MR RICHARDSON REPLIES.

Northern Advocate, 9 April 1934, Page 3

MR RICHARDSON REPLIES.

(To 1 lio Editor.')

—| regret having boon forced into tlio position of farther enlightonino Hip |uil)lm 1 in connection will) misstatements made by “Scally mid Co.,’’ Mini rMii readily nmlerstand why they "do not \\*h n I n ropot it ion of what has pas-ied in previous seasons.” You can midprstand that last year’s discloanros did not show up the association's treatment of the amateurs in a very favourable light, and it is only natural tlnil limy should wish to hide Ihoir 1;o I,r under the proverbial bushel. The association did NOT emerge from the con(roverisy with flying colours. Slicki„jr strictly to the points already raised, will you allow me space to com*

ment on the various replies ns numbered in their letter of Friday last: No. 1, Be Rose Cup: They eay “the association never received a challenge.’' So do 1. Rut why did they “oport the following to the “Advocate” of their meeting hold on February 30, and published an March 2: “It was decided to accept a challenge from Auckland for the Bose Cup held by Whangarei, the match to be held at Whangarei.” I agree it is too absurd to answer, and although to the general public i(.« importance may seem small, there is a groat deal behind it.

No. 2: “Agreed to a motion that was |mssod deciding in open the wrestling season in Whangarei with m numoder aipateur tournament in tho Town Kail and signed the minute to this effect,” The minute mentioned definitely referred to the competition for the Beehre Shield only, and had absolutely no connection with the j opening of the Gymnasium Club's j wrestling season. All the delegates agreed’ that the Beehre Shield should Open on April 20, but it was never mentioned, or even considered, that this competition should open the wrestling season in general. To substantiate thus, the association themselves formally opened the season with a tournament at Maungaturoto, on March 14. The Hikurangi club delegate has affirmed that the minute signed was in connection with the Beehre Shield only, and had nothing to do with the opening of the season, as stated. That this was also the opinion of the Northj land delegate is borne out by the fact that his club also made application to stage a tournament prior to April 20. This is only another of the subterfuges that the amateur wrestlers have become accustomed to during the last few years. No. 3: “Scally and Co” admit the Union delegates “instructed the association to grant permits,” etc. This was on September 29, 1933. But what of the application niadc the following day for permission to stage a tournament on October IS, in aid of the Tin-: employment Fund? Then, again, ap-; plication was made on October IS to hold a club night, in our own • gymnasium on October 25, This also was refused on the following extraordinary grounds. In reply to our application, the association wrote that a permit would only be granted as follows: “The conditions are that your letters dated September S aad 14 last bo unreservedly withdrawn by your club, and that an apology be tendered the association for the attitude taken up by your club during the past few i months in regard to staging of tournaments.” The letters taken exception to read; (8/0/33). “I am in receipt of yours of tho oth inst. re nominations for the preliminary bouts for the forthcoming professional contest to be staged in the Town Hall on September 20. Owing to the complications that have arisen in connection with the proposed ‘tournament in aid of the relief funds, to be staged in the Town Hall on October 4, our members will not participate. If your association allows us to run the above tournament with our officials, under the auspices of your association, I have no doubt my committee will reconsider its decision.” (14/9/33). “I have to acknowledge receipt of youra of the 13th inst. Contents noted. In reply I have to advise that in view of (he present attitude adopted*' by your association my committee regrets that it cannot co-operate with you in any further activities.” Now, Mr Editor, could any reasonable person or body take exception to the context of the above businesslike communications? Why should an apology for either of those letters bo necessary? Why should either or both be made the grounds for refusing a permit? Just another subterfuge, Mr Editor, concocted by “Scally and C 0.,” in order that the amateur body be denied those rights and privileges which were their just duos. The following crowning effort is a piece of unconscious satire worthy of George Bernard Shaw; “What really did happen was that the delegates instructed the a&iocia.tion to conduct Us business with a linn hand, as . it was known that Kiev were a body of men who could lie trusted to do the right thing without fear or favour.” Both the union delegates and the public of this district are fully aware of the antics and manoouVrlng'S of ‘Really-and Go.” in connection with sport in Whangatoi, Need I say more? Tout correspondent omits to mention the letter recently received by his president from the Dominion Union, in which this gentleman was reminded, of what would happen if he did nol mind hi.s p’s and q’s. Or perhaps your correspondent was not shown this. I

No. 4: When the Dominion delegates apparently patched up the trouble last

September, the association definitely promised to issue permits to the club whenever reasonable application was made. Believing the last application reasonable in every particular, the club never for one moment dreamed that it could be turned down, and so went on with their advertising before it was actually granted. If: is quite apparent that even yet they don’t know “Scully and C 0.,” which accounts for their error. No. 5: It hi very convenient for your correspondent to suggest that I am making a gross insinuation and to refuse to answer. But what HAS happened to all the money collected at tournaments largely through the efforts of the amateurs in the past three years? No one but “Scally and Co.’’ scem-3 to know, and this, Mr Editor, is a point of vital interest to every lad connected with the sport. No. (i: Your final statement that newspaper publicity is injurious to the sport can only be treated as ridiculous. Wrestling may be split into two divisions—the professional and amateur, or in other words, the commercial and the sporting sides. If to send a number of foreign wrestlers home at the end of the reason with well fattened wallets, earned in a comparatively short space of time, is to be achieved by denying our own youth the opportunity of indulging in healthy recreation, I for one am prepared to carry on newspaper propaganda indefinitely. I am, etc., d. HS. TUCK ATM)SON.