ROWING FINANCES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23350, 16 November 1937, Page 7

ROWING FINANCES

EMPIRE GAMES TRIP PARENT BODY CRITICISED ADMINISTRATION OF FUNDS Members of the executive of the Otago Rowing Association at a meeting lasi evening criticised strongly the polic„ adopted by the New Zealand Association toward the financing of the visit to the Empire Games at Sydney of New Zealand crews. The New Zealand body had asked all associations to make guarantees, but it'was considered that the trip should be financed out of its funds and that the provincial bodies, which were not in a position to find more money, should not be saddled with this additional responsibility. After a lengthy discussion, it was decided to ask that a special meeting of delegates to the New Zealand Association should be called to consider the question of the investment of the association’s funds. It was also decided to ask for further consideration of the date and venue of the New Zealand Interprovincial Eightoared Championship. The meeting was attended by Messrs S. G. Styche (chairman), J. Hurrell, E. V. Fairbairn, J. Turnbull. J. P. Vallis, E. W. Pickford, W. B. Robinson, W. J. Wilson, T. F. Mackie, T. Porter, and L. E. Pithie. Mr H. Patton, the association’s resident delegate to the annual conference of the New Zealand Association, forwarded a report of the deliberations of the conference. It was supplemented by Mr Wilson, the association’s direct representative, and the two reports prompted a full discussion on various decisions of the conference. Objection was made to the decision to hold the Interprovincial Eight-oared Championship at Wanganui immediately following the championship regatta. This, together with the powers of the council of the association and its financial policy, provoked a very full discussion, which later merged into consideration of a telegram from the secretary of the New Zealand Association asking what amount Otago could guarantee toward the cost of sending crews to the Empire Games at Sydney. Mr Wilson reported that Otago, Canterbury, and Southland were the only associations that had not made guarantees. The method of allocating the money expected from the individual associations appeared to be on the basis of £25 for each representative in the New Zealand rowihg team, Mr Vallis said. Otago had two representatives and would be expected to find £SO. A member: Doesn’t that mean that the small associations have very little prospect of ever having representatives in New Zealand crews? They will have to find the money before they can expect to have men selected. After further discussion, a motion was moved that the New Zealand body should be advised that Otago could make no contribution beyond the proceeds of the sale of art union tickets. This was opposed by Mr Mackie, who said that it was often possible to raise money as the result of donations by men interested in the sport. He would prefer to see an attempt made along those lines rather than risk losing the trip to the Games for the two Otago members of the crew. His personal objection was not to making a donation taut to making a donation that he thought unnecessary. The motion was withdrawn and it was decided to request the Dunedin newspapers to open subscription lists and to advise the New Zealand Association accordingly. PARENT BODY’S RESPONSIBILITY Mr Vallis then moved that the association obtain the support of another association and ask that a special meeting of delegates to the New Zealand body should be held for the purpose of rescinding the motion governing the investment of its funds, so as to allow a sufficient amount to be released to meet the balance of the expense of sending the crews to Australia, and also to rescind the decision of the annual conference concerning the date and vfenue of the interprovincial eight-oared championship. It seemed that the selection of the New Zealand eight was made more with a view to including representatives of as many districts as possible rather than to obtain the best combination, Mr Vallis said. That was entirely a wrong principle. The best team should be chosen, even if every member belonged to the same district. It was the New Zealand Association s responsibility to finance overseas trips. It was contended that if £SOO of the money in question, £IBOO, were released for this trip and perhaps another £SOO in two years for a trip to the Olympic Games, the fund would not last very long. Mr Fairbairn and Mr Mackie supoorted Mr Vallis’s contention, saying that the New Zealand body appeared to be saving too much for the future and not doing its duty to rowers of the present day. “If this £IBOO cannot be touched to send a crew to Sydney," Mr Mackie said, “ the only means of ever sending crews abroad will be by the efforts of the provincial associations.” A member pointed out that the £ 1800 was apparently well invested. Interest amounting to £IOO was being made availab’e toward the cost of the Sydney trip. That £IBOO was earning good money, and it might not be wise to break into it. The motion was seconded by Mr Mackie and carried. Fostering Eight-oared Racing . It was decided to lend an eight-oared boat to the Southland Association for a short period early in December, ihe Southland Executive asked for the loan of a boat so that it could conduct an eight-oared club event to assist ns finances. Following a later discussion on tightoared rowing, a sub-committee was apnointed to devise a scheme of promoting junior interclub eight-oared competition. The Oamaru Boating Club advised that it was holding a regatta and gala in co-operation with the Friendly Bay Society on December 4, and asked the association for its support. It was reported that there would bfe a good representation of Otago clubs, and it was decided to suggest that provision be made in the programme for senior events, including a single sculls class