THE AMATEUR STATUS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3804, 8 February 1927, Page 11

THE AMATEUR STATUS.

PROVISION OF TROPHIES. RULES TO BE ENFORCED. PALMERSTON N., February 3. The rules of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association provide that all trophies offered to the winners at sports meetings held under its auspices must be of a strictly engravable nature. Although this fact is well known to and the rule observed by affiliated amateur clubs, outside them there appears to be an impression that as long as actual cash is not given the amateur does not forfeit his status. This matter formed the subject of some discussion at a meeting of the Manawatu Amateur Athletic Subcentre, being raised by a letter from the president (Mr W. T. Eyre, of Dannevirke), who reported that at a recent S a J a . held by the Dannevirke Band permission for running amateur events having been given by the sub-centre, the rule had net been observed, the sports committee having given prizes of all descriptions, some of which were far from engravable.

Speaking in this connection, Mr B J E 1 OS , S i ter ( the delegate of the Dannevirke Club) stated that the members of his body who had competed at the sports meeting mentioned and had been successful had been put in a very peculiar position. One man had been placed in three events and on going to receive his trophies he had found that he had to make a the shopkeepers of Dannevirke, 13 of whom he had to collect something from. At the finish®he had the following articles: two pot plants, one cake dish, a razor, two shirts, a singlet, a torch, two pairs ladies’ silk stockings, a cake of soap, a tube of tooth paste, fruit salts, embrocation, a fountain i en, an earthenware salad bowl, and a picture. Other trophies, it was reported, included an order on a butcher, the successful competitor having to take out the value of the trophy in meat. Another winner found himself provided with 10s 6d worth oi afternoon teas, while others found themselves with orders on boot, fancy goods, and sweet shops and a firm of ladies’ suppliers. A strong discussion followed, the upshot being-a decision not to grant the particular organisation responsible a permit for running amateur events unlessit undertook that the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association rules would be observed in their entirety.