WHEEL TALK.
(By ROVEB.) Thea-e is no mistaking the revival of interest that is being taken in the Pioneer Amateur Bicycle and. Athletic Club by its members, for there were over fifty present at its annual meeting last week. Of course, even this number is not really large, but it is greater than the attendance at any similar gathering in recent years. If the club carries into effect its recent resolutions with respect to cycle-racing, the meeting in question may be said to have inaugurated a , new era in the history of the club, in whack the traditions of the original Pioneer Bicycle Club are left behind,and the club continues as an athletic and social institution. This, of course, is extremely regrettable, but it must be remembered that the .condP tions ruling in regard to amateur sport of late years have been distinctly discouraging to sports promoters. I The action of the olub in practically ceasing its connection with cycle-racing is understamdable, but its decision to secede from the League, while professing to still continue in the sport, together with a veiled threat to endeavour to establish an opposition body, is, to say the least, peculiar. In regard to this aspect of the question, the mover of the secession motion appeared to recognise the injustice of his sell-imposed task, and his arguments were particularly lame and inconclusive. _ Briefly put, he claimed 1 (1) that cash ' cycle-racing was synonymous with " cronk" riding, and that therefore tJie club could not, with its amateur traditions, properly remain affiliated with the League ; ana (2) that the League had not catered for amateur riders as it should, as was shown by the small number who had taken our licenses. In regard to No. 1, it may bo stated that the ethics recognised by cash riders on the track are neither better nor worse than tiey were wj;en the Pioneer Club deemed it advisable to-joia the League, aud the saift-e things which are
now said against cash riders were said then. Moreover, f if this is to be urged against the League, the Pioneer representatives on the governing body, as the mover halfheartedly admitted, must share the blame. But to blame -the League for the weakness of human, nature is as ridiculous as it is unjust. All tliat a governing body can do is to frame such rules as can ..reasonably be enforced by stewards of- meetings. Upon their capabilities and strictness depends the conduct of a meeting. In any tease, it is hard to see how amateur racing is injured by faulty administration of cash riding. Still more unfair is No. 2 objection. Surely the mover and his supporters must recognise that the onus of catering for amateur riders rests, not with the governing body, but with the sports promoters in the various districts.. The League has made its rules extremely liberal, with a view to enoouraigmg amateur racing, and has from time to time impressed upon its .affiliated bodies -the desirableness of catering more freely for amateurs. More than this it could not do. Not so the Pioneer Club, which has met the reluctance of .Tidexs to take out amateur licenses by a half-hearted and quite inadequate method of encouragement. If this task had been faced with, tie same enthusiastic determination that has animated the club in attending to the social wants of its members, it is very improbable that the club would have now been bemoaning the semi-extinction of local amateurism. From every point of view it was unfortunate that the League's letter referring to the committee's proposals was not/before the meeting. The League secretary states that the letter was posted nearly at week before the Pioneer meeting,; and in proof thereof showed me the copy in his letterbook, but the club's secretary* stated at the meeting that h© hadi never received it. Under the circumstances the. members accepted ,the only version laid before them, and agreed to tfee motion with practically no discussion. The prospects of a new governing body for amateur cycling and of amateurism generally are involved in the present action of the Pioneer Club,; but pressure o : f space compels me to defer further reference until a, future issue. A private letter received in Christchurch states that Don Walker will arrive in Christchurcb early in the cycling season. E. Wall is making arrangements to race at all the principal meetings during the coming season. I fully expect to see him re-produce some of his old-time form, "as he is looking particularly well just now. The Cliristchunch Cycling- Club intends to hold a motor race at an early date. The course will in all probability be to Waddington and back, a distance of about seventyfive miles, and £10 is to be offered as "first prize. . •
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Bibliographic details
Star (Christchurch), Issue 7802, 5 September 1903, Page 6
Word Count
795WHEEL TALK. Star (Christchurch), Issue 7802, 5 September 1903, Page 6
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