Mr. Annand. The majority of members of the Auckland Water Polo Control Board agreed that Mr. Upson should referee the final game.

Mr. Batty remarked that he was present when Mr. Annand named Mr. Upson as referee.

On the motion of Mr. Leo Kenny it was resolved that the centre should ask Mr. Annand. through the New Zealand council, whether, acting for it, he had appointed Mr. Upson sole referee. If so, why did he inform Mr. Trevor McCarthy (chairman of the board) and Dr. Pettit (chairman of the Referees' Association) that he knew nothing of this appointment?

The centre decided to grant honoraria of £15 and £10 to Messrs. Batty and Moore respectively for their work in organising the national championships on February 16, 18 and 20. The presentation of an Auckland representative swimming blazer was made to Mrs. E. Johnston, in recognition of her services as chapcrono to Auckland teams for several years.