ATHLETICS NATIONAL CHAMPS. NEXT YEAR WILL BE HELD IN GREYMOUTH

Grey River Argus, 1 March 1948, Page 6

ATHLETICS NATIONAL CHAMPS. NEXT YEAR WILL BE HELD IN GREYMOUTH

That the 1949 National Championships would be held in Greymouth next year, providing the local Union could see its way to conduct them in the proper manner, and put in a formal application for the Championships to be held here, was intimated by Mr. J. Tennent, President “of the local Union at a meeting of the West Coast Cyclists’, Athletic and Axemen’s Union, held in the Rugby League Rooms on Saturday.

Mr. Tennent went on to say that the delegates to the Annual Conference, which was recently held in Greymouth, had been unanimous in their opinion that the West Coast Union, which was one of the largest affiliations in the Dominion, was quite capable of conducting the Championships, especially after having perused the printed programme of the Union’s own meeting to be held on April 3, and learning that all of the £3OO prize-money was in hand, and also that the Union had a healthy credit balance. Mr. Tennent gave a brief summary of -ceedings at the conference, which was most successful in every way. Mr. Fiveash, who was also a delegate to the conference, reviewed briefly the remits and their effects in the future. The delegates had been pleased with the arrangements for their accommodation, and the hospitality of the West Coast had made a lasting impression on them.

It was decided to send a letter of thanks and appreciation to Mrs. Forrest of the Club Hotel, for the obliging and efficient manner in which she had catered for the conference and delegates. Messrs Tennent and Fiveash were also complimented on the manner in which (hey had represented the local Union, also for having paved the way for the National Championships to be held on the West Coast. After some discussion oh the difficulties likely to be encountered in the running of National Championships, it was unanimously decided to make formal application for them to be held here next year. The Championships would include chopping, sawing, cycling, running and field events, and would take at least two days to run off.

The Secretary reported that the Camerons Club would not be operating on Easter Saturday, and as the Hokitika Club had also applied for this date, which could not be •granted until word had been received from Camerons, he suggested that the date be now allotted to Hokitika. —Approved. Several matters relating to the Union’s meeting at Victoria Park on April 3 came up for discussion. Mr. Topp was authorised to secure the necessary logs, while Mr. J. Donaldson and the Secretary were appointed inspectors for same. It was decided to take out an insurance policy covering spectators at the sports, as the Union would be liable for any accident to spectators w'hich might be caused by a flying chip or the head of an axe coming off. The Union is not liable for any accident which might befall any competitor. Mr. P. Duffy reported that Mr. S. McAra had donated a cup for the most points secured in the cycling events. —Received with thanks. The Secretary was instructed to make inquiries regarding trains and buses being delayed. UNION'S POLICY TOWARDS UNREGISTERED CLUBS.

Mr. Tennent reported having been interviewed by a member of the Rotomanu Farmers’ Picnic Committee, inquiring if they would be classed as an unregistered club. It was stated that this picnic committee conducted an annual gathering, which was really a day out for the children of the district concerned, where entertainments were few and far between, and comprised races for both children and adults, and perhaps a small chop among the residents themselves, whicn carried a very .small prize. No gate money money is received and all the prize’s are given by the residents. Mr. Tennent said it was not the desire or intention of the Union to interfere in any way with small picnic meetings or unregistered clubs. Most of the affiliated clubs had small beginnings such as the one under discussion, and they were willing to help such small clubs in any way they could. The Union was there to protect both competitors and clubs, and any registered competitor competing at an unregistered meeting was liable to disqualification.

The Secretary pointed out that small clubs could protect themselselves by affiliating with the Union. Any club whose prize-money did not exceed £l5 could affiliate with the Union for the sum of 10s 6d; —£100 or under, fee £ls Id; —£200 or over, fee £2 2s. Mr. Tennent said that the worst feature of the unregistered clubs was that they had in some instances, held their meetings on the same day as registered clubs, and had affected them in some cases by the attendance present. The President’s action regarding the Rotomanu Picnic Committee was approved. It was reported that an unregistered meeting had been held recently at Wainihinihi. at which registered competitors had taken part. Mr. Blackmun (handicapper) pointed out that registered competitors must put in their performances at these unregistered meetings, and if not they would be immediately disqualified. The Secretary was instructed to communicate with the Wainihinihi Club re. registration. Mr. Fiveash said that one unregistered club which made inquiries, had been under the impression that the Union took a percentage of the gate money at all meetings. This was not correct. All that the Union received was the affiliation fee of the Clubs and the registration fee of the competitors. Present at the meeting were Messrs J. Tennent (chair), W. Maloney, J. Donaldson, A. Greaney W Blackmun, P. Duffy, R. Dickson, T. Morgan, J. Kilkelly, V. Messenger, O’Malley, Kennedy‘and G. B. Fiveash (Secretary). An anology was received from Mr. M. Brown. The next meeting of the Union will be held in the Rugby League Rooms on Friday, March 19 at ’ 7 p.m, FAST THREE MILE RUN The New Zealand mile and theee mile champion runner, W. H. Nelson, ran the fastest three miles recorded in Otago, in a scratch race on Saturday, doing the distance in 14min 19 3-ssec. Nelson ran easily throughout.