THE N.O.A. AND P. ASSOCIATION AND THE CALEDONIANS.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7466, 14 September 1892, Page 3

THE N.O.A. AND P. ASSOCIATION AND THE CALEDONIANS.

10 THE fcDITOK. Sin, — There appears in your evening contemporaiy of Satuiday a letter, signed "An Old Member of Both Societies," on the .split 111 tho camp butw een the Us o Societies. I will premise by siying that I am of opinion that the \s liter should h.ive signed himself an Old Member of the N.O.A. and P. Association, because his \iews are so one-sided, and .show so little knowledge of the subject from a Caledonian, Society point of \iew as to render his Caledonian Society membership misleading. The "O.M. of B.S." should remember that the character of the Caledonian Sports (like most things) aie undeigomg changes. I am not a \ ery old member, but am gi\en to understand that " climbing a greasy pole" and " catching a greasy pig" formed a big attraction at thu games at one time, when, no doubt, the "O.M. of B.S." acquired Ins knowledge of Caledonian games. If such is the case I can well undei stand his letter, as he must have gnen up taking au actho part in them for many yeais. "Old Membei" should also bear in nund that times have changed since then, and with the times the Caledonian Games also. Cycling has dm en the greasy pole and pig off the grounds, and bicycle racing has taken their place. The changes in the games require improved facilities for carymg them on properly and safely, and hence the absolute necessity for the impio\ed tiack. Now, bicycle racing on a confined and improperly constiucted track is a dangerous game, and unfortunate y the elements of danger obtain on the Shtiw Ground track, and it is to get over this danger (of which the N.O.A. and P. Association aie so callous) that the rift has taken place between the Societies. On this point Mr "O.M. of B.S." might take a warning from the mess the K,0.A. and P. Association has been landed into by carelessness on the part of someone, and not try and push the Caledonian Society into a similar mess. The Caledonian Society, to my knowledge, have been endeavoring to escape such contingent obliquity for nearly two years by having a safe track made, but have been frustrated at every move. The last one was» played out

early last month when tho N.O.A. and P. Association decided, by 8 votes to 7, that tho necessity work cannot be undertaken till after the Show, on tho pica th.it the new grass might not Insufficiently grown to keep the dust clown. Now, contrast the selfish motive*. — a little dust (or much dust if you like), to the discomfort of the visitors to the Show, against the great risk to life and limb to competitors at the Caledonian Society's G.vmcs. The latter is nothing in the eyes of the N.O.A. and P. Association to the f miner, and shows to a demonstration how much they have the interests of the Caledonian Society at heart. Indeed, 1 Mr " O.M. of B.S." is an active member of the N.O A. and P. Association he will know hat the Caledonian Society are looked upon by the Association just as Cooper with the shooting gallery ; the swoid-swallowmg man ; the boxing men ; and all the do/ens of other lovolting sw Indies that are allowed on the Show Grounds — tiz., to make money out of them. Theie is no sympathy between the executive ofKceis of the N.O.A. and P. Association and the Caledonian Society, and, so far as I can learn, theie nc\er has been any, and so what surprises mo s that an open lupture has not occurred ere this. The Association promised last year to ha\e the track made ere this coming New Year's gathoung. They have failed to keep their promise, and accuse the Caledonian Society of bieAimj faith. It is the Association who have broken faith with the Caledonian Society in not having this in gently required work done m time. I believe it could yet be done, and the grass seed sown before the end of this month, if set about m an eneigetic manner, This would give the grass six weeks to grow, and still ha\e the ground in fair order for the Show. Caledonian.