MEETING OF OTAGO CENTRES

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 63

MEETING OF OTAGO CENTRES

CONFERENCE DECISION UPHELD, j The decision of the confereraoe of dele- J gates held at Christchurch on Saturday I v.-as the ou'stending feature at the ordinary iQoetini>- of the Olago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association hcid on Monday ni^ht, and attended • t>y Messrs J. B. (Jallan, jun, president; J. Ti. Wilson an.J L. Anderson, vice-presi-dents ; Messrs 6:.ott, Knight, Dreavsr, Hamann, Marriott R. G. Anderson, and W. Willett \hon. secretary). Mr A. A. Pa3pe (secretary of the Southland Centre), who was elected chairman -at tho recent conference, vas present by invitation. ' The <-r»ntPt-"nr-o was held to discuss what was aUejred Lv the Wellington Centre to ' have Li-en an irregularity in the selection of the members of the council of the asso- * ciation, the .head quarters of which have j been at Chrjstchureh. It had been the j •a-oeeDted formula for residents of that city t •Jo bo :io:nins*ed for the council, but prior ' to tUe ia^t claction th© Wellington Centre ! nominated coven residents of Wellington to constitute ihe council. The cluurman of the coui-cil ruled "this out of order, and the Wellington Council took action by appealing to the Amateur Athletic Union of | Australasia, with which it is affiliated. The J council declined to forward the appeal, j Hence the c-.tiference, at which the Otago ! Centre was represented by Messrs Wilson, j R. G. Anderson, and Willett. The. resolu- i tions parsed were : — " That, whereas no constitutional body controlling amateur athletics at present exists in New Zealand, and as such a body is imperative for the maintenance and furtherance- of the same, this conference of delegates, representing 3? clubs, foi thi\ ith prccieda to establish an eseoativo and adopt such other mea- £ tiros as may be deemed expedient for the welfare of 'tmuf-eur athletics in tins Dominion;' ai3o, "That, it having been unanimously affirmed by this conference of centre delegate* ihat no amateur athletic rowrninq: ho-i-.- exist?-, this conference, by '.•'iolv'Jo.:, h°i.'jv .ipv.o.'ii f3f 3 M«-Ai<s F. W. T.aikin, V foftVy, A. D^v.^,. A. ?:.-'•!■% aft J. Da v. son. F. Jlo-s, W. H. Pol ock, R. W M'Viily, awj Dr Newman, aii<! tho presidents of tLc affiliated centres, i-.n executive to hold office for a term no 4 excaeding 12 months, or until such timo ;.e ano!h«.T ccnfcience is hpld, to ect a~ a govn.iinff bo-.lr, and that the delec_ics present ■pledge tin. clubs affiliated ro the- c^ntrt-? tlipv /e^r-'sent to acknow]cJrre such ov-cu^ve »s the sole governing body exi=tu:n: in New Zealand." At the meeting last night Mr Anderson said that the Otago delegates had approached the matter with due Scottish caution The general feeling, he believed, Wets that there had been no other course open to them than to act as they had done. The chair had been ably filled, and tiio Wellington delegates had complimented them on the stand taken. Mr Wilson stated that at the conference the matter had been thoroughly threshed out, and the Wellington delegates had evidently considered their ground. As to local feeling, one of the leading men had said that "the athletes had not been in sympathy with the executive. Sbme went so far as to say that, it seemed to have been " got at," and he himself could not but think that a good deal of information was available, which did not get publicity. He thought that the step of eliciting a new executive body had been justified. >U Willett said that it bad been a case

