SPORTS FEDERATION.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13410, 30 April 1909, Page 8

SPORTS FEDERATION.

NEW ZEALAND CRICKET COUNCIL WITHDRAWS.

A special meeting of the New Zeaiand Cricket Council was held last evening, there being - present—Messrs F. Wilding (vice-president, in the chair), 11.. C. Kidley (Auckland), J. Young (Auckland), F. Labatt (Hawko's Bay), G. F. Francis (Wanganui), S. Orchard (Otago), C. Treweek (Wellington), E. T. Harper (Nelson),. W. B. Bottrell (Marlborougb), J. H. Williams (Wellington), 0. Caygill (Canterbury), D. Reese (Canterbury), G. T. Weston (Wairarapa), J. B. Beckett (Taranaki North), F. C. Raphael (hon. secretary), and T. D. Harman (Manawatu). An apology was received from the Hon. E. C. J. Stevens, M.L.C. Mr C. B. Tapley, of Invercargill, attended on behalf of the Southland Association.

The .secretary stated that the meeting had been called, at tho request of the Management Committee, to consider tho position regarding tho NewZealarid Sports Federation, the Southland Cricket Association, and the Council. The Council had affiliated with the New Zealand Snorts Federation. The Federation had aftenvards disqualified the Southland Caledonian Society, and tho Southland Cricket Association had been informed, that no member of tho Caledonian Society could take part in matches under the jurisdiction of the Association, unless such member first resigned from tho society. The Cricket Association, nevertheless, applied for permission to play a match with Otago, and a reply was sent that disqualified players, members of tho Caledonian Socioiy, should not bo included in tho team. However, disqualiiied members were included, and the match was played. Mr Raphael, read voluminous documents dealing with tho wholo matter. Among them was a telegram sent by the president of tho Sports Federation (Mr W. G. Atack) to Mr G. W. Woods, president of tho Athletic Union, that iv view of the uncertainty of what constituted membership of tho Caledonian Society ho had advised the Cricket Council to suspend action at a meeting which was to pc held. Following this, however, notice bad been sent from the Council that disqualified persons should not be included in the team. Mr Atack had since written protesting* against the action of the bonthlanu people in taking his telegram as an official intimation that the gafuo could be played. The Management Committee of the Council now recommended that in view of the unwarrantable interference on the part of the chairman of the New Zealand .Sports Federation in connection with tho disqualification of members of tho Caledonian Society, tho New Zealand Cricket Council withdraw from the Federation; and in consequence of tho Southland Cricket Council having included disqualified persons in the match against Otago, that match be declared null and void. In reply to the chairman, Mr Tapley eaid that he desired a letter sent by the president of tho Southland Cricket Association to be read. He- wished to explain that the Southland Cricket Association wore not fighting the battles of the Caledonian Society, with which they had no connection at nil. They did not attempt to uphold any action on.tho part of the Society, or to defy the Cricket Council.

The letter from Mr-T. D. Kingsland, the president of the Southland Association, was read,. He "claimed that the council was not legally.affiliated' to the Sports Federation, as no notice of inaffiliate had! been sent lo the Association. He also stated that the disqualification pf the cricketers concerned was illegal, and not in the best interests of cricket. The Southland. -Association advised the council to eeasde.from the Sports Federation. . *L-'^ c , c ? lairm a n said' that the root of the Whole matter lay in the question: now far oould the Council abrogate Mβ'powers and subject itself to tho rules and control of any other body ? He had examined the. rules of the Council; and .found that they gave no power , to"the Council to disqualify any association,, club, or individual. Tho power of disqualification Was given to tho Association. Disqualification was • T ery seaous matter, and the Council should be certain that it had authority to disqualify, and whether tho circumates ?PS ?f any particular case warranted the imposition of that penalty. Hβ held that the Council could not recogmso any disqualification imposed by ■ny. oodV or society not strictly affiliated to the Council, and under its control:•Aβ chairman of the meeting, he woukj not receive any motion recognising the legnlity of the Council's affiliation with the Sports Federation. Ho regarded the, affiliation as an absolute nullity If the meeting differed' with him, they might get a chairman who ■woulo' take a different view of the question.

™ eston & Snxd with the chairman. Tho Council had no right to join the Sjporte Federation. They were the supreme governors of cricket, and they, could not recogniso tho disqualifications imposed by any other body. A member said that in his opinion the resolution deciding, to affiliate with tho Sports Federation having been passed at the annual meeting of the Council, was quit© in order. The annual' meeting had power to do anything.. . J The Chairman said that if notice of motion had been gwen twenty-one days ■before tho annual meeting, it would have been sent to each affiliated Association. It would then have been competent for tho CounciJ to affiliate to the Sporte Federation. The Secretary stated that to the b«et of his knowledge no such notice had been sent out to affiliated Associations. The resolution at the annual meeting was moved by Mr Orchard <tho Southland representative). This ■was received with a shout of laughter. After further discussion Mr Weston moved, and Mr Treweek seconded, the following resolution:—"That the secretary of the New Zealand Cricket Council -writo to the secretary of tho New Zealand Sporte Federation, that attention having been called to the absence of any power in the constitution of the New Zealand Cricket Council to allow tho Council to join the New Zealand imports Federation, tho New Zealand Cricket Council dooe not regard itself as a member of the New Zealand Sports Federation, and requesting that the Federation remove the Council's name from the Federation list of members." The motion was carried without dissent. Mr Raphael stated, amid laughter, that tho Sports Federation would now bo defunct. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr Tapley for attending. In reply, Mr Tapley assured the Council of the loyalty of the Southland Association, and said that the decision come to would bo greatly appreciated in Invercargill,