INFORMATION DIVULGED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19805, 22 May 1934, Page 8

INFORMATION DIVULGED

COMPLAINT AT RUGBY MEETING BUSINESS SAID TO BE AFFECTED A complaint that the general public were informed of the way in which members voted at the weekly meetings of the Management Committee of the South Canterbury Rugby Union was made by Mr A. S. Aitken at a meeting of the committee last night. Mr Aitken said that that information should not go outside the committee. He knew of cases in which outsiders had known which way members had voted on certain matters. Mr A. B. Herdman: They should not be afraid of that. They should have the courage of their consciences. The chairman (Mr A. G. Knowles) agreed with Mr Aitken, and added that very often the business of the committee was discussed in the street before the meetings. The meeting was the place to do that. Mr Aitken said that it was question whether the Press should be admitted to the meetings or should be supplied with decisions later. It was pointed out that at the meetings of the Borough Council the Press reported which way the councillors voted and they did not seem to mind. Mr Aitken expressed the opinion that the Borough Council was different from the Rugby Union. The committee were a sporting body and it was very easy to make enemies over football. He also contended that if information regarding the voting was circulated the business of individual members would be prejudiced. Mr W. Cumming recalled the time when the Press were not allowed in to the meetings, all the business being taken in committee, and in those days things were done which should have been brought to the light of day. He had been one of the prime movers to have the Press readmitted to the committee’s meetings. He did not think anyone had suffered more criticism in the Press than he had during the recent controversy regarding the Permit Committee’s affairs. "If a man in a public position cannot stand criticism he should get out,” said Mr Cumming. Mr Aitken said that his only reason in bringing the matter up was to have it ventilated. If they were going to have the business in open meeting, then they should just go ahead, but he wanted to know whether the information was to be kept in or sent out. Mr S. H. Sullivan: It is just a gentleman’s agreement, isn’t it? Mr S. Williams: Well, I’ve never told anything. Who are you referring to? Mr Aitken: I have no one in my mind, now, at all. Mr Williams: You must have someone in your mind. Mr Herdman said that he agreed with Mr Aitken that the business should not be broadcast, but at the same time they should not be afraid of what they said. . The matter was allowed to drop.