AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18264, 6 December 1933, Page 12

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

(To tlie Editor of tlie Herald.) Sir,—ln your issue of last evening mention is made of the fact that I dissented from tlie action of the local Amateur Athletic Club in gianting a permit to the Te Baraka Sports Club to hold amateur events at their New Year sports. May I point out that in adopting this attitude it was not, because of any personal animus towards tin country body, hut solely in the interests of my own club. Last New Year the G.A.A. and O.C. staged a highly entertaining sports meeting, and with the inclusion of revenue from the dance which was held in conjunction with the meeting, a small profit was made on the day. It is the exception rather than the rule for a sports meeting to turn out a financial success, and yet the club’s executive had no qualms about scrapping a scheme which was financially successful at its very inauguration.

A tremendous amount of preliminary groundwork was carried out by last year’s executive in connection with their first New Year sports meeting, and I could not possibly stand by and see the fruits of tlint labor lightly pushed aside without recording a very strong protest. May I conclude by again assuring the Te Karaka bodv that my only reason for dissenting in this matter was the interests of my own club as they appeal to me.—Yours, etc., J. E. MERCER.