ETHICS IN SPORT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20705, 1 May 1929, Page 6

ETHICS IN SPORT.

TO THE EDITOR. Slß,~—ln the correspondence columns of your issue of April 26 I notice a letter under the above heading, signed by Mr H. W. Allan. Apparently I “ ruffled his feathers,” so to speak, in my previous letters to your paper. That seems strange' to me, because, if my memory does not play me false, I have not until now made mention of his name. It appears as though he is “ barking up the wrong tree,” as it is upon another contributor, Mr William Steele, that the vials of his wrath ought to be poured. 1 made no mention of Mr Allan nominating his daughter for any event at Outram. I was asked certain questions and answered them without disclosing bis identity. Does it not seem strange, therefore, that Mr Allan should vent his spleen on me? I think that the question of the Outram business is one between him and Mr Steele, as. they are directly interested. But, as Mr Allan has allowed bis feelings to run riot and as evidently he has lost sight of the contributor last quoted and attacked me on several questions, 1 shall try in a gentlemanly way ta answer him..- If Mr Allan, did not nominate his daughter for, this event in question that would surely show that he .knew-she was not eligible to enter op account of the age limit. Whoever entered her must have apprised him of the fact, and Mr Allan’s'assertion that he did not enter his child does not exonerate him. Is he not responsible for his child’s actions? .He., says, “ Knowing, her age, I did not nominate my daughter.” That .would' clearly show to any reasonable person that Mr Allan conscientiously knew that, on . account of her age, his little girl was 'not eligible to compete. In short, he admits in his own letter that she competed in the wrong class. The fact that the secretary of the Outram Sports Club accepted her nomination does, not exonerate your correspondent, because, as a vice-president of the Otago Centre of the Piping and Dancing Association, it was his ’ business to see that children of the proper ages competed in their respective classes. It was not only his business to see to it, but it was also the business of other officials of the association who were present and saw this mistake take place, and also saw competitors compete who were not registered. I would ask iMr Allan where my alleged “ bombshell ” has burst now. It certainly has not burst on “my own faulty crown,” as inferred by him. Mr Allan has admitted .that his daughter was in"the wrong class. Should hh not, as a sportsman, have refused to allow her to collect the prize, so that it might be awarded to the rightful -wipner? That he did hot do so clearly shows a want of tact on his part, and also an absence of fair play. As a 'vice--president it is bis bounden duty to set an example, and the one he has set in this instance is certainly not one to be emulated. With regard to my letter to him concerning his daughter’s claims to a prize at the Berwick sports ■ in' 1927, I may say that I advanced to the best of my ability his case on that occasion. In 1927 the Berwick Society did,not hold its piping and dancing events under the rules of the Piping and Dancing Asso'ciation and, therefore, w,o had no. jurisdiction over the sports. .Seeing 'your correspondent quotes a certain part of my letter (as secretary) to him with reference to the Berwick Society, it would bo as well for him to quote a little more, 1 and state that several members of the then committee took exception to the tone of bis letter to me on account of the ungentlemanly utterances contained in it. To sum up the whole position 1 should say that, to my way of reasoning, a protest by Mr Steele was unnecessary on account of the rules and-regulations ’of -the Piping and Dancing Association having been broken 1 (rule " 13, sec. k). Moreover, to. my way of reasoning. Mr Allan’s letter is comouflage, and Tie is hedging and evading the point at issue—his daughter competing in the wrong class. Further, were not the piping and dancing events at Outram conducted under the rules of the Piping and Dancing Association?—l am, etc., F. Clayton.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—With respect to the letter signed on behalf of Otago Centre. Pipers and Roncere’ A«sociatioi)» I wish to correct the new executive of the association ip the information it gives concerning the sword dance for girls, 10 and 'mder, which was placed' on our programme at our recent sports meeting. This, dance was announced after numerous requests from the parents qf the dancers We arranged this dance to give the younger girl? a chance to win a prize. When the executive says that I knew that the girl Allan and the girl Atkinson were under 12 and 11 years of age respectively, apd accepted their entries under those conditions, they make a big mistake. I ac: ceptefi the entrie a of these girls as cqm* petitora who were 10 years old and under.—l am. etc., Hoff, Secretary, Outiuji Sports Club.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —When the true . meaning of the word “ ethics ” is considered it is a wonder that the various correspondents who are afraid to affix the., names to the different letters have not paused to ascertain the meaning of their headings, Commencing with the correspondent “ Be Fair,” I emphatically deny the lady's inference, whilst it has been distinctly shown that my daughter’s nomination was placed before the secretary in a bona fide manner. Coming to ray friend “ Achiutore,’ 1 wish to remind him that his opinion of fairplay and fairmindedness must have been unearthed from the desert. He can be likened to the elephant who was late in reaching the Ark, for the reason that his insinuations have been exposed by the association’s reply in your Monday’s issue. Further I would" emphaaise my sporting claims against those °- Achmtore ” when I am’not afraid to sign toy name to my letters.'. ' Need more be said on that point? This brings me to “ Tout Suite.” and 1 give him big immediate request, that ■ immediately lie signs his name he will receive at- immediate answer U his questions He says in effect that he was only, a spectator, biit he proves his interested ‘ feelings by ins actions at the gathering. Like Mr Clayton,, whose reply 1 am awaiting 1 do not intend to pursue this correspondence further, except in the case of those writers whose ethics of sportsmanship - is shown by publishing their ’enters over their own name, and not hiding behind a nom de plume.—l am, etc.. .H. M. Almn. Vice-president of Otago Pipers and r, j , . Dancers’ Association. Diinedm, April 29.