AUCKLAND’S GRIEVANCE

Evening Star, Issue 22896, 2 March 1938, Page 3

AUCKLAND’S GRIEVANCE

MISS MUKRO'S EXCLUSION FROM GAMES TEAM " BADLY WORDED TELEGRAM " MR M’VILLY REFUSES TO APOLOGISE [Feb United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 1. “ The Auckland Centre was entirely responsible for the position that has arisen, due to a badly-worded telegram. If any apology is to be made it should come from the Auckland Centre for having misled us.” This statement was made by Mr R. W. M'Villy, president of the New Zealand' Amateur Athletic Association, at a meeting of the council of that body to-night, when a strongly-worded letter of- protest was received from the Auckland Centre, taking exception to a public statement made by Mr M'Villy that it had threatened to secede and demanding an apology. Tho letter contended that Mr M'Villy had misinterpreted a telegram from the Auckland Centre relating to the request to reconsider the inclusion of Miss Munro in the Empire Games team and that he had made a public statement detrimental to tho Auckland body. “If the Auckland Centre cannot make its meaning clear, then it has to take what is coming to it,” said Mr M'Villy. He would neither apologise for nor retract anything he had said. _ His reply had been that the council would not be bludgeoned into doing what it did not consider in the general interest of the sport. The telegram had been badly worded, and, if misinterpreted, the Auckland Centre was responsible. If an apology was due it slmuld come from Auckland for having misled the council. The general attitude of the Auckland Centre and its attempt to browbeat the council was shown by the fact that it used political influence to ensure Miss Munro being sent to the Empire Games. “ She went, anyway, and did very well,” said the secretary (Mr M. M'Cormick) who was instructed to convey the feeling of the meeting, which supported Mr M'Villy.