I of Christehurcb against Wellington, Southland, and, possibly, Auckland. The council was self-elected, and "simply sat." The position had been very clearly put, and it had not been a case of, or an attempt at, secession as far as Wellington, was concerned. He supposed all they had to do was to support the new executive. Mr Paape said that they realised that ■the Southland Centre practically owed its existence to the Otago Centre. The Southland Centre always looked to the Otago Centre, and was to a great extent guided by it. It was to be regretted that this trouble had arisen, but it had been, forced upon the centres, some of whom had been practically disenfranchised. It seemed an absurdity in all the athletics in New Zealand to be governed by one man, who virtually did without rules, and wa3 : practically autocratic. Such a state of j things, if ;Uowed to continue, would have I meant a centre losing its best officers. There was no animosity whatever in the matter, and the delegates had all gone about it very canniiy. The new' executive would send on the protest to the Aubtraiasian Union, and then, if the Australasian Union upheld the appeal, every club in Canterbury _ would come in. If it was decided, on the other hand, that the centre had acted wrongly, doubtless the other centres would fall into. line. They must all work together. He felt so eiro^iglj that he would not be satisfied till he saw 1 every cash event wiped off the programme, but in order to do this they must be ! united, and hay» Canterbury with them. ■ Had the old state of affairs been permitted to continue amateurism would have received a set-back from which it would have taken years to recover. He was satisfied that the three centres had acted in the only possible way they could for the best interests of sport. Mr Hamann pointed out that the Otago Centre, was indebted to its delegates, who had gone to Christchurch at some inconvenience. He believed the centre had every reason to be satisfied with their action. They had been sent off with a free hand, and had not abused tbeir liberty. When the news came through that another executive was to be formed^ it had met with the approval of every member in Dunedin. Whatever the Australasian Union might decide, he was confident that the New Zealand centres would do what was right, This trouble had, been brewing for many years, and he believed that the action of the conference would prove to be to the benefit of athletics. A new body would lift amateurism to its proper placet A 6 to the championship, he felt sure that the Otago Centre would be pleased if it was decided to hold it at Gore. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Hamann — "That the Otago Centre endorse the action of the conference, and that a vote of thanks be accorded the delegates for th>9 manner in which they acquitted themselves." Mr Paape eaid t*at, as far as Timaru was concerned, th%y could not get a quorum. The same sort -of thing "prevailed about Canterbury, and something was wanted to bring about a revival. The Chairman, having expressed his approval of the delegates' action, said that the conduct of the conference- reflected great credit on the_ nine members constituting it. The action taken in setting up an. executive left a loophole of escape, and in the event of this executive not being received, it was still open to them to reconsider their position. They had not cut the- painter. They must, however, have no further communication with the council, and --be careful not to stultify themselves. There had been a time when headquarters hud reflected the feelings of all, but the management of affairs had. got into the glands of a ring of men who had gradually lost touch, and so there had been trouble. The Wellington nominees were fet present representative, but they must Bee that the Wellington headquarters were not a repetition of the Christchurch. The only fcltt-r native wa6 to have headquarters liablo to be shifted from city to city after a, term of years. ■ The logical outcome of the conference was that they did pot ih any way recognise the alleged council, but would in future do buainefes with the n«jw executive. It was derided, on the motion of Mr Ha.nami. " That the secretary circularise clubs asking them to make their payments to the ne\vly-con6tituted body, .and that the clubs recognise in all ways the executive 8* the governing body for tho timo being." In regard to the attitude of ihe late council concerning business already before it, it was considered that all such matters should be referred to the new executive for endorsement. Business of a routine nature having been transacted, the meeting closed. AUCKLAND'S ATTITUDE. AUCKLAND, December 7. The etatenipnts made at tire conference held in Chri»*th\ireh between tke Wellington, Otago, f.T'4 Southland Centres of the Net.' Zealand Amateur Athletic Association or. that the Auckland Centre was sympathetic to the movement fcr secession from the N.Z.A.A.A. is not substantiated here. Loading amateurs etate that they •do not favour the movement, and now that Hie rupture has actually occurred they will t-x-and by tho governing body. MARATHON* RACE. AUCKLAND, December 7. The committee which was appointed fo make preliminary arrangements for the New Zealand amateur Marathon racs decided to-night to hod! the race at the latter end of March, and to run the race fi'om Howie!: to Auckland, an approximate distance of 13 miles. The prize will be a silver laurel wreath of unique design and high value. Simultaneously with the Marathon race a sealed handicap will be . run for three additional prizes.