AMATEUR ATHLETES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 56, 3 February 1927, Page 6

AMATEUR ATHLETES.

SOME PECULIAR TROPHIES. ARTICLES WHICH CANNOT BE ENGRAVED. The rules of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association provide that all trophies offered to winners at sports meetings held under its auspices must be of a strictly engraveable nature, and, although this fact is well known to and the rule observed by affiliated amateur clubs, outside * them there appears to be an impression that, as long as actual cash is not given, the amateur does not forfeit his status. 'lhis matter formed the subject of srme discussion at a meeting last evening of the Manawatu Amateur Athletic Sub-Centre, being by a letter from the president, Mr W. T. Eyre, of Dannevirke, who reported that, at a recent gala held by the Dannevirke Band, permission for the running of amateur events having been given bv the sub-centre, the rule had not been observed, the sports committee having given prices of all manner of description, si mi • of which were far from engraven bio. Speaking in this connection, Mr B. J. Rossiter. the delegate of the Dannevirke Club, staled that members of his body who had competed at the sports meeting mentioned and had been successful had been put in a very peculiar position. One man, he mentioned, had been placed in three events, and. on going to receive his trophies, had found that he had to make a round of the shopkeepers of Dannevirke, 13 of whom hi had to collect something from. At the finish he had the following arti cles. Two pot plants, one cake dish, a razor, two shirts, a singlet, torch, two pairs of ladies’ silk stockings, a cake of soap and tube of tooth paste, fruit salts, embrocation, fountain pen, earthenware salad bowl and a picture. Other “trophies,” it was reported, had included an older on a butcher, the successful competitor having to take t out in meat. Another winner found himself provided with 10s 6d worth of afternoon teas, while others found themselves with orders on boot, fancy goods and sweet shops and a firm of ladies’ suppliers. Strong discussion followed, the upshot being a decision not to grant the particular organisation responsible a permit for the running of amateur events unless an undertaking was given that the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association rules would be observed in their entirety.