AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15112, 7 April 1911, Page 6

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

MEETING OF OTAGO CENTRE. DELEGATES' ACTION DISCUSSED. APPOINTMENTS REVOKED. Tho monthly meeting of the Otago Centro of the New Zealand Amateur Athlctie Association wis held last night; presentMessrs E. Bbsevear (president), A. R. Barclay, L. Sanderson, A. C. Smith, J. List, W. Renwick, H. C. Murray, G. Kerens, J. Brooks, J. B. Callan, R* U. Anderson, D. Melville, A. Melville, H. Divers, H. (J. Brickell, P. Broen, and R. F. Mitchell.

M. MickoJson wrote asking tho position of his application for reinstatement,—The secretary was directed to inform t.ho writer that the matter was out of the hands of the centre.

Tho Town Clerk, Dunodin, wrote stating that the Reserves Committee had agreed to undertake tho expenditure of tho £6 offered by tho centro on the erection of a hand-nail at the north end' running track. It was also intimated that the committee had declined to maintain the track.—lt was resolved to approach tho City Council asking it to undertake tho cutting of tho grass on tho reserve. Mr Broeri was appointed treasurer of the centre in plaoe of Mr List (resigned), who still rotains tho office of secretary. The Secretary of tho Wellington Centre wrote stating that at a meeting of the contrc, on the 24th March, a 1 motion was carried to the effect that the conference of centres should be for tho purpose of discussing mat,tore of general interest to the sport, with a view to arriving at a common understanding and' making recommendations on matters of policy and principle for consideration and final discussion of the council, voting to be by centres, and not by delegates.—The matter was held over, ponding consideration by tho contrc of tho constitution of the conforencc of ocntres.

On tho motion of Mr Barclay, it was resolved—" Thai the secretary bo instructed to write to the New Zealand Council calling attention to tho resolution passed'by the conforenoo of centres that t.ho council be recommended to hold over the printing of tho new rules until further consideration can bo given to the Otago Ctvitre's recommendations in respect, thereof, and that the Rules Amendment Subcommittee bo asked to prepare a fresh memorandum to be sent lo the New Zealand Council." Mr Barclay reported verba.llv on tho conference of centres held in Ohristchurch at the time of t.'ie championship meeting, detailing ' the business transacted at tho conference. The resolution that the Aus-

tntlasian championship mooting- bo hold in Dunedin was carried with three dissentients The dissentients were the Wellington representatives. The voting was 10 to 3.—Mr Divers and Mr Sanderson, who also attended the conference as delegates from the Otago l Centre, inado a few remarks.—lt was agreed to thank tho delegates for their services.'

The President stated that, Mr Hooper some timo ago presented a cup to a club in Dunedin to hold for tho purpose of improving longj-distanco running, and. it had been used in connection with t.he Port race. Mr Hooper was anxious that the centre should bo tho body to hold* tho cup. If the centre Accepted it, it meant it would control the Port read race. Tho cup had beon returned to Mr Hooper by the club that originally had control of it.—ln reply to a question, tho President said the Dunedin Harriers had handed, in the cup.+Mr Brickell said tho Dunedin Harriers did not feel they could continue to run the raco satisfactorily.—After a discussion, M* Hooper was thanked for the oup, and it was agreed that tho centre should have control of it.

AUSTRALASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS. The next matter discussed' was tho decision °if - a °' the association to hold Australasian championship meeting of 1912 in Wellington. Tho Secretary of tho Auckland Centre wrote stating that its delegate had been instructed to support the claims of Dunedin for the Australasian championships. Tho delegate to the conference of centres held in Auckland in February, 1910, supported tho claims of Dunedin' for these championships, _and up to the date of writing at any rato they had no reason- to: change their views. Should anything eventuate to cause a different view, to bo taken they would at onoe communicate with the centre ihe President said members had no doubt seen by' tho press 'the action the council had taken ; with i regard • chanlpionship meeting- Members would have noticcd at the same time the action of the Dunedin delegates m going against tho instructions ot the centre—conduct which was -very repreheMible.—(Applause.) The centre, he tnouglit, should express its appreciation ot the action of the press in supporting it. Ine press had adopted a imild tone, and it was apparent that tho action of the centre had the support of outside people. It was really due to the public that the centre Si- noto °* the matter.—(Applause.) Mr Callan moved —" That in view of tho action of Messrs Pollock and Marryatt in voting contrary to the 1 instructions received from this oentre, particularly without havip? any intimation of any divcrgenco between those instructions ana their oonvictions, their appointment as delegates of tnis centre is hereby revoked."—(Applause.) It the - minute book of tho centre were turned up it would be seen that Messrs Marryatt and Pollock had definite instructions from the centre. They had ample time to let the centre know that those'instructions wore not .palatable to them. The question of whether it was right or wrong did not .enter into tho matter at all. It was certainly not expected that the delegates would act at the meeting as th'oy did. He had been in doubt, on a reading of the rule. Whether they had power, in coloquial language, to kick their men out.(Applause.) It was really a debatable question whether the centre could elect dolegates at-any other time than at the annual meeting, but even if this quibble occurred to Messrs Marryatt and Pollock h» did not think they. would retain their' seats when they knew their action had entirely forfeited the confidence of the Otagir Centre.—(Applause.) Mr Murray seconded the motion. Mr Divers supported the motion, which, h° considered. was not strong enough.— ("Hear, hear.")

Mr Barclay said the motion dealt in the lightest and easiest manner with conduct such as that of Messrs Marryatt and Pollock. The attitude of the Otago delegates had been a shock and a surprise to all who took an interest in athletic matters. —(Applause.) The honourable course for the de egates to have taken was to intimate that they did not a#ree with the desires of the centre, yet not a single word of warning came from them either one way or the other. "With Messrs Sanderson and Divers, he met Mr Marryatt in Christchurch recentjy, and there discussed with him the question of the Australasian cha'tnrpionehips. As usual, Mr Marryatt was ■smiling and complacent, and he promised that Otago would have justice done to it, and that he would see that Ota-go. had justice done to it. They all knew how lie had kept his word. Without a word of warning he took back his words awl adopted the base attitude of opposition to their wishes. —(Applause.) The motion indeed, was mild. For himself,-he would ; have liked to see ■stronger and plainer." -language.—)." Hea-r, hear.") The conduct of the' delegates was absolutely inexcusable. It was not the conduct of men of honour.—(Applause.) Tim' fact would and ought to bo recognised by men connected with athletics and by the general public in ' New Zealand, and' with that brand upon them, and this resolution against them, if the delegates continued to hold their seats on the council their natures must be many grades - below that which one expected in a gentleman.—(Applause.) !

Mr Sanderson referred to tho scurvy way the delegates had treated the centre. To -his mind, they showed a great lack of. appreciation of what was due to Dunedin. Ho thought, at the same time, the motion was somewhat drastic. The position would be met if the centre passed a vote of censure on the delegates for. their action. It was a lapse, certainly, but lie could not get away from the idea that the motion' went too far. He moved as an amendment— " That a vote of censure be passed 0 n our delegates, Messrs Marryatt and Pollock, for failing to give effect to our wishes in connection with the allocation of the Australasian championship meeting." Mr Ferens seconded tho amendment. Smith said tho delegates were notified in ample time ( to enable them to inform the centre that the instructions were contrary to their convictions. It was surely their plain duty to have done so. Under the circumstances he would support, the motion.

Mr Breen remarked that the action of the delegates had been described as a lapse, but it was more than that. Mr Barclay: It was deliberate treachery. Mr Mitchell said Mr Pollock was in-Dun-edin for several days, about a fortnight ago, but he gave no ono the slightest intimation that he could not support tho wishes of tho centre The amendment was lost, being supported only by its mover and seconder, and the motion was then put and carried unanimously. '■ It was resolved—" That a copy of the res-olution be sent to Messrs Marryatt t and Pollook, to tho other centres, and to'the secretary of the N.Z.A.A.A. Council, and that the best thanks bo given to the Auckland and Southland delegntes for • thoir honourable adherence to their centres and their pledges." The Auckland Centro was thanked for its communication, and a similar compliment was accorded the Southland Centre for instructing its delegate to support Duncdin's claims for the championship meeting. ,