PIONEER CLUB

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 110, 22 April 1936, Page 8

PIONEER CLUB

Meets A Definite Need REPLY TO H.B.W.A. Wrestlers the Public Would Not Otherwise See NO DESIRE TO CLASH The viewpoint of those members of the Hawke's Bay Wrestling Association who were struck off the rolls on account of their association with a rival organisation was expounded to a reporter this morning by Mr. G. Warren, one of the members concerned. Their contention was that the club was only meeting a need that it was impossible for the association to meet, he said. The sole idea in forming the Pioneer Wrestling Club, he explained, was to enable Hastings wrestling enthusiasts to see in action matmen who, because they were not working in the same circuit as those who appeared in the association’s matches, would not otherwise be seen in action in Hastings. “The need for the Pioneer Club this season will be made quite clear when it is realised that the wrestlers who will appear in Hastings under the club’s patronage include men of world-wide fame, such as Bay Steele, George Zaharais, Abie Coleman, and Jim Loudos,’’ he said. “These are men who are undisputedly at the head of the wrestling. If there were no Pioneer Club in Hastings, then none would be able to appear here. The public will naturally want to see such men in action.

“As regards the threat of issuing >» writ against the association for wrongful dismissal,’’ said Mr. Warren, “1 feel that we have been unfairly treated. IWe did not want to put the association out of business, but we did hope to be able to work in with it so that the public would be able to get a complete service. We advised the association of the formation of the elub and wrote asking for its co-opera-tion and also asking if it would hire to the club the ring, gear and mats. The reply we got certainly seemed to us to indicate that there was every possibility of happy and amicable cooperation being established, and the association even agreed to hire us then gear. But for this action it is doubtful whether we would have been able to begin, for it involved an outlay of •bout £5O.

REPLY TO ASSOCIATION, ‘lt has been stated that we did not reply to the association’s letters call lug upon us to make some explana tion,’’ he added. “We admit that the brst letter was not i eplied to, but that was because we had intended to meet together and frame a combined reply after the holiday period.’’ In the meantime, the association sent a second letter, and to that tnu club did reply, the text of the reply, clearly setting forth its views, being as follows:— “Each of the members of the Hawke's Bay Pioneer Wrestling Club who has received the letters was most surprised and concerned at the tone of the letters and cannot understand your association’s attitude in the matter, particularly in view of your letter ot November 16 last to the Pioneer Club wherein your association kindly offeree the use of your mat and thanked oui club for the mutual co-operation ottered and trusted that the cordial beginning would be of lasting and beneficial stimulus to wrestling generally. “Such of your meuioers who have also become members of the Pioneer Club have doue so with one object in view, and that is to foster wrestling ui Hawke’s Hay. the fact that sucu uemtiers are willing to pay two sub scxiptions and to support noth clubs to the utmost bears out this statement, further, before joining up with the Pioneer Club they stipulated tii-t no matches would be arranged by the Pioneer Club which would clash with your association, and the Pioneer Club readily gave an assurance on this point end has and intends faithfully to carry out this arrangement. COMMON OBJECT. -‘Your association and the Pionco. Club nave ueen estaohsued lor one oi> ject, and tuat is to promote wrestling. 11 tne Pioneer Club had not been loin, cd, then the people ol Hawke's flay would not have oeeu able to see many prominent wrestlers and tne resuit might nave been tnat the interest in the sport would have waned, it seem.clear, too, that there is plenty ot room lor the two clubs. When ail la sale and done it is not a business but a sport, and in our opinion each club should adopt a spoiling attitude to wards the other and should eudeavoui to help and encourage the other in every way possible, us each is more or less dependent on the other. “If the policy of obstruction is adopted by either club, then there can only be one result, and that is the ruin ation of both clubs. For instance, if either club adopted an attitude which involved the clashing of dates with the other, then neither club could prosper If the two clubs had an honourable understanding that matches would not clash, then wrestling would be receiving an impetus and the public kept keenly interested week by week. On the other hand, if the two clubs or the members of the two dubs become involved in Court action, as would, no doubt, be the case if members were unlawfully expelled, the result would be the finish of wrestling in the district. Mr. Warren explained that the members concerned waited on the executive of the association and the question was fully discussed. Shortly afterward’ notice of the expulsion was received

“We immediately decided to refer the matter to a solicitor,’’ he said, “and there the matter stands at present. Personally 1 hope there will be, reconciliation, for none nf us wishes tn take the matter to the Supreme Court.’’