Motoring And Billiards

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31322, 18 March 1967, Page 12

Motoring And Billiards

Motoring and billiards have no obvious connexion—except, perhaps, to the 0.1 per cent of the membership of the Automobile Association (Canterbury) who want the rest of the members to subsidise their recreation. The growth of the society’s membership and the extension of the services provided have brought about a need for more office space in the society’s headquarters building; the billiards room was used by very few members, so the council decided to convert the billiards room to an office. The 65 members who signed the petition for the special meeting of members of the association to be held next Monday are mostly those who sought the rescission of the decision to close the billiards room

The petitioners seek to curb the powers of the council by giving special meetings of members—at which 10 would constitute a quorum—power to veto decisions of the council. The council, not surprisingly, opposes this motion; and its members have taken the unusual step of advertising its opposition. The council can justify this expenditure of £l2O on the grounds that the association’s members are entitled to more adequate notice of this important meeting than the small advertisements required under the association’s rules, and that the postage on 65,000 circulars would have cost more than £BOO. The council of the A.A.C. acted reasonably in closing the billiards room. The administrative committee of a large organisation should not be subject to the whims of small groups of malcontents—which would be the effect of the resolution to be put to Monday’s meeting. In listing in its advertisement “ just a few of the association’s accomplishments over recent years ”, the council of the association, like a political party appealing for the voters’ continued support, has invited criticism of its record. The association has undoubtedly done much for the motorists of Canterbury and the West Coast; but the increase in its membership over five years, to which the council draws attention, is not conclusive evidence that motorists are aware of what the association does for them—or even that motorists are satisfied that the association does enough. An increase in membership of 38 per cent in five years barely keeps pace with the growth of motor-car registrations. Closing the billiards room has caused a storm in a teacup. It may yet serve a useful purpose in arousing a more active interest in the association by its 65,000 members and by motorists generally. The council of the association has everything to gain from using the opportunity to review the association’s activities and services with this aim in view.