HARRIERS CONFER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22368, 15 September 1934, Page 14

HARRIERS CONFER

MEETING OF DELEGATES PROVINCIAL REMITS DISCUSSED A conference of delegates from the various amateur athletic centres represented at the New Zealand Cross-country Championship, to be run at Wingatui to-day, was held in the R.S.A. Club rooms last evening. There were present Messrs Nicholson and Pinson (Auckland), Bourgeois and C. R. White (West Coast, North Island), A. Angus and T. Venn (Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay), C. Dawkins and A. L. Stevens (Wellington), E. A. Sayers and P. H. Howlands (Christchurch), C. W. Clark and B. R. M'Kernan (Otago), and L. A. Tracy (secretary of the conference). The secretary welcomed the deleg. :s to the conference and wished all the teams the best of luck in the forthcoming race. Mr C. W. Clark was appointed chairman, and it was decided to communicate .with the president of the Otago Centre (Mr E. L. Macassey) expressing the conference’s sympathy with him in his bereavement through the death of Sir John Roberts. AUCKLAND REMIT. The following remit was moved by Mr Pinson, of Auckland:—“That all harriers pay a separate harrier registration fee (similar to the present registration fee), this to go to a special overseas tour fund to be established by the New Zealand Council, and used for the sending away overseas of harriers and harrier teams.” Mr Pinson said- that the majority of the harriers had nothing to do with track racing, and yet had to find most of the money themselves for such a trip as the present one, as the centres would allow only a certain amount for the expenses of the teams. He thought that the difficulty could be overcome if the harriers paid Is 6d each into a fund to bo controlled by a harrier subcommittee. The motion was seconded bv Mr Nicholson. Mr Stevens said that Wellington was not sure of the exact meaning of the remit, which appeared to be rather ambiguous. His centre was not sure whether it was intended that harriers should pay an additional registration tee or whether the present fee should be kept separate. In his centre’s opinion the latter course was the more preferable. Messrs Venn and Hewlands also expressed themselves in favour of a separate harrier fund being created, and Mr Dawkins moved as an amendment to the Auckland remit:—“That to serve better the interests of harriers and harrier clubs and to help foster and promote crosscountry and distance running, harriers and harrier teams be sent from New Zealand at frequent and regular intervals to compete in other countries, and that in order to give effect to this new policy the council pay into a separate account, to be known as the Overseas lour Fund, the total registration fees paid by harriers since the cud of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association’s financial year m the 1931-1932 yiar, all future or similar tees required to be paid by harriers to be also paid into the above fund." The Auckland delegates agreed to witlidiaw their remit, and the Wellington amendment became the now remit. Mr M'Kernan said that the position boiled down to the fact that harriers were not satisfied with the treatment given them. The principal of the remit >vas right, but somf confusion might result from the fact that in Otago harriers also competed as track runners. _ Mr Sayers said that the principal feature of the remit was that harriers wanted to have a say in the expenditure of their registration fees. The remit was adopted. WEST COAST REMIT.

The following remit was moved by Mr Boui'geois (West Coast): —“ That it be a recommendation to the N.Z.A.A.A. that it endeavour to make arrangements with the Amateur Athletic Union of Australia to send a New Zealand_ crosscountry team to Australia in 1935, such team, if possible, to compete against several States as well as in the Australian championships. The team to consist of six men and a manager, if possible. The N.Z.A.A.A. to be asked to pay the cost of transport from New Zealand to Australia and return, while it endeavour to arrange with Australia that all transport and _ accommodation expenses in Australia be paid by the Australian body.” Mr Bourgeois said that it had been many years since harriers had been sent overseas, and he thought the time was ripe to send a team across to Australia. Such a step would undoubtedly be of great benefit to harrier racing in New Zealand. The motion was seconded by Mr C. R. White. * Messrs Venn and M'Kernan supported the remit, and Mr White said that the N.Z.A.A.A. was definitely in sympathy with harrier racing, and had watched its growth with considerable interest. . The remit was adopted. WELLINGTON REMITS.

