N.Z.A.A.A. OTAGO CENTRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 60

N. Z.A.A.A. OTAGO CENTRE.

ANNUAL MEETING. I The :rmuii! meeting of thp Ofdcro Centre ' of tli« New Zealand Amateur Athielic As- - -c lnr ion wa- hold on Tu<si'i\ <Montiitf in ti.« ofik-^ of Mr J. 1' Hamann. Mr J R C'jlifin. jup , tho r^tiriMtr ple^l(lfnt, orcu1 ltd tlio ch<i:r. Thci o \.a^ a fair a ( t2nda'i'O of (icloyaf-e*. Thp -ew^ith annual rcnort nc"-rntod was ft- f'lllj.VO — ''Tli3 \ear openfd with a credit balance of £16 I3s 3d. and clo-°rl wit'i a credit ot £S5 7= lOd. Tli]s nm=t be- con^ideied >kuili.nllj bati-jfactory in ic-w of the extiu oxjionditure incurred di-nng tho jaar. 'I he numb?!- of club<- afTihatfcl rr> the centre rc;.iain- at 19. .Some of tho affiliated club? arc not in Ut pio.-tperous a condition as cc uld be- desired, and e\ cry effort should be made by their delegates to revive them. The Ijlter-Clllfr fro^S-oountry Championship was again well supported, 10 teams taking j>art in the race, which was won by the 1 Dunedin Harriers. Mr J. Beatson, of the Caversbam Club, had the- honour of being

tiist man home. A pleasing feature of tha race was the presence of a team represent'

fiist man home. A pleasing feature of tha race was the presence of a team represent' ing- the Timaru Harriers. The New Zea- ; land Cross-country Championship, having b^en resuscitated by the council of tha ] N.Z.A.A.A., we.s held at Timaru, under ! the management of the Timaru Harrier Club. A team salected from our affiliated ! clubs was sent to represent Otago, and acquitted themselves with merit, winning ( tho event with a large margin of pointf Ito spare. Owing to informalities in -th< election of the ; ncoming New Zeaiana j Council at Chrisichurch, we found our< • selves in the position of having no govern* '■ ing body to control amateur athletics in the Dominion. A temporary executive, witlj , headquarters at Wellington, was set up, and ; held office until March 20, when it resigned | to males way for a properly constituted council. Two very important conferences were held this season— the first in Christj church, in November, 1908. the second afc , Dunedin, on March 20. 1909. The first was ne:t s sitatpd by th> illeegal rejection of, nominations for councillors for the 1908-09 ! season by ihs chairman of the late council ■ m v. hiistchurch. Messrs J. R. Wilson R U. Andarson. end W WiUett represented v-ie centre afc this conference, tho upshot oi which was tho appointment of a temporary executive in Wellington pending fcha ( e.ection of a now council. Tho second conferenco ft as undoubtedly the most important h?.d in the higtory ol amateur athletics {:n the Dominion. Otago w : as ably* repre^ j sentod by Messrs J. B. Callan, jun., J. T. 1 Hsmann, and- R. G. Anderaon, while VV ' ; WiLett acted as eeoetary to the confert er.ee. Owing principally to the tact of the ; chairmai of the cor,feienc3 (Mr Callan . jun.), what looked lik3ly to prove an abortive conference was brought to a happy I conclusion, pragnan' with results. Both the executive in Wellington and the council in (_ hris.ohurch v.ere called upon to ' v v S ? , f^thwith, and amendments t<i A./iA.A.A. rules u-ci-o inad-s so that a fresh, j election could be held and a future fiasco of a s.nular nature averted. The executive of your centre was appointed to act as tha council in the interim, and to rxsive nomii nations for the n;w covr.cil, who finally, ! took office on April 20, 1809. with headquarters at Wellington. The New Zealand championship mca'.ing was held at Dunsdin. Owing- to the dual claimants for the control of arhbtics in thr> Do-iiinion, it was intended by tha Chriotchurch Council to also ho.d a thuinptor.ship meeting at Christchurch on th.* same day. i^argelv to tha influence of Mr F. L Mui.-ay ahd other promir?nt aiilelcs in Chiistchurch, Canter- • bury Ccntro finally decidsd to compete- afc Djn«Kn. The mec-ting held in Dunedin on Ilarch 20 was considered the finxt amateur t-porrs held here. The shield was won by: Cantoibiuy, with Wellington pecond an<J Otasro third. The profits from tha meeting 1 totalled the rr-pjctiblo sun oT £52 11? lid] ' half of which i- rjlair.ed by your centre* ! With a \ ie\.' to augmenting the funds o( , Ihe centre a carnival (the fdsa of ho!din| which \-as fir I rugged hy the lat? Mi L?ng, vic?-p.-csident ol the cenLra) was hekj during •vintoT sliovv- wa-ok. Tho cnrnivalj ! pon«aering the hrrontable lack of interest ta!c3ii in ii" by many a'.hletes, was fairly succrf-tul finaiv ally, ard tho piofit of 5150 2: lOd w\as <li\.<lMl — -he c?ntra taking half^ Ihe reii'ait.do/ boing Lli\idc'd among tno olu'os jiai'tic "_)ai'.i« i'-i t'tir c-arniva!. A v/or<fi of rhaii xs is rh-e to th-* setvetaiy (Iv{!r J. T. | Hairannl, alv Yce\ Smith, and se\erat ir.'.nbsio of Ji~- cent -e for i.!r> amount of? gcod wor 1 - done. Olago v. as represented in Uie y.t'w Z-alrnd tea n ft th 3 Auntralasian clia.upiotuaii * Ijv MeoSi-3 Kecklsll andf Th- o ip ;i-s of Mr M'Knight iwho hat' no' b?on -^'ccted for the New ucaland to- in) u-jte r;(i-ed b> subscription! ■ fio.n (Jt"i;o atiiletc=. Ho L h men acquitted Ihen c clv..- \. ith ciedit to the proviroa, Mr Kcdilell wi^iiKg th? 120 ai'tl 4^o Yards Hiux.lle-5 and a! -o obtaining . econd in th/" Broad Juiiri. in v '""v o. the fact that th« Torm at pie-eni* disphiy->d by our athbtel i» pot up to Xew Zealand championship standard, the id;,i of ob iiining a ooach, ■p^peci: 11> for the '">iago --earn selected fotf ! ths N»w Zealand championships at AuckI land noxt >ear, ii woithy of the serious tor.riiipratioij of \our centte. It is with MncMe rcg -ot w.- ha\e to chronicle tha death of Mr I..unr. \ ice-president of the ceirr 1 ?. Mr Laii*^ alwajs took a \ery keem illl'TP-^t in amatPiw fltl'le k<=. Ou-injj to th« apathetic attitude a'.!opl?d by the SChooli tcdch°ri towai<l= tl'.e .-choo!*;' championship mce'.ing. tho ceuti^ \.aa unabL' to hokl the ch^mpioii'lup m-ceting last year, and ii* finjl alijii<!o.ii(if'nt seems certain uule<-> i!.e t'.MCi!'i~ c:m ho galvanised into taking a keener interest in the meeting. It is the intention of your centre to be repiy'=«>nte(l by a strong combination at th© | ~Sqv: Zealand championships to be held in 1 Auckland carlv i"\\t year. For this pur- ! po>e we thi-i \ear propose to hold an Otago championship meeting, the profits from I which will be u--l in defraying the ex- ! pense« of th? tour. The thanks of tha centre ive due to Mr A. (4. Mehille (hon. auditor), a!so to Mr \V. M'DonaW (handiCaper and * staiter), and to M<?SSI\S A. Marnatt and W. H. Pollock (the centre's ' <lelegat^«< to the council of the N.Z.A.A.A.) for so ably attending to the interest of th« (Jtago Centre ai:d amateur athletics gen©- ' rally. ; The »epcrt and balance sheet were unarm luusly adopted. Gratification was cxi pressed at tl>e satisfactory nature of the ciedit baLiiro. this being ths best in tha history of the centr-e The election of office-bearers resulted a! follows: — Prc.«idpnt. Mr I/. Sanderson; -\ ice-pre-rlent5 — Me--sr-> J B. Callan, jun, J< T Hamann. J. It. Wilson, and L. Anderson ; hon. -ecretarv treosur-sr, Mr W. ; Willett (r--e!ect"cl) ; lon auditor, Mr A G. i Mslvilio (re-f-lcct-oci; ; lion, handicapper, Mf ! W M Dunn Id (re-c-lerted) ; starter, Mr W. j Hudkin, ilr-lr^atos to the N Z.A.A.A.— ' Jlh'.ni A. MariNdti and W. 11. Pollock. I Mr Calian (lion \ seated t!ic chair in. . fa\our of Mr Far.der=oi:, the new president. Accoidiii^ t > nonce of motion, Mr Mm iay ino\ed that that portion of Rulo 15, section I>. lQtiu'ring a registration fee of 2s be deleted. He said there were a i large number of young men in tho harrier : clubs to nliom tin's foe operated as art ' ob.=tac-l» to their entering for certain races. I After di=<?ussion, it was decided that the whole of Rule 15 be deleted. The position, theiefore, is that no registration fee .or licenbo is r.eeoiiary for amateur runners in ; Otago. The entry form itself is to provide the guarante."* of a man's amateur status. It was decided to recognise* the services of the secretary (Mr W. Willett) by presenting to him plate to the value of £5 ss. • A hearty vote of thanks was also a<j« S I

