"100 MILES FOR NOTHING"

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1929, Page 13

"100 MILES FOR NOTHING"

DELEGATES WITHOUT VOTES STORM AT WANGANUI MEETING. CONTROL OF ATHLETIC CENTRE. SUGGESTION TO FORM NEW BODY.

(By Wire —Special Reporter.) ■ Wanganui, Last Night. Dr. G. H. Thomson, representing the New Plymouth Harriers’ Club, took exception at the annual meeting of the Wanganui-Taranaki Athletic Centre meeting to-night to the chairman’s (Mr. L. Cohen) ruling that as the New Plymouth Harriers’ Club was not affiliated he could not take a place as a delegate. When the roll of delegates was being checked by the chairman, Mr. A. Gilliver, representing the recently-formed Stratford and Eltham clubs, was informed by the chairman that he could not be accepted as a delegate as the affiliation of the clubs had not been completed, and though the meeting would .be pleased to welcome him as a visitor, voting power on matters debated would not be permitted. Dr. Thomson was told the same. “But the application for the affiliation of the New Plymouth harriers was lodged nine months ago,” said Dr. Thomson. The chairman regretted the position had arisen, but as affiliation had not been completed he was sorry he could not regard either men as delegates. “And I have come over 100 miles for nothing,” said Dr, Thomson. “The position is absurd. My club is not at fault.”

The ■chairman repeated his regrets that the position had arisen, but said he was bound by the rules, and if voting powers were allowed clubs not affiliated the particular matter discussed would be placed out of order. He was pleased, however, to welcome personally the delegates to the meeting, and he hoped to hear their personal views on matters under discussion. Dr. Thomson: I object to your ruling! The chairman: But it seems I can do nothing. “I’ll take a scat at the back,” said Dr. Thomson.

“I have offered you every courtesy, doctor,” said the chairman, “and explained the position fully. You can take a scat anywhere in the room. If you co desire you may sit at the table with me.” “I’ll remain here, thank you,” said Dr. Thomson. ■ Subsequently, when he expressed an opinion held by his club, Dr. Thomson was called to order. The chairman intimated that Dr. Thomson could express his personal views when allegations were made that correspondence sent by the chib to the centre had not received attention.

Dr. Thomson expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation given by the chairman and said he would report accordingly to his club. “The centre is not concerned with what you report to your club,” said the chairman. Dr. Thomson; “I’ll report that apparently you don't care what happens to the club.” The chairman considered that “an intolerable threat,” and said that what Dr. Thomson reported was of no concern to the centre. “There are 36 active member's of my club, and I’ll go home and tell .them the centre is indifferent to their interests,” said Dr. Thomson. The chairman denied that he .had said that.

“You intimated as much,” said. Dr. Thomson. He had not meant to infer that the centre was indifferent, said the chairman, for he was very much concerned with the welfare of amateur sport and the centre’s one objective was to encourage amateur sport. Dr. Thomson said he felt he could get no satisfaction from the centre as previously constituted and would seriously consider forming a separate Taranaki Centre, Heated questions and equally heated answers were fired across the table until the chairman said sufficient latitude had been given Dr. Thomson in view of the latter’s lack of status at the meeting. He added that the matter would receive the incoming executive’s consideration.