NOT LUKEWARM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26367, 23 January 1947, Page 6

NOT LUKEWARM

SOUTHLAND ATHLETIC OFFICIALS VISIT OF AMERICANS •OTAGO CENTRE CRITICISED Daily Times Special Service INVERCARGILL, Jan. 22. ' Strong objection to the comment by officials of the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association concerning Invercargill’s part in the visit of the American athletes was taken by Mr A. D. Rowse, president of the Southland Sub-centre, in an interview to-day. He claimed that Invercargill was anything but remiss in its efforts to conduct the fixture. The officials had worked hard, and when the Americans visited Invercargill early next month everything would be ready for a successful fixture. Otago was well aware of the arrangements, and the Southland Subcentre now awaited information from Otago about the competitors who would be sent from Dunedin to assist at the fixture. Mr Rowse said he strongly resented the imputation of lukewarmness against the Southland officials. “ I . would lika to ask the Otago Centre If there was any correspondence from it which had not been answered,” he said. “Also, has Otago answered all our correspondence, and what have the Otago officials'* done to encourage sport in Southland in the last few years? It should not be - overlooked that the Otago Centre covers Southland.” Mr Rowse produced a copy of a letter he had written to the Otago Centre. It stated, inter alia, “As president of the Southland Sub-centre. I desire to make the most emphatic protest against the statements attributed to members of the centre in respect to athletics ‘in Southland, especially the statement of Mr J. G. Barnes that the sub-centre seemed lukewarm. I quite realise that, through lack of executive officials. there has been a paucity of correspondence from Southland to Dunedin, but if Southland seems lukewarm, the Otago Centre seems completely dead to members of the Southland sub-centre. I have been in this district two years now, and I can honestly say that during the whole of that period, although the Otago Centre has been fully aware of the efforts of myself and others to revive athletics here, we have had no support whatever from Otago. On the contrary, it appears from various statements published in the newspapers jthat Otago is doing everything it can to block the revival of athletics in Southland. I can assure members of the Otago Centre that , there is no lukewarmness in the administration of the sport in Southland. On the other hand, there is definite coolness by members of the sub-centre towards the Otago Centre. I am given to understand that before the war the Otago Centre did considerable work and gave Southland athletes certain assistance, but since my arrival in Invercargill it appears to me that the Otago Centre has done nothing but try to block every move made in Southland.” Mr Rowse’s letter concluded: “ I have no wish to cause a disruption between Otago and Southland, but I am afraid the newspaper statements published this year concerning the administration of athletics in Southland have caused such dissatisfaction .among the members of my executive that I am expecting the bubble to burst at . any moment.” . •