ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14648, 6 April 1911, Page 7

ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS.

.WELLINGTON INFLUENCE. :o|ij A DIVIDED COUNCIL. 'IE I [BY TELEGRAPH.—OwT CC'TiaESPONKSNt.] •flwH Wellington, "Wednesday, ' '''|M At a meeting cf tins council of tin New '|| "| j Zealand Ainatenr Athletic Association last #|» 1 1 evening, the Wellington and Dunedin .''i,. <-] centres each applied for the conduct of V,'. I the Australasian championships rf nvxb'h'&M ; season., '■ V'^%?|fS| Mr. Oram (Canterbury) moved, "That ) $ $ the Australasian championships be" held T I i \ in Wellington." He pointed out that on ''MIK account of the central position of Well-'.'•}■■«'; ington it would be much more convenient, HtJ, > for the Dominion and the Australian com* , jjf 4 ; petitors. Then, as the New Zealand cham- ' $$■> pionships would be held here next 'yearVv'»iS|i the three days' sports could be carried on | ; V;JS ' in the same week,, Saturday, , Wednesday, ,K : and Saturday. There was also to be ,\'wt considered the biennial conference of dele. ,; I ] gates to the Australasian Amateur Athletic '■■''B| Union, which was to be held about the « : i j same time. . :. ■ '-i"'jß'| Mr. Larkin (Wellington), who seconded \ ||| \ the motion, said he considered that Well- '. ||| ington's claims for the fixture were para* ". lif ' 111 ( Mr. Bridge (Auckland) moved an \j| J , amendment to the wording of the motion* y.'ml viz., "That in the opinion of the council > jjl -] the Australasian championships be held E i '. in Wellington.'* . He gave as his reason;?' [ij: J ' for the wording of the amendment that he \ $ 1 ' had been definitely instructed to vot6,fcri||^||'J ( Dunedin,. but it. was much against hie ",. m * will, and he wished to affirm the principle- £ * , that the question was one to be decided .':'-$< -If : by the council on its merits. . - n",yl% ij Mr. Thompson (Auckland) . seconded ""'.' j| ; the amendment.. ! ; ( '^ijWjJ The Chairman, who represents tJia^MH Otago centre, declared that though -he f,^fflj§| had been instructed to ' vote for Dunedin, ,• *fi J he was going to have his way this time ji '^[Bll and. vote for Wellington, because%"M^Si| thought that this was a question for the council to decide on its merits. ;V'HeM!<|fei knew that the course that he was taking jj. iff: might imperil his seat on the council, ; bnfep-Spl • he was going to take the risk. ;;w The counting a oil was in • a better ' . position, to - prop^rjg||||p ■ deal with, the matter than were the cen»,|-,'^ii . tres. As far as his instructions from his S j.I centre went the only thing which he would "'-M| have been prepared to do would have been m j • to formally move that the meeting be held <>'% 4 in Dunedin. • • \ :^iS>|Rf ' The amendment was lost. ''"''^wflH ■ Mr. Thompson (Auckland) moved las (I. |„>S 1 further amendment, "That the matter In , |||| ! deferred for 'a fortnight." This ' v iSi Ml . seconded by Mr. .Davies, but was not •c»;fj>" ■;'-, : *§L ■} The motion was carried by a majorir, « ! of two. Those voting against it w«j|)Hi|^l ' Messrs. - Bridge, -. Thompson, : and ::Davj«w^^,^^s| On the' motion' of' Mr. Pollock, it : .wl*"^i||||pil 1 cided that the fixture be held on' January' ','■%s 1