SWIMMWRS AT VARIANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12777, 22 October 1919, Page 4

SWIMMWRS AT VARIANCE.

CENTRE AND COUNCIL, Ihe Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association met at the Y.A1.0.A, rooms last night, Mr Walter Johnson presiding over a fair attendance of delegates. The chairman read a copy of a lengthy circular letter which had been sent to all centres of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association explaining the whole of the, circumstances leading up to the action of the. New Zealand Council in suspending the centre. He also road replies (o the, letter from the Wellington, Napier, Neleou and 'Wanganui Centres. The M ellingten Centro replied staling that without going into the merits of the centre s case, it was of the opinion that the direction of the council should he -’oinplied with. The Napier Centre stated that it was unable to support Iho Canterbury Centre in the matter, the Nelson Centre expressed confidence in its delegate on the council and had decided to leave the matter to his own judgment, and the Wanganui Centre stated that it, was fully in accord with the action of the council in suspending the Canterbury Centre. The letter.? were received. j In. connection with the dispute between the centre ami the council, the chairman stated that five clubs had , gone behind the ecu(re’s back to the council a.nd had securer) reinstatement. Lie, considered this a most cowardly thing to do, as the clubs had previously been loyal to the centre, and one club in particular had acted in si very underhand way. At the. same time, although he believed the centre was absolutely right in the stand it had taken up, he thought a deputation should he. appointed to wait upon the council and endeavour to clear, up the position. He had, obtained the opinions of ten legal men regarding the dispute, and they fill st: ted that the council was in the wrong, but litigation was cosily, and in the interests of the swimmers an endeavour should be made to bring abonu a settlement. He wanted to protect the interests of the swimmers and not see Canterbury left out, of the New Zealand championships at Auckland next year. The trouble was that. .Air Bishop, the president, of the council, thought he was right, and he (ihe speaker) also thought lip was right, and neither in the past would give wav. He. had written privately to Air Bishop asking if lie would arrange an interview and lie had replied stating that a dyu tatiou from the centre would lie roce.ved by the council. J Air c/. ft'. T. Klrlridge said that the council had divided the. centre and was now dividing the. swimmers. The members oi the council had been wiping their boots on the'centre too long. Personally lie did not mind how the council him as long as it did not interfere with the swimmers. /Mr It. 11. Whceley urged that a settlement should be made at once in order that the .swimmers should not suffer. He thought that a deputation should be appointed to wait on the council straight away Air G. Rich said that, it would be tjie last meeting of the Canterbury Centro ho would attend for manv months, probably the bird, bo would ever attend. After the way the council had behaved he felt- that he could no longer remain .an official of swimming, but he would not climb down so long as the council held to its present attitude. Air C. Kent said that while he considered that the centre was absolutely right and had nothing to apologise to the council for, ho thought that a, deputation should be sent to the council in order to endeavour to bring about a settlement, as the present was hot the time for friction. The centre was in existence for tlur'furtherance of swimming, and its duty to the swimmers was to bring about a settlement of the matter*' in dispute. Air Wheelt\y moved that a deputetioii from the centre should wait upon the council in an endeavour to bring about a settlement. Air Rich said that if the deputation went along there would be a tree fight, Air Kent: Rather th on see a free fight I. think thV sooner this centre disbands the better, and leave it to the clubs tr- appoint new delegates. The chairman: AVe don't want that to happen, because it's on the cards that new South Island association will bo formed soon. Mr Rich ; Don't talk too loud. , Tim chairman: It’s an open secret, and it doesn’t matter who knows it. ■ Air 'Wheeley suggested that the deputation should consist of Messrs Johnson, Eldridge and Rich, hut Mr Rich said he would refuse to go. Air Kent’s uam?. was then added. After further discussion the following resolution was carried “ That ■..Messrs Johnston, Mills and Joyce, the centre's solicitors, he asked to advise the'council that, in terms of its letter of September 3, the centre is willing to send a, deputation, consisting of Messrs Johnson, Eldridge and Kent, to meet the council and discuss the matters iu dispute, at a. time to be arranged. • It -.was decided that the proposal to bold a swimming carnival on Show Night should heyabandoned. . / -— ——n •>.