Tim following Wellington remit was moved by Mr Stevens: —“That a recommendation bo made to the New Zealand Council, A.A.A., requesting the amending of the council’s rules to provide for the inclusion on the council of two harrier delegates—one from the North Island and one from the South Island.” Mr Stevens said that there was a growing dissatisfaction with the way in which harriers were being treated, and the remit, if carried, would indicate to the council that the position was one which they desired to rectify. The remit was adopted. Mr Dawkins moved—“ That the next Marathon Race be held in Wellington.” He said that the purpose of the remit was not actually to secure the race for Wellington, but to ensure that it was made an annual fixture. If any other centre desired to have the race, Wellington would not stand in its way. Mr MTvernan said that it was proposed to hold) a marathon race in Otago in November of next year. Mr Bourgeois reminded the conference that the West Coast had the New Zea. land Championships in Februai’y next, and it was desired to run the marathon in conjunction with the principal fixture. The remit was amended to provide that the next marathon be held under the control of the West Coast Centre, and was adopted. A third remit—“ That the next New Zealand Cross-country Championship be held in Wellington,” which was moved by Mr Stevens —was also carried. CANTERBURY REMIT. Considerable discussion was aroused by the following Canterbury remit, which was moved by Mr Hewlands, and seconded by Mr Sayers:— “That the harrier sub-commiltecs in the centres of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association take steps to separate the control of cross-country running from that body and form a New Zealand Cross-country Association.” Mr Hewlands said that it was obvious to cross-country runners throughout New Zealand that some revision of their present financial position was required. The harriers comprised practically half che total number of financial members of the various centres. As at present u great deal oj the affiliation fees went to the New Zealand Council, and if the council’s balance sheet were perused it would be seon that the amount the harriers got back was negligible. At a moderate estimate £3O was paid to the council by harriers in the year, but very little of it was returned. The time had come when harriers should conduct their own business, and have the administration of their own money. Mr Sayers said that finance was one of the bugbears of the barrier movement Up to the present they bad received very little benefit from the money they had paid in. and the time had now come when they should be allowed to control their own finances as well as their owrt sport. Mr Stevens supported the motion, and said that personally he was not in support of a move to break away from the N.Z.A.A.A., but he understood that his instructions were to support the remit. He would rather that a harrier association be formed and affiliated with the N.Z.A.A.A.

Mr Angus said that Hawke’s Bay was not in favour of the remit. His centre had a small membership of approximately 400, of whom only about 70 were harriers, so that it was impossible to form a harrier centre in Hawke’s Bay.

Mr MTvernan also opposed the remit, and said that in Otago the track runners and harriers harmonised well together. He thought that it would be a mistake

to break away from the New Zealand Association.

Messrs Bourgeois, Venn, and Nicholson also opposed the remit. Mr White said that the conference should be consistent in all things. However, in their first two remits they had solicited thc&assistauce of the New Zealand Association, and now they were seeking to break away from the parent body, which was quite inconsistent. If they took the step suggested by the remit under discussion they would lose prestige, and would run the risk of not being recognised by the Australian Athletic Association if a team were sent across the Tasman..

Mr Dawkins moved the following amendment to the remit: —That this remit be held over for 12 months and again brought forward for further consideration by delegates at the next annual conference.” The amendment was lost, and the original remit was also lost when put to the meeting. OTAGO REMIT.

The following Otago remit was moved by Mr M'Kernan: —“That clause 51, New Zealand Handbook, relating to registrations, be amended by the addition of a further proviso: ‘That the rule do not apply to harriers taking part in club runs only.'” Mr M'Kernan said that the remit referred especially to church harrier clubs which did not compete in any races and yet had to pay registration and capitation fees, which they found heavier than they could carry. All the speakers were in support of the remit, which was amended so that the rule should not apply to harriers taking part only in races controlled by the club and confined to its own members. The amended remit was carried. GENERAL.

On the motion of Mr Dawkins, it was decided to recommend to the Neiv Zealand Council that a ten miles road championship he established. .