AMATEUR ATHLETICS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7447, 23 May 1911, Page 1

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

THE DUNEDIN SQUABBLE RESIGNATIONS FROM COUNCIL. A special meeting of the council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association was held last nisht. There wero present: Messrs A. Marryatt (president), J. H. Pollock, W. Larkin, F. Boss, C. Bridge, J. T. Thompson,' A. Davis, and B. O. Chaffey. The, -special business was lo receive the resignations oi the Otago delegates, Alessrs Marryatt and Pollock. , The circumstances and causes leading up to their resignations aro , probably already well known and within tho memory of al linterested in amateur athletics. The Australasian championships are to he held in -Now Zealand next season, and the council had' to decide at which of tho four leading New Zealand cities this meeting should be held. The Otago centre instructed their delegates to vote for Dunedin, which instruction Messrs Marryatt and Pollock disregarded, voting instead that the sports bo held at Wellington. 'Whereupon the Otago centre, at a meeting at which many references were made to breaches ot faith" and “broken pledges, passed a resolution purporting •to revoke the appointment of their acting, delegates. This, it was generally agreed, they had no power to do, but thedelegates chose to regard it as a vote of want o» couhdenoe, and decided to resign at . the earliest possible moment, m order that the centre should not consider itself disfranchised on the governing body. Mr Marryatt, after hrsresignation had been read, said that ,he his seat with tho full knowledge that the Otagol resolution was ultra vires, .ana that therefore ho had every legal right o remain .-on tho council. .He would add nothing to what had already been said about the unfortunate position, that had arisen, except by way of eayuif? Jilts actions to date had occasioned him regrets, fullv convinced as he was tnat ho had. done tlie wisest thin* ..possible in. the interests of athletics in -Dominion.' His idea of the rights and responsibilities of delegates was that they were at liberty to act'and vote as .their own good sense dictated, and to disregard instructions: from their_ centre if- they thought it was in; tho interests- of the snort to do so. Ho traversed : the .work 'll at had been done by the ; conned during his term, of office,: expressed bis regrets- that" circumstances made it incumbent -upon him to , resign, nnd thhnked his colleagues, more especially Mv’-Pollook, : for-Ibyal"'support. . ■ ' Sir- Pollock, tendering his resignation, offered evidence to show, that the. Otago c-nttei knew or ought to have 'known that they had no right to dictate to him as thrif delegate in the way they had sought tb do. He succeeded'Lisbon ■as delegate -for Otago, and when am sop first took -office he advifvd tho Otago centre that'-, he would always consider himself .’ree% to vote contrary to the expressed wish of the centre if he thought it wisejto do so. To these terms the Otago centre agreed, and when ho (tho speaker) came into the council he naturally nresumed that the same arrariErsment held. ’He assured the connoil that his retirement, be it temporary or permanent; would- in no jvay damp his enthusiasm or slacken his interest in amateur sport. Kke Mr Marryatt, he was still perfectly-satisfied that ho had acted rightly. 't. ■ . . Mr Marryatt retired from the chair, end at the request of the. meeting Mr Larkin presided. All ttm members voiced general regrets that the two delegates were leaving, saying-that their absence from the governing body m-ould a serious loss to amateur athletics in New Zealand. One speaker. Mr Thompson, repeated an offer previously made privately to resign in lavour, or Mr Marryatt, but Mr Marryatt reneated his refusal. , , i-' 1 4 . motion accepting the resolution and according the retiring delegates the thanks of the council for services rendered was carried.. ■ , REINSTATEMENTS. • Before the snecial business came on, several routine matters were dealt with. Five anplications for reinstatement from Hamilton, where a new amateur club has recently been formed, and One from Dunedin were granted. One application from Invercargill was declined. In the last-named instance the runner had been a member o. an amateur chib and a frequent competitor at sports fixtures as an amateur, but he had seceded in order to run for a AlO stake. He did not win it and now, tute years later ho asked to be reinstated. The council decided that he must wait one more year, as the rules provide.