The Control of Athletics

Southland Times, Issue 12121, 29 April 1908, Page 3

The Control of Athletics

(To the Editor.) Sir, —"Truth's" letter in this morning's issue is hardly worth a reply, except for its cool cheek and impudence, la the public of Invercargill so immoral as far as literary matter is concerned as to think that in a discussion like this all correspondence addressed to the Editor on the question emanates from either .Mr Woods or Mr Paape ? I leave it to you. Sir, and to your impartial readers to say whether my previous letter belied my nom de plume In his egotistical assuredness " Truth," referring to my letter, says " it requires little understanding to perceive what proportion of his remarks ar>- arrows from the quiver of his client." I must hasten to hurl this statement back Into the face of the one from whom it originated, and at the same time would advise him that if he persists in insulting the intelligence of correspondents then to make himself consistent he should prefix to his nom de plume the words " a perverter of the." I want to .say, Sir, that as far as my letters on this subject are concorned I know neither Jlr Woods «or Mr Paape. and 1 can assure your roadera that my opinions as expressed In my previous letter were the results of an open mind on the matter, without reference of any kind to either gentleman. Can "Truth," without forgetting the meaning of the word, say the same ? Also can he inform me how lie reconciles himself to the fact that " men of common sense and understanding . . . conduct themselves like idiots" (this is his own condemnation of those whose cause he has espoused.) With regard to the Winton C.S., it Is common knowledge that Messrs Wood and Mus3e:i,

f on tho one side, and Messrs Paape and )* Timpany, on itie other, were present before tho meeting to expound their views, with the result that the Judge. iW.c.s.), as it were, decided nem con (I understand the Latin) against th? latter pair. This was a haul knock, as also must have been the account of the M&taura Society's meeting. I cannot inform the public whether Mr Corcoran wrote the article for the ©tago Daily Times to which I referred in my last letter, but for the Hake of argument let us suppose he did Then surely lie did not also write the unbiassed and very fair criticisms which appeared In the N.Z. Mail, the Christchurch Press, and the Canterbury Times. The last-mentioned Journal summed the position up by stating that the arguments of the S.C.S. had been "knocked Into smithereens." Another hard knock. I submit. 1 would again emphatically assert that "the primary meetings of the local branch of the N.Z.A.U" have nothing whatever to do with the question at issue, and further it Is Indisputable that the said Union consists of the representatives of all the affiliated societies. Therefore, how "Truth" finds grounds for asserting that it Is a ease of the minority ruling the majority passes comprehension. As Mr Paape i- so quiet now re the already AUDITED (n.b., " Truth ") balance-sheet, and seeing that he has backed down, surely " Truth " will accept Mr Woods' challenge, and thus satisfy himself, and help the hospital fund to the extent of £5. Of course 1 take it that Mr Woods aas nothing whatever to do with the balance-sheet, but l suppose "Truth overlooked the fact that there was a secretary to the N.Z.A.U., Just as he has overlooked the real points at issue. —1 am, etc., IMPAIITIAL. 27th April.