ATHLETICS AND CYCLING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 2 October 1924, Page 4

ATHLETICS AND CYCLING.

NEW ZEALAND UNION. TARANAKI CENTRE MEETS. (From Our Eltham Correspondent). The annual meeting of the above union was held in the Eltham Fire .Brigade Station last night. Cr. A. Hansen (vice-president) presided. The following delegates were present; Messrs Brown (Oeo), Patterson (Opunake), Landers (Manaia), Briscoe (Kaponga), Weir and Kilpatrick (Toko), Foley and Kirkwood (Stratford), Ward and Nutta-ll (Eltham), and Hansen (llahotu), and the secretary, Mr Melville (Kaponga). The secretary read the report and balance-sheet. The report stated : “In presenting the report and bal-ance-sheet, the executive are pleased to state that the centre has again had a very successful year. The entries for the different sports meetings held under our rules, taking them all round, were greatly on the improve, and were carried out by the officials in a very satisfactory manner. Proof of same was that during the year’s working.it was only necessary to call the executive together on one Occasion at Stratford on the day of their sports, but it was not called for any breach of the rules, but merely to appoint an official liandicapper. Any small 'minor breaches were attended to by the chairman and secretary, and gave entire satisfaction to the clubs, concerned. The executive wish to draw the attention of clubs to the fact that applications for their annual sports should be put in as soon as possible, as the secretary last year had considerble difficulty in allotting the dates through clashing. During the year 21 clubs were affiliated and eight permits were granted, making a total of 29 clubs attached to the centre. The financial position of the centre is in good circumstances, showing a good surplus. The annual conference of 1923 was held at Blenheim, and was attended my Messrs Hansen and Melville. A considerable amount of business was put through in the small hours of the morning, and a report of same appears in the official calendar. This year the conference will be held at Hastings, and Mir A. J. Hansen, vice-president this year, will, we trust, be placed in the pround position of president of the New Zealand Union. The delegates who attended the conference held in our centre in 1922 spoke very highly cf the good time they had while in Taranaki. Delegates will be required to attend conference at Hastings.!’ 5

. The balance-sheet showed that the total receipt for the year was £93 14s 3d. and the expenditure amounted to £52 Os 6d. The balance in’hand was £4O 13s 9d.

The cahirman moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, and in doing so stated that the centre had every reason to be satisfied with the gear’s work. All the clubs had been -.voiking satisfactorily. The executive had not met very often during the y iar, as there was no apparent need. There was no trouble with anyone attempting to “ring in,” and no unregistered meeting held. The balance-sheet was very astisfactory, and very little had been paid out as delegates’ travelling expenses. He formally moved the adoption, and Mr Foley (Stratford) seconded.

Mr. Nuttall (Eltham) said he would like to congratulate the Centre on the year’s working. Although few meetings had been held, the business of the Centre had been conducted satisfactorily. The report was then adopted. Mr. Patterson (Opunake) moved that the balance-sheet be printed and circulated to all affiliated clubs fourteen days before the annual (meeting in future years.—Mr. Weir (Toko) seconded and it was carried. ELECTION OF OFICERS.

The election of officers for the, ensuing year resulted as follows: Patron, Hon. Sir Walter Carncross (re-elected); president, Mr. R. Masters, M.P.; vicepresidents, Messrs A. Hansen and T. Kirkwood; executive committee, Messrs Saunders (Stratford), C. Burke (Stratford), Eagar (Inglewood), J. Patterson (Manaia), J. Shatter (Midhirst), J. Landers (Te Kiri), A. George (New Plymouth); S. Howell (Urenui), J. Kilpatrick (Toko); secretary'and treasurer, Mr. J. Melville (Kaponga); auditor, Mr. R. G. Cook (Kaponga); official handicapper, Mr. A. Hansen (Manaia). Mr. Kirkwood asked if it was eo'mpulsory for clubs, to accept the official handicapper for their' meetings. The chairman said it was not compulsory, but most of the clubs did use the Centre in this connection. He asked all clubs to send their nominations in as early as possible,, so as to give the handieappers proper time for their work. The chairman stated that the annual Dominion Conference would lie field in Hastings this year, and that it w'ould be advisable to send two delegates.— Messrs Hansen and Patterson were elected to represent the Centre. The secretary reported that a number of clubs had failed to pay their affiliation fees, although he had repeatedly written them concerning the matter. The ’ chairman said the position was most difficult, for if the clubs refused to pay up they would have to be considered *as holding an unregistered meeting and would involve the competitors. Mr. Kirkwood said the method adopted by the Centre was “a' bit loose,” and clubs should be treated the same as competitors who do not pay their nomination fees. Mr. Nuttall was of the opinion that, the Centre was not acting rightly in allowing clubs to hold meetings without payment of their fees. It was not fair to the clubs that did pay. Mr. Melville (secretary) said he had written in strong terms to several clubs and intimated that no date would be allotted them in future unless aIL arrears were paid. The chairman suggested that the secretary write to the chairman of each defaulting club, pointing out the position and suggesting attention to the matter. The trouble, said Mr. Hansen, was largely due to the new secretaries appointed by the clubs, who are not familiar with the correct procedure; but it was most unfair to competitors at club meetings whp had been disqualified for non-payment of their dues. Mr. Weir suggested that all amounts outstanding should be collected immediately, and no permits issued in future until all arrears had been paid. It was resolved to fix September 30 of each year as the date for payment of all affiliation fees.

The Eltham Club wrote stating that two competitors at their recent meeting had failed to pay their nomination fees, although they had been repeatedly requested to do so. Mr. Nuttall moved,- and Mr. Landers secondly, that S. W. Crutchly and R. H. Crutchly be placed on the forfeit list, and that the secretary be asked to notify all clubs and the Mountain Road Race Committee of this action. The Mountain Road Race Committee wrote asking the Centre if they could see their way clear to donate the sold medal for the fastest time by a Taranaki man in the mountain race.

The secretary stated that the head New Zealand executive had usually

donated the medal, and he suggested that an application be made on behalf of the Road Race Committee. The secretary was granted an honorarium of £lO 10s for his work during the past year. At a meeting of the executive Mr. Hansen was elected chairman for the ensuing year.