Country breaks away

Press, 25 May 1989, Page 44

Country breaks away

Canterbury Country, a sub-association of the Canterbury Netball Association, took on its own identity at a function in the Trust Bank Canterbury building last evening.

The country association has undergone several name changes since its inception in 1950. It was first known as Canterbury Minor and later as the Canterbury sub-associa-tion then Canterbury Country. Now it will be the Canterbury Country Union. The union, which encompasses Banks Peninsula, Hurunui, Kaikoura, Lincoln, Malvern, North Canterbury and the Chatham Islands, is part of the New Zealand Association’s plans to combine 32 unions throughout the

country instead of maintaining manyassociations. Trust Bankl Canterbury has. extendedA,its support of netball in the region by sponsoring thev-j country union. J \'x . Maire Erickson, the president of the, Canterbury Association, "v, spoke positively about Country’s independence.

“We are thrilled for the Country Union and although it is sad to lose them, they can only go forward from here. I have been very impressed with the professionalism of the administration,” she said. “After all, it took us four years to get a function in top floor of the Trust Bank building — it has taken Country just four months.” Lorraine McLeod and Rosie Oliver from North

Canterbury have filled the roles of president and secretary respectively. Ms McLeod was excited about Country’s first step from the nest.

“Some people were upset by the boundaries that New Zealand decreed for the unions, but we are really pleased. We got what we wanted — not to be answerable to Canterbury,” she said.

Ellesmere used to be included in the County sub-association, but it will be grouped with Mid-Can-terbury which includes Ashburton and Geraldine.

The Chatham Islands are considered an honorary affiliation as it has struggled with fees in the past and travel costs have proved prohibitive.