corded Ihe retiring president (Mr J. B. Callan, jun.), for the valuable services rendered by I'iin, particularly in regard to his work at the special conferences held during the year in connection with the athletic trouble. The other office-bearers ■were also thanked. THE THOPHT QUESTION. 3y special permission a number of letters were read from various clubs giving opinions upon the open order question, in response to a circular from the centre, ffhey were '' received." Mr Divers then advocated tho establishment of a " compulsory order form," not an " open order " form, in accordance with Rule 39 of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. He would move that each club be supplied with the official form which was to be recommended for use generally. Ma- H. Murray seconded the motion, as it would prevent abuse. Mr J> Y. Love said if Mr Divers had cone to this conclusion six months ago all the tiouble about this matter would have been saved. He (Mr Divers) had been going straight for the open-order ■business. The speaker thought the method taken to achieve the end had been very unbusinesslike and round-about. Mr Mazengarb also spoke. Mr Hamann pointed out that the Otago Centre had no jurisdiction .-in the matter at all ; it was a caee for the New Zealand Association. Clubs need not adopt the form if it was sent round. .The clubs oould simply abide by the New Zealand Association rule*. Mr Callan supported the motion, which he thought a very excellent one. It was true they had n» authority to dictate, but it might be an advantage to some secretaries to have the proper procedure pointed out to them, as .»would be done by the distribution of the proposed form. Tho motion was carried unanimously. The proposal provides simply A hat clubs bo recommended to grivo orders for trophies to winners on a certain form, • which embodies the rule of the New Zealand Association, and is distinct from an fopen-order, as to which tho question reNiains unaltered.