More Incentives Asked For N.Z. Athletes

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31530, 18 November 1967, Page 14

More Incentives Asked For N.Z. Athletes

'•The Press” Special Service WELLINGTON. The New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association’s annual meeting was told last evening that if the country did not offer some incentives to its athletes, the sport would become decadent.

Mr R. Cheater (Auckland) was replying to criticism of the association’s management committee for the manner in which it had handled negotiations for a team of New Zealand athletes to compete in the Australian championships.

Mr Cheeter said that although he was not criticising the management committee, some incentives had to be offered to keep the sport from dying in the next 10 or 20 years. The management committee came under fire from Northland, which sought the continuation of the negotiations with Australia and asked that future teams to go to Australia should be of 40 athletes. Dampen Enthusiasm The Northland delegate (Mr G. D. K. Lamb) said that the main thing in the negotiations was to get a team of 40 to Australia and the team to contain a number of sec-ond-string athletes.

Did our representative, he asked, go to Australia with his cap in his hand? ‘T’m wondering about this, particularly after what the former Australian cricket captain, Richie Benaud, said of New Zealand cricket,” he said.

“We now find that 10 athletes will compete in the Australian championships, and these will probably be the same 10 that went to the Kingston Commonwealth Games and who will go to the Mexico City Olympic Games next year.” The decision that only 10 athletes would compete at the championships would dampen the enthusiasm of New Zealand competitors, he added.

“Now we have nothing to offer them; they have nothing to aim for. But the Auckland centre has been successful in negotiating for a team of 40 to compete in two fixtures against Victoria in March," Mr Lamb said. Carried Out Instructions The management committee chairman (Mr C. A. Blazey) said that the committee had been instructed at last year’s annual meeting to negotiate an annua) competition between Australia and New Zealand, and failing this, to have a New Zealand team compete at the Australian championships. As far as the management committee was aware, he said, it had carried opt these instructions.

Mr G. T. Wiggs (Hawke’s Bay), who was primarily responsible for the negotiations, said he had done what he could in the limited time available to negotiate with Australia. “I would like to know from the Northland delegate a prac-

tical method of negotiating,” he added. Mr G. Davy (Auckland) said that it was obvious the Australians would not have anything to do with any proposition which could cost them money. During the negotiations with Auckland, the Australians were keen to have the team provided it did not involve them in any expense. Financial Problems There was a real need to improve the financial position of the association, the president, Mr L. T. Bradshaw, said. He was commenting on the association's loss of $l7l last year. The treasurer, Mr G. W. Jackman. said the loss had been higher in spite of an increase of $5OO in subscriptions. In the 80 years of its

life, the association had accumulated only $2500. The overseas fund, Mr Jackman said, was in a fairly healthy state and next year should contain $BOOO-$9OOO. But any hopes of the association being able to finance the whole team to next year’s Mexico City Olympic Games could be dispelled, he added.

He said the association had committed $l6OO to send a team of 10 to the Australian athletics championships in March. President Elected Mr A. D. Rowse, of Auckland, was elected president, in succession to Mr L. T Bradshaw. He won a ballot from Mr K. S. Jameson, of Canterbury. Other elections were:

Chairman, Mr C. A. Blazey; administration committee. Messrs Blazey. G. W. Jackman (treasurer). A. O. Melville. G T. Wiggs. C. I. W. Archibald (secretary); track and field selectors, Messrs J. H Borland (South Island). C. J. Thompson (North Island): cross-country selectors, L. T. Bradshaw (South [lsland), A. L. Steven (North 1 Island).