OTAGO CENTRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2883, 23 June 1909, Page 71

OTAGO CENTRE.

The usual monthly meeting of the Otasro Centre, A. A. A., held on Thursday night, was presided over by Mr J. B. Callan, president of the centre. C()KP.ESPONDEN"CE. The Acting Secretary of the N.Z.A.A.A. wrote conveying the association's thank-s to tho Otago Csnti© and to its secretary (Mr Willet) for tho manner in which they carried out the recent championship meeting. This council had no intention of sec-edin^ fiom the Australasian A.A.A. The matter would be again considered at the next meeting of the council.— Received. The Acting Secretary also wrote asking the centre's views with r-araird to the propc/sod visit of R. E. Walker, the South African athlete, and advising that a Ma.rathon race would be held in connection with the Aii'-r.ra.lasian championship meeting at Brisbane. — On the motion of Mr J. T. Hamann it was decided to reply et.ronely supporting the proposed visit of Walker. The Sprretary O.R.F.U -wrote advising that Mr H. Han-is had been appointed as its delegate in the deputation to wa.it upon the City Council regarding improvements to the North Girounid. — Received; the secrete rv statin-g that a reply had not yet been received from the Cricket Association. The Secretary of fhe South Canterbury Harriws wrote asking the date _of the Irter-club Championship, as ifc ivas intended to send a team down again this year. — It was decided to hold the In-fcer-club Championship on Aujrust 14, and to advise the writer and 1 other secretaries to this effect. A COMPLAIXT. A, letter to which 66 signatures were,, attached was received voicing 1 dissatisfaction among amateur athletics with regard to the trophies won by " them. "We feel' certain," a read, " tiiat when an wtk&'fo.

limited to one or two chops only we dfc. not get face value thereof, and it is with the object of rectifying this that thas protest has arisen." It was complained alsa that an excessive length of time was allowed to elapse before the trophies -were pres-anted. The signatories desired that all orders be made absolutely open.

Mr Hamann said he thought they would only be wasting time in considering the lett-eor. It looked as though the signatures had been forced, and as thoug-h someone w-ere at the bottom of the whole thing. As far as the D.A.A.C. was concexne.d no complaint of this kind had ever been received, and there was no^ possible chance of getting that club to give open orders. He would like to oppose strongly anything cf the kind. If a member had any complaint let him make i-t to his olub. and then if he did not get satisfaction he could appeal to the centre. He moved that the letter be received.

Mr W. J. Wilson said he thought U. could pick the author of the letter within-three-names, and went on to instance casa of the abuse of open orders.

It was pointed out that the letter contained no definite charge. Mr O. C. Mazengarb said he thoughfcrt was within- the province of the centre to bring the matter under the notice of clubs, and was going *on to refer to a etatemenii; made by a" ' member of the - D.A.A.C. when Mr Hamann protested. - Mr Mazengiarb then said that he knew of a rase . .in which a matter of £2 or £3 had "been owimjr ' for several years from a club to one of its wize-takers. He moved as a.n amendment that the clubs be written t.o drawing their attention to the rule relatinsr to payment of prizes. Tho motion lapsed for ' want of a eeconde>r. and it was 'decided simply to ' receive the letter. GEN-EBAL. It was c"i*cM?d .to «et up a committee • eonsisALriiTr of the president, the secrwtarv, and Messrs R. G. Andesr?on and'J. T. Komann to examine nronosed alterations in the rules of th© N.Z.A*A.A. and report to next jneebin.g- of the centre. A notice of motion was received from M.r H. Dn-e-'-s proposing^a scheme of el-ect- " in? a council of nine members from ths various -affUiafod cluhs to oh th« business of the e&ntre.— Tb<* Chairman" poinW out THiat such .& motion could he< considered only at a special meeting calledon the requisition of two clubs. , It was decided to forward .i letter o-f condolence t o Mr and Mrs Kempton on Ww^eaMi of fhph- -son. -who n-as a member of the St. Kilda Harriers.