Sub-Centre Alleges Lack Of Co-operation

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30471, 19 June 1964, Page 12

Sub-Centre Alleges Lack Of Co-operation

“Strong disapproval of the present lack of co-operation” shown by the Canterbury Cross-country Running Management Committee towards the South Canterbury sub-centre was expressed by Mr M. E. North at the halfyearly meeting of harrier club delegates.

If the committee’s attitude continued it could only result in a vote of no confidence in the committee by the subcentre, said Mr North, who listed a number of grievances. Mr North alleged late dispatch of correspondence and a lack of correspondence to the sub-centre; and the break-, ing of an agreement by the committee in arranging a race in Christchurch on August 1 to clash with the Timaru-Wai-mate relay. Late receipt of correspondence had. prevented South Canterbury from getting remits in before the closing date, said Mr North. In view of this he hoped the meeting would agree to discuss the South Canterbury remits. If a sub-centre or club applied for a date for a race it did not expect to find another race granted on that date.

For years bickering had gone on between the two bodies, said Mr North. During the last two years it had seemed as if things had been going all right, but the position had deteriorated. It seemed there was a “nigger in the wood pile” somewhere.

Notices to the clubs for remits had all been, posted on the same date and in ample time, said the secretary (Mr C. Buckley). Some remits had been returned well before the closing date. The late receipt of the notice by the sub-centre might be because its secretary was on holiday in Christchurch at the time the notices had been dispatched. Only two clubs had applied for dates for their races this year and neither of these had been allocated the dates

applied for, said Mr Buckley. The chairman (Mr G. Farmer) said that the arrangement made in 1962 with South Canterbury about the date for the Timaru-Waimate relay was in the form of a recommendation only to the incoming executive committee each year. Inconsistent Gross inconsistency had been shown, said Mr North in concluding the discussion. The committee was running a race the same day as the sub-centre’s TimaruWaimate relay but had kept a date free for the Greymouth club. This was giving a club , precedence over a sub-centre. A move by Mr North to have the South Canterbury remits considered later in the meeting was lost. Mr G. E. Voller said he could see no merit in discussing the remits as none of them would affect the administration of the sport this season. The proper course would be to refer them to the annual general meeting, by when all clubs would have had a chance to consider them. Fees Not Paid Delegates from five clubs who have not paid either their members’ registration fees or the club affiliation fees were given dispensation to vote at the meeting. Members of the same clubs will be allowed to start in the Jane Patterson- memorial events at Ashley on Saturday provided their fees are paid and registration lists are handed in before the starting time of the races.

This was agreed to after the treasurer (Mr F. A. Stevens) had reported that Anglican, Marist, Shirley, New Brighton, and Greymouth had not completed their returns by the May 31 deadline. Closing dates for entries would be strictly adhered to for future races, said the assistant secretary (Mr J. Smart), referring to the lateness of some entries for Saturday’s events. Although he had disqualified no club this time, late entries would not be accepted in future. A move to restrict the date for the Canterbury harrier championships to a fortnight before the New Zealand championships was lost. A remit was. adopted that all runners in inter-club races be permitted to warm up over the courses for the races. This has not been permitted for the Anglican club’s block relay under the conditions on which the venue is made available and it was pointed out to the meeting that if the motion was adopted it would result in the club having to abandon its present course.