ATHLETICS HEADMASTER ALLEGES CLUBS “TOUTING"

Press, Volume C, Issue 29673, 17 November 1961, Page 17

ATHLETICS HEADMASTER ALLEGES CLUBS “TOUTING"

The Cashmere High School, which this season has competed in the Canterbury Athletic Centre's inter-club competitions for the first time, has found that other clubs are trying to entice pupils to join them. In a letter received at last evening's meeting of the centre's executive committee, the headmaster (Mr T. H. McCombs) wrote: “As you will be aware, the school has entered a team in the Saturday athletic competitions and has taken pert now for three weeks. Already a number of our pupils have been asked by members of other clubs who are officials at the meeting to join the club to which the official belongs. “We most strongly object to this touting and regard it as most unethical. We would be grateful if your centre would indicate its disapproval and ask clubs to

ask their members to desist from the practice. "In other sports the administration refuses to allow the registration of school participants as members of clubs other than the school. To do otherwise will result in considerable friction inside the school and will act to the detriment of the sport," wrote Mr McCombs. As the school has been admitted to the Saturday competitions as a club its athletes are club athletes and should not be approached by officials of other clubs, members agreed. On the motion of Mr E. Lunn, it was decided that a copy of Mr McCombs’s letter be sent to all clubs, with a covering note indicating the centre’s disapproval of this practice.