ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1931, Page 3

ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

CONTROL OF DOMINION SPORT UNION ELECTS NEW OFFICERS. ALTERATIONS TO THE RULES. The annual Dominion conference of delegates of the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union was hied at Stratford last night, the president of the union, Mr. J. Collingwood (Wanganui) presiding over the following delegates: Messrs. J. T. Qualter (Southland), J. D. Forbes, J. Newlands and R. B. Meek (Otago), H. H. Fraser (South Canterbury), W. J. Walter and P, C. Lucas (North Canterbury), G. E. Perkins (West Coast), A. J. Fisher (Marlborough-Nelson), and J. A. Hansen (Manaia), S. George (New Plymouth) and T. Kirkwood. Members of Taranaki clubs were also present but had no voting, powers. ' In extending a welcome to the delegates the Mayor, Mr. P. Thomson, said that this was the first time that the conference had been held in Stratford. The community in thp town was very keen oh sport and had representatives in all branches of athletics. Sometimes the pursuit of sport was looked on as the chief aim in life but he thought it shquld be used as a .means to an end — to fit its followers for the battle of life and to instil a feeling of comradeship. He was glad, to see that the delegates would be taken around the mountain and hoped a visit would be paid to one of the. mountain houses and to. the playing areas in Stratford. On behalf of the Taranaki centre Mr. T. Kirkwood also extended a welcome. While responding Mr. Collingwood remarked that for years the older men had been holding the executive positions in the union. He would like to see some younger men come forward with new ideas to further the objects of sport. The president submitted a report on the year as follows: “The year has been a trying one and it has. been found difficult for a number of clubs to carry on. The number of clubs affiliated has fallen slightly but registrations of competitors show an increase on the-previous year. A pleasing feature is that we have been able to collect £l7 7s of defaulters’ fees on behalf of clubs. “The matter of cycling control as discussed at ,the conference was taken up with the New Zealand. Amateur Athletic Association. Not being able to attend myself I asked the secretary to arrange for our representatives, Messrs. Walter, Coffey, Lucas and Kennedy. These men met Messrs. Austad, Taylor, Beattie and Grose of the 'amateur body in conference at Christchurch, with the following result: (1) That the .New Zealand Amateur Athletic. Association and the New Zealand Athletic, Cycling and Axemen’s Union set up a board of control to govern cycling in New Zealand; (2) that both bodies make joint application on behalf of the board for direct affiliation of the. New Zealand Cycling Board of Control to the Union Cycle Internationale; (3) that headquarters of the Board of Control be in Christchurch; (4) that the actual administration of cash cycling arid amateur cycling be left in the hands of the bodies controlling it at present—• the New Zealand Athletic, Cycling and Axemen’s Union and the N.Z.A.A.A. respectively. CONSTITUTION APPROVED. “Since that conference the draft constitution has been approved by both bodies concerned, and the following members appointed—New Zealand Athletic, Cycling .and Axemen’s Union, Messrs. J. Kennedy (chairman), W. J. Walter, J. M. Ccdfey; N.Z.A.A.A., Messrs. C. H. Taylor and T. A. Grose.’ The Northern Athletic Union, with whom we have an agreenient, is supporting the Board, of Control as - against the New Zealand Union of Cyclists. “Our finances are quite healthy,' the credit balance being- £2Ol 3s 3d. ( All centres have furnished their returns. “It is with regret I have to refer to the death of the veteran sportsman A. A. George. Mr. George was for many years associated with the Hawke’s Bay Centre and a vice-president of the union. “The union started the year with a credit balance of £23B' 0s 4d. Receipts aifiounted to' £199 13s 8d and expenditure .to £236 10s 3d, leaving a credit balance of £2Ol 3s 9d.” The season’s returns showed the number of clubs affiliated to be 149, the season’s registrations 1019 and the day registrations 1152. ' : ; The Marlborough and Nelson centre submitted the following remits. —Rule 74: At the end of the rule add the following words: “Any competitor wrongfully obtaining any prize money, or refusing to hand over to any club any prize or prizes wrongfully won by him, shall be disqualified for any term by any club connected with same.” Rule 7, page 17:' Strike out the words “appointed and” after the word “be’ in the first line. Add the following words at the end of the rule: “AU handicaps must be submitted to the sports body for approval and endorsed by them before being published.” In moving the adoption of the first remit Mr. Fisher stated that a case had come under th > notice/ of the centre where a competitor at Kaikoura sent in false performances and after that fact had been discovered the competitor had refused to return his trophies and prizes, which had been distributed in the meantime. The centre therefore desired that the rule be enlarged to deal with such cases. 1 COULD SUE FOR RECOVERY. ■ Afr Meek said the union was an incorporated body and could sue for the recovery of trophies obtained through misrepresentation. The president said the present rule and the fact that the union was incorporated dispensed of the need for the remit. . > ' ' w . Mr. Fisher accepted the presidents ruling, provided it was recorded in the minutes, and no further action was taken. Mr. Forbes thought it was ridiculous that the clubs should be given an opportunity to criticise the work of handicappers. Similar opinions were expressed by other delegates, including the president. It yas generally considered that the inclusion' of the remit in the rules would make handicappers’ work very difficult and unwieldy. The remit was lost. The Taranaki Centre forwarded remits to amend the rules as follow.—-Rule 17: “Cyclists when entering must send in the last 12 open performances, road or track; sweepstake races to be included, if not sufficient open performances. When nominating for a road race, road performances must be sent in; for track events, track performances must be sent in.” Chopping events: “Any competitor or attendant found interfering with Officials have given consent, shall be disqualified for that event.” Regarding the first remit Mr. Hansen said he had no knowledge of the remit or of what was in the mind of the person who drafted it. He moved it pro forma. Mr. George thought the idea was to include sweepstake races in the list of performances put in. These were held by some clubs every week or so and wc o merely sweepstakes. Mr? Hansen said it had been regarded

