OUR SPECIAL INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS

Press, Volume L, Issue 8665, 14 December 1893, Page 5

OUR SPECIAL INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS — i» AUCKLAND NOTES. December 13. During the past week there has been a decided improvement in the kauri gum trade, and the various stores are now all very busy. A fortnight ago it was estimated that about fifty of the employees in the gum trade were out of work, but things have ao far improved that oue of the stores which required the services of fifteen men this week was only able to procure three. Thia is cheering news for the gum diggers, who have been having anything but a bed of roses of it lately, owing to tbe low price wbich kauri gum has been realising. A steady revival of the trade is looked for early in the New Year. A deputation from the Auckland Caledonian Society waited upon Mr Logan with the object of arranging for the members of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Club to take part in the coming sports of the Caledonian Society. Mr Logan is the Auckland representative of the Club, aud all applications to the Central Committee pass through him. In explaining the object of their visit, the deputation, through Mr Jennings, said that about five or six weeks ago the Caledonian Society had forwarded a request to the Amateur Athletic Club that they should permit their members to ta_e part in the events on New Year'b Day. The request had been refused, and the deputation waited on Mr Logan with a view of ascertaining why. In reply to Mr Jennings, Mr Logan said the local Committee had no power to refuse. All applications went to the Central Committee in Christchurch, who decided. In the case of the application of the Caledonian Society, it had been sent to Christchurch, and the Central Committee had refused the request on the recommendation of the local Committee. This matter of allowing amateurs to take part in sports of other Societies had been thrashed out in every part of tbe colony by the Athletic Clubs, and the decision arrived at in every case was unfavourable to allowing them to compete. However much the local Club might desire that their men should take part iii the sports at tbe Caledonian gathering ib was not in their power to grant permission, the power was in the hands of the Ceutral Committee. Mr Jennings pointed out that in every other city of the colony the Amateur Athletic Clubs had allowed their men to compete at the Caledonian Society's sports. Mr Logan said he was not aware of this, and though he was personally opposed to amateurs competing in outside affairs, he thought the matter should be settled once for nil. Hia opinion was that if the amateurs were allowed to run at the Caledonian Society's annual meeting in other towns of the colony there was no reason why they should he prohibited from doing so in Auckland. He was quite prepared to lay the matter before the committee of the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club, and give a deputation from the Caledouian Society an opportunity of explaining the position of their body.