NEW ZEALAND BOWLING ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 64

NE W ZEALAND BOWLING ASSOCIATION.

MEETING OF COUNCIL.

A meeting of- the council of the New Zealand Bowling Association was held "on the. Bth, there tein*f present the president (Mr W. C. " Allnutt), the vice-president (Mr J. T. Brown)-, Messrs W. Austin, J. M. Gallaway, W. Allan, A. E. Smith, W<Dal]/, and F. Smith, secretary pro tern.

THE SEOEEXABYSHIP.

The Chairman, speaking, as to what had been clone -bj the committee , appointed to report as to the appointment -of a secretary, said- the matter had been very carefully considered, .and^ to put it briefly,, they -had decided tp recommend that Mr Mathesoa should be' appointed acting-secretary at the rate- of - £35 a year, which would mean, practically £23 up to September, the time -to which the • appointment wqum extend., Messrs Austin and Allen expressed surprise at the president's statement, _as they Bid . not think any such conclusion had! _ been arrived »t. It was eventually resolved to advertise for applications.

TIKAKOIAL

The Acting-eeoretary stated that there " was a debit -balance of, £20 4s '3d in thacurrent account, against which.- there was ai fixed deposit of* £140. • ■ At this stage Mr Allnutt vacated the chair in favour of Mr Brown (vice-president).

THE PBESIDEJW. EESIGNS.

The Actin^r-eeeretary read a communication -which he had (eoeiyed from Mr. Allnut^ resigning his position of president of the • association. 0 _ Mr Allnutt saidthat in taking thiscouae he was suppressing all personal ambition, and was acting in the . interests of his successors. He aa a protest" against what he- considered the objectionable methods that had been t used since, ha , had taken office. . Everything that could bo done to -bring about harmony between x tha association and the centre he had done* Since their last meeting" his position ha J been a somewhat humiliating; one, and ha could not for the -life of him understand how they could get any man who poesessbdT any, manly' stamina at all to, take- the position of president of the association i£ that person was to be treated ac he (Mb Allnutt) had been treated. The chairman' of the centre had taken ~the. ' position of head of the tournament, although .fie knew - that that was contrary" to the wishes of tha big majority, of bowlers at^wbich the cenjret was formed; As .president of the association] he (Mr Allnutt) tad been-granted"permis-sion to preside at Indies' Day and'_to taket - the chair at the smoke conoef t. That con-cession-had not, however,- been accorded him as his right as 'president -.of* the- No wi Zealand Bowling Association, but had been granted by resolution. He assured them that the fact of Boslyn ■ Green not bavingt been selected for, Ladies* Day had had ria - weight at all with' him. in the course ha .was taking, although, as president of thet association, he certainly Lad a right to expect' that he would have been consulted! as to what green should have been selected-. He was also a member of the Tournament Committee,- and yet although the programme was now out he hadi only been* asked to attend one ueeting of that committee. It was a shabby reward to receiver after giving 20 /eara' service to bowling. In taking the position of president, in theu first place, what had weighed with him was the fact. that he was going to Australia thia season with a bow-ling team, and) m ai moment of- weakness he had agreed to he the president of the association so that -he might -hold that office when - visiting his native bind. • He would, . however, much rather go to Australia as a dignified, expresident than as a humiliated president?.. Ho -did not mind the chairman of tha" -wntra taking his place as . head of the tournament, but to never he asked to attetfo? a meeting of the. Tournament Committee and'- never to be - consulted as to where - Ladies' .Day wae, to bo held was more thani he could, tolerate, and he was sure that in the step -he had taken, he would' have' tba sympathy of. nearly every bowler- - Whilst he. was sorry to sev.er his connection with' the council,- he thought -it wopld Be^ tho means of hurrying up the nevt constitutiort so that matters governing bowling mj^hb be put on a better basis. • After about an hour and a-half s discussion in committee it waa resolved that 3fr, Mnutt be requested to- withdraw his resig\iation and state his decision to a meeting to be held on the evening- of Monday", tha 13th inst. r -Mr Allnutt agreeing; td notifjl the council of hie decisioiJTon that data.