as unnecessary to include sweepstakes and they had not been taken. That was the ruling they had accepted, but he thought it was .-wrong. The chairman . thought these events were only club events and that no notice should be taken of them. Mr. Forbes also considered t&at tho results of these club contests held for boys and young fellows should not count in handicapping open competitions. Mr. Meek eaid he. favoured not putting in purely club Sweepstakes. He thought that if they did not think these performances would be put up against them competitors would hold more of them and so keep fit for the open competitions. If it were an open < competition sweepstake it would count, but not otherwise. Mr. A. Melville, secretary of the T-.ranaki Centre, endorsed what ; Mr. Meek had .said regarding club sweepstakes. It would kill the sport if these were counted, he said. Mr. Walter explained the system of handicapping, adopted in Canterbury whereby local clubs, who know the com- , ‘ {etitors, handicapped for the big races, t was the understanding that competitors -would not be penalised for their own club runs. An amendment was moved by Mr. Meek to the effect that the words “in open competition” he inserted .in the present rule. Mr. Hansen said that many clubs held a series of road races and nothing definite was known regarding the results. He handicapped the riders as maiden riders and when the .handicaps -were made known they were laughed at and competitors refused to ride under them. It was impossible to follow all . these races and it was difficult to handicap on them. Mr. George stated that the handicaps and results of every club race held for years had been published in the Daily News. J Mr. Meek withdrew his amendment. GIVING OF PERFORMANCES. Mr. Hansen suggested that rule D, page 36, reading, “competitors must . give performances in the last twelve races in which they have competed” be amended by adding the words “road or \ track, and if there were not sufficient open performances, club sweepstakes to be included.” This amendment was considered to, meet the case and was carried in lieu, of the original motion. Mr. Kirkwood said that after an. event competitors and [ others were in the habit bf giving the head of the block a blow with an axe, the result bein<r that in the event of a controversy over the blocks the evidence was destroyed. ' Mr. Hansen said there was no rule that could be- amended and the remit would have to be included as a new rule. The remit was adopted without discussion. .' , ’ ’ j An amendment to rule 45 relative’to starting W-S advocated by the Otago Centre to the effect that tne wordsV’or - whistle” be deleted. Mr. Forbes moved to this effect. It was considered that the whistle was not always heard and was apt to cause confusion it! halting false starts. He /thought' it' better to carry on with the gun in such cases. The remit was carried. The fact that some handicappers’ decisions had given dissatisfaction was the reason for the second remit, said Mr. Ficher, and it was thought that if the club concerned in each case could approve of the handicaps much trouble would be avoided. Mr. Lucas, moving a remit on behalf of North Canterbury, said it was difficult at times to collect entry fees if -did not turn up. He said it was desired : to amend rule 25to read as follows: “Where one feb, only is charged anti, the nomination and acceptance are not asked for, the club may handicap any entrant who does not forward his entrance fee. Such, sports clubs shall have the right of recovering same and if the ‘fee is not paid tlic defaulter shall be placed on the defaulters’ list.” The remit, was carried. Mr. Meek, said he wished to move a resolution, of which notice of motion h-been given, concerning an amendment passed last year to rule 45. This stated that there should be no penalty for a false start when there /was a second barrel. / ~ The mover pointed out how this could be abused and that as there was no penalty a man could k’eep on beating . the pistol in th? hope of getting off before the actual start. As this, action, was no offence nq-penalty could be imposed. - ’ It was resolved to rescind last year’s amendment and revert to the old rule. To rule 17, after the words “amateur performances,” the phrase “in opep competition” was added. . - 1 1 CHOPPING RE-HANDICAPS. Mr. Perkins brought forward a coin* plaint from a competitor at chops at Havelock, that he had been re-handi-capped for a, final of a second chop after he had started off a different, marl* in his heat. The competitor won both, heats ,on the first day, the finals being held on the second day, and after he had won the first chop he was re-handi-capped for the final of the second.. The speaker considered that a man- should start off the same mark in the final as in the heat and he desired a ruling on tne matter. 1 ■_ ’■' Other members supported this con--tention. / . Mr. Forbes asked if the use of start- . ing blocks could be permitted in a race. T& blocks were an American idea but even in America records made by athletes using the blocks were not recognised. _ , The conference did not favour .the use of such blocks. After hearing an explanation by- Mr. Qualter, J. T. Skerrett’s pame was removed from the defaulters’ list. Officers elected were; President, Mr. R. B. Meek (Oamaru); vice-presidents, Messrs. W. J. Walter (Christchurch), S. A. Hansen (Manaia), H. H. Fraser (Timaru); committee, Messrs. J. Collingwood (Wanganui), C. Church (Gisborne). G. E. perkins (Greymouth), A. J. Fisher (Blenheim), J. D. Forbes (Oamaru), W. J. Worthington (Kaikohe), J. T. Qualter (Pyramid); eeeraYarv, Mr. J. Kennedy (Geraldine); aud-; itor, Mr. J. B. Stewart (Geraldine). The question whether a conference should be held next year will be left' to the executive to decide. This motion was passed as the result of a suggestion by Mr. H. H. Fraser that it might be advisable to avoid the cost of a conference next year. Should one be held it will be held under the auspices of the Otago Centre. To-day the delegates will be taken for a motor tour around Mt. Egmont, while , a smoke concert will be. held in Stratford to-night.