SANDERS CUP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21578, 24 August 1933, Page 11

SANDERS CUP

OWNERSHIP QUESTION AUCKLAND'S POSITION STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN DONORS' ACTION CRITICISED The latest developments in connection with! the controversy over the Sanders Cup call, in the opinion of the Auckland Yacht and Motor-Boat Association, for a definite statement, and at the request of the executive of the association this statement was made yesterday by the chairman, Mr. Charles Palmer. It was emphasised that although the cup is the property of the Auckland Association, • Mr. J. Hislop, the Auckland manager of Messrs. Walker and Hall, the donors, had now offered it to the New Zealand Yachting Council, which had accepted it. "The cup was given by Messrs. Walker and Hall in terms of a letter ■written by Mr. J. Hislop, the Auck™ land manager of that company, oil February 18, 1921," stated Mr. Palmer. "Among other things the letter stated: 'This cup is to be the property of the Auckland Yacht and Motor-Boat Association and to be sailed for under the rules and regulations drawn up by that association.'. The letter went on to provide that the winner should retain the cup for one year, 'when it shall again be sailed for, or if this club fails to arrange for such a contest within the year, the cup must be returned to the Auckland Yacht and Motor-Boat Association, who, no doubt, will be in a position to hold another contest for it among the various clubs under your control.' The cup was accepted on those terms. Attitude of Associations "Since the last contests, held at Christchurch, a New Zealand Yachting Council has been formed, which, according to its constitution, is to 'promote and control inter-port,, inter-provincial and inter-colonial sailing and motorboat contests in the Dominion.' For reasons explained later, the Auckland association has not joined this council. "As the cup is at present held by Canterbury, the next contest should be held in Canterbury in accordance with the rules referred to. The Auckland association has communicated with the associations of the other to ascertain whether they intend to join in a Sanders Cup contest this year in accordance with the rules of the cup. All of these associations have replied indicating that they, being members of the New Zealand Yachting Council, do not propose to compete for the cup this season. Under these circumstances the Auckland association, at its meeting on August 15, arranged for Mr. E. H. Northcroft and myself to confer with Mr. Hislop. Offer of Trophy

"It now transpires that, following the meeting of the association, but before the representatives of the association saw Mr. Hislop, he had telegraphed to Mr. G. R. Curtis, chairman of the New Zealand Yachting Council at Christchurch, as follows: —' Regret Auckland Association last night confirmed their previous decision not to join council. This prevents them carrying out inter-provincial championships for Sanders Cup, which must formally he returned. Will New Zealand Council accept same from donors and carry on. Deputation waiting on me to-day. Would like your reply.' To this Mr. Curtis had replied that the council would accept and carry on. Both these messages had passed before Mr. North* croft and I saw Mr. Hislop. At that interview, Mr.. Hislop made no reference whatever to his telegraphed communications with Mr. Curtis, and although the discussion was aimed at endeavouring to formulate some arrangement suitable to the situation which had arisen, there was no hint of any sort given by Mr. Hislop that he bad already bestowed the cup upon the New Zealand Council.

"The position, therefore, is that th» cup is the property of the Auckland Association, having been presented by Messrs. Walker and Hall to be competed for under conditions which should be 'drawn up by that association.' If a contest fails then the cup is to be returned to the Auckland Association 'to hold another contest for it amongst the various clubs under its control.' A meeting of the Auckland Association will be held at the earliest moment when the whole matter will be discussed and .a decision reached." Parochialism Denied

"The Auckland Association repudiates the suggestion of parochialism. It is not prepared to join a New Zealand Yachting Council, because it considers such a body is not necessary fbr yachting in New Zealand, which of necessity is almost entirely local in its application. As the council claims to control all intercolonial, interprovincial ' and inter-port yachting in New Zealand, the Auckland Association considers its constitution much too wide if its solo purpose is to control Sanders Cup. If the statement of its objects had been limited to the Sanders Cup, so that it would in effect perpetuate the annual conferences, then little difficulty would have been experienced in providing a constitution which would have been acceptable to Auckland. "The Auckland executive fears that those who have not followed the controversy closely may be misled into thinking that the present difficulty arises over a mere matter of government It goes much deeper than that. For some years now a feeling has prevailed, not only in Auckland, but in other centres too, that the contest was ceas•ing to be a test of the seamanlikd qualities of the crews, and was becoming a test for boat-builders." FUTURE OF CONTEST ATTITUDE OF DONORS " No astonishment need be expressed by Auckland yachtsmen when the real facts about the Sanders Cup controversy are understood by them," said Mr. J. Hislop in a statement yesterday. " The attitude of the Auckland Yacht and Motor-boat Association toward the rest of the provincial yacht associations has placed them in the position of being unable to carry out the contest for the Sanders Cup and comply with the conditions for which that ciip was donated." Mr. Hislop said that on August 18 Messrs. C. H. Palmer and E. H. Northcroft, representing the Auckland association, called on him and proposed the association should carry on the Sanders Cup contest, confining it to an inter-port contest for boats from such places as Whangarei, Russell and Tauranga. They also suggested invit- , ing competitors from other provinces to race for the cup at Auckland this year, and said it might be arranged to hold the Jrace in some other port in future years. As an _ alternative it was suggested the cup might be transferred from the 14ft. class to an 18ft. class. The Sanders Cup was given for a' Dominion contest, said Hislop, and the donors did not believe it would be in the interests of the Auckland association or any other association to call; upon boats from other centres to com-,, pete if the provincial associations did,, not wish such boats to take part. The substitution of an 18ft. boat they believed would mean a breach of raitl*; toward the yachtsmen in various parts , who had built their boats in good, faith. They regretted that they had no alternative but to reject the proposals suggested by the Auckland association.