Athletics APPEAL FOR BILLETS

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28447, 29 November 1957, Page 7

Athletics APPEAL FOR BILLETS

Response Said To Be “Disgusting” "This is an absolutely disgus*ing Show. We will have to go to Rugby park on Saturday and announce that unless we get sufficient billets there will be no triangular tournament among Canterbury, Otago, and Southland.” said the chairman of the Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association (Mr G. E. Voller) at a meeting of the centre's executive last evening. Mr Voller criticised local athletic dubs which had not come forward with offers of billets for members of the Otago and Southland teams who will be staying in Christchurch during the tournament on the week-end of December 7. Only two clubs reported to last night’s meeting that they had billets available, and about 20 more are required. “I think this situation is nartly

our own fault,” said Mr K. S. Jameson. "We usually make announcements over the loud-speakers at our inter-club meetings at Rugby Park, but on this occasion we have cnly sent circulars to club secretaries. The ordinary members of the clubs may not know anything about our difficulties.”

“I certainly do not think we should have to appeal to individuals to come forward with offers of billets,” said Mr Voller. “Surely it is the responsibility of the clubs. I for one am not going to spend my time grubbing around people trying to find billets.”

“Not Prepared to Take Turn” It appeared that some Canterbury athletes were prepared to go away and have a good time, but were not prepared to take their turn of billeting, said Mr J. C. Harbutt. Mr M. R. Craighead was appointed to collect a list of names of athletes who could provide billets at the inter-club meeting at Rugby Park on Saturday. It will be explained to the athletes that the triangular tournament may have to be called off unless more billets are forthcoming. The Lumley Trophy, won jointly by Waikato and Canterbury women's athletic teams at the New Zealand championships, had been received from Waikato, the 'secretary (Mr G. B. Towart) reported. It was decided that the trophy should be put on dispite at the Christchurch City Council Chambers. The.-Marlborough Athletic Club will be asked to change the date of its atheletic meeting from March 8 to March 1. Mr P. R. May explained to the meeting that March 8 clashed with the West Coast athletic championships. Miss Valerie Sloper was given permission' to travel to the Auckland Games on December 28, if she wishes to accept an invitation from the Auckland centre. Nelson Visit K. E. Williams. D. Dixey, and Misses V. Sloper and M. Chamberlain were given permission to travel to Nelson on January 11 to take part in an athletic meeting there. Mr P. R. May opposed the motion, saying that the Ashburton club was holding an athletic meeting on January 11. Ashburton had previously changed the date of its meeting at the request of the Canterbury centre, he said, and now the club was going to suffer by not having these named athletes competing. Three members of the executive were appointed to meet representatives of the Otago and Southland centres when the triangular tournament is held. They are Messrs Voller, Jameson, and Flight Lieutenant E. Lunn, together with the secretary. The discussion wall be on financial and other arrangements about which agreement has not been reached by correspondence between the three centres.