AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 331, 19 October 1908, Page 9

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

I The following is a ; oopy of a letter fon warded to' the returning officer of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association by the candidates who wero nominated by the Wellington', Otago, and Southland centres fop seats on "the board of the Athletic Association" and whose'nominations wore refused:—

Wellington, Oct. 17, 1908,

J. H. AITKEN, Esq., : Secretary N.Z.A.A.A. and Returning Officer, Christchurch. , Dear' Sir,—We, tlio undersigned duly nominated candidates for election as members of the council of tbo New .-Zealand Amateur Athletic Association,- learn with surprise from our nominators 'that our names are not included'in: the "Voting paper sent out in'connection with the election, and formally protost against your action as returning officer in excluding us from the ballot. i We claim: (1) That our nominations aro in order; that acoording to the rules of tlio New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association wp arc. qualified for candidature, and that, being oognisant of tlio said rules wo are, if;elected, -prepared to act in accordance therewith. (2) That,, as the returning officer, you ai;o the person upon whom rests the solo rcsponsibilty of _ determining _ whether tlio'nominations.are in order and in accordant with-tho rules, and so long as the requifoment-s of the rules havo been complied with', you arc in duty bound to accept tha nominations and toko _tho steps necessary to have tlio election carried out. We further contend that your action in submitting questions that are . solely under your own jurisdiction as returning officer to a third person is entirely unconstitutional and opposed to tlio general practioo governing all elections. Wo now, call upon you to forthwith procood to, take a ballot in accordance with tlio laws of the association, and insist on out right to go to tho ballot.

.Yours faithfully, FLEMING ROSS, W. H. POLLOCK, ARTHUR MAItRYATT, W. COFFEY,- ' ARTHUR DAVIES, E. A. DAWSON. W. F. LARKIN,