A CONTRETEMPS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 95, 19 October 1933, Page 8

A CONTRETEMPS

SECRETARY RESIGNS

BIG ROAD CYCLE RACE

Disregarding resolutions passed by ' Hie New Zealand Amateur Cycling ..- Council on Tuesday, afternoon, the Wellington Cycling Centre, by a majority vote, decided Jast evening to allow members of the Papanui Cycling Club, Christchurch, to compete in the Palriucrstou North to Wellington' cycle race on Saturday. As a result of this de--cision, the secretary (Mr. P. N. Rob- : jnson), who has been attending to the :. :irrangeiuonts for the race, immediately " wrote, out liis resignation, handed over the papers in his care, and left the ■v meeting.-' Ho was followed shortly '. afterwards by Mr. S. H. Webber, repro- ' ' senting the Otaki Cycling Club, who .was the only other delegate present "• apart', from Mr. Bobinson. to vote . against the proposal to admit members .of the Papanui Club. As reported in yesterday's "Post," the Now Zealand' Cycling Council on Tuesday afternoon passed a series of resolutions.' •As they: were stated to have- competed in unregistered meet- , .Jngs, five Canterbury • riders —F. J. .'-. Grose, T. A. Grose, Stevens, Pear], and : "Lancaster—were declared ineligible to .V; abmpnto- in Saturday's big race, and •; tho Papanui Club'was suspended. In -■further resolutions, the Cycling Coun-*-cil drew the attention of all riders and '- .officials to the fact that it is an offence ■•under the rules to compete in unregis- •. fcred meetings—meetings or events, •, for example, conducted by the New "•2en!and League of Amateur Wheelmen, and the Papanui Club; and riders were ;. also warned that it is an offence to take ' .part in races in which unregistered '••riders compete. AN EABLY DIFFERENCE. *".'.»" Rijfht' fVoin tho start of last 'night's ■'-meeting of the"centre, it was apparent ■,; that there was not unanimity of opin- \ ion, although throughout, in spite of 1 the conflict of views on vital questions, ; the meeting was conducted in an orderj]y way. The first business was to receive the resignation of the chairman I (Mr. J. S. Stalker),-who .wrote stating I that for business reasons he was com--1 polled meantime -to TClinquish office. > Mr. E. Evans, was elected to the chair, t but little progress, had been made when \ the question ariose whether one of the delegates should be allowed to invite Canterbury cyclists.to be present. Mr. Evans ruled that they should be al- . ]owbd to attend the meeting, but Mr. Bobinson voiced ,strong opposition to tuoir being-allowed to be present^before the meeting had disposed of the business. Eventually it was decided; that ; the Canterbury men should, not be ad- •' mitted :until: later, and;,at.^the end; of 'the meeting, F. :J.. Grose, accompanied by th'S. ambulariKe' officer of the PapaPni Club;'was allowed in. , TECHNICAL POINT. On the motion of Mr. C. Ericsson, it was decided to ignore a copy of a letter to the Wellington Amateur Athletic Centre, received by Mr, Bobinson from Mr. L. A. Tracy, secretary of the New Zealand Cycling Council, giving notification of the resolutions passed by the council," because' cit had not come through, the proper channel. Mr. Tracy pointed out in an accompanying note that tho copy of the letter was. sent ; direct in view of the: urgency of the L matter and the fact ;that the Cycling ■ Centre was meeting "that night. The council, he added, requested that full effect be given to the resolutions. It was pointed, out. that at a previous meeting of the centre it'Tv.a'^ decided not to "stand in tH^^vayVol felling-

ton riders competing in the Canterbury Bound-the-Gorges race last Saturday,, 'and that there would be. ho objection to Canterbury riders taking part in the Palmerston-Wellington race. Mr. Evans contended that tho Cycling Council should have advised the centre earlier in regard to suspensions. Mr. Robinson said tho position was set forth in minutes that had been sent to the Wellington Amateur Athletic Centre, but they had not been forwarded to the Cycling Centre. He had advisedtho secretary of tho Papanui Club by telegram that entries would be accepted provided they were in the proper form. Beforo he could advise the Papanui Club of tho New Zealand's Council's resolutions Grose was on his way to Wellington. ' "If wo refuse the entry of these Christchurch men, where do we stand?" asked Mr. Evans. ■ "We have already, lot it go out that wo are prepared to accept the entry of any amateur rider. I think not to accept them would be merely to push the spear into the wound." Mr. L. Roberts said he thought the centre had no alternative than to accept tho entries provided they were in order, ' . «• THE NATIONAL ASPECT. Mr. Robinson said, the matter had to bo looked at from a national point of view. The Cycling Council had ruled that competitors and officials taking part in a race with unregistered riders committed an offence. The chairman said that the . lastihjnuto decision. of the council had caused all the trouble. His view was that the fairest way out was to decide to accept the entries of tho Papanui riders and ask to have tho whole matter placed before the New Zealand Cycling Federation for a ruling. With Messrs. Robinson and Webber dissenting, a resolution, moved by Mr. Logan and seconded by Mr. F. Blackett, approving of tho Papanui riders being allowed to start, was then declared carried. Mr.' Robinson' thereupon wrote out his resignation as secretary. This was accepted with^ ,reg*et ); aad ~a; ;i vote : : 'qf 'thanks was' recorded for' his work in tho past. Mrl Bobinson said ho had had enough of the cycling trouble. .He was not going to get offside with any-' one, and he was not going to see the rest of. 'tho cyclists in the room get offs/da because of a few individuals. After Mr. Robinson had left the meeting, followed shortly afterwards by Mr. Webber, Mr. Roberts said he was, absolutely opposed to "the principle of allowing Grose and company to compete, but he supported the resolution ' because of the inconvenience they would have been caused, and because the Papa- c nui Club, had been advised'- that their < entries would be accepted. . AVhcn he was admitted to the meet- J ing Grose said he would not have come 1 up to Wellington and the entries of the s other riders would not have- been for- •• warded if advice had . not Ve&i, ] received that their entries would §c * accepted)"'?, ■;•. y-^':''' ./■' \ ■"]'"'% l ~ STATEMENT^ BY CENTRE. 7" J In a statement' issued on behalf of s tho centre before the close of the meet- t ing an appeal was made to all cyclists to stand by the centre. It was pointed out that, owing to the fact that the ; Papanui Club had been advised some c days ago that.entries from that club' j: would bo accepted, and, further, owing s to the fact that riders were actually r on their, way to Wellingon before the ,t Papanui Club could be (notified of the I New Zealand Council's resolutions, the s majoriy of tho members of the centre c felt morally bound to admit them, as i competitors. ■ . t A Press Association message from r Christchurch states that the Wellington i Centre was being urged by 'officials c attached to the New Zealand/League t of Wheelmen iand the Papanui-;Cycling r Club to ignore tho.'N,cw ZcalandiCyclhlg i Council's luling^ ' '' ", ',-.., a