ATHLETIC CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1217, 28 June 1895, Page 24

ATHLETIC CONFERENCE.

The members of the Athletic Conference recently sitting in Wellington met on Monday morning. Messrs H. D. Bell (New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association), A. S. Biss (New Zealand Rowing Association), A. R. Holdship (New Zealand Cricket Council), J. Stevenson (New Zealand Swimming Association), W. Chegwidden (New Zealand Cyclists' Alliance) and E. D. Hoben (New Zealand Rugby Union) were present. Mr A. Henderson, representing the New Zealand Football Association, was unable to be present. The following resolutions, drawn up by Messrs Bell and Hoben, were adopted : —l. That the Government be asked to introduce as a Government measure a Bill to enable any club of amateurs formed to promote or competo in any form of athletic exercise or sport to register for a small fee, and thereby become incorporated and capable of holding property. 2. To enable any association of siich clubs to become similarly incorporated. 3. To givo power to the corporation to make by-laws. 4. To givo power to the corporation to expel any member who shall fail to comply with the by-laws. 5. To provide that the management of the affairs of the corporation shall be vested in a committee to be elected as the by-laws of the club or association shall provide. G. To give power to the Colonial Secretary to make general regulations applicable to all such clubs or associations. 7. That the object of the proposal be to enable amateur athletic clubs and other associations by incorporation to possess property and to recover their funds from defaulting officers, and to sue and be sued. DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER. A deputation from the Conference at a later stage waited upon the Premier and laid before him the resolutions come to. Messrs Hoben and Biss, in the course of the interview, pointed out the large interests athletic bodies in New Zealand held, and urged the necessity for giving

them legal status. Mr Hoben stated that the members of the different athletic bodies represented at the recent Conference numbered something like 50,000, all i thoroughly organised. Mr Seddon, replying, speaking as an old athlete, expressed strong sympathy with athletics, and said he recognised the difficulties set out, and thought the time had come to afford a remedy. The Friendly Societies Acts in England embraced such organisations, but the requirements of the athletic clubs were special, and A/ould be best met by a special Act. There was, no doubt, a large amount of property and funds involved, and it was only right that there should be protection for these. The matter was, however, one entirely new, and altogether outside those which usually came before Government, and it was a question -whether the Government draughtsmen could satisfactorily deal with it. If, however, the members of the Conference would have a reasonable Bill drafted themselves, submit it to the bodies they represented for approval, and then let Mr Hoben bring it before him again, he would undertake that it should receive favourable consideration, and would place it before the House, where ho was satisfied it would be the general wish of Ministers and members to facilitate its passage. The deputation expressed their willingness to adopt this course, and after thanking Mr Seddon withdrew. : j t