HOCKEY CHIEFS RESIGN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17879, 22 June 1926, Page 1

HOCKEY CHIEFS RESIGN.

AUCKLAND ROW DIVIDES CLUBS. PRESIDENT AND THREE VICE-PRESIDENTS LEAVf. (Special to the “ Star.") AUCKLAND. June 22. The opinion of the clubs of Auckland regarding the action of the executive of the association in requesting the resignation of a selector, Mr L. C. Kent, was taken at meetings held on the Remuera hockey grounds on Saturday. Resolutions passed show that there is a difference of opinion as to the merits of the dispute. Two clubs expressed full confidence in the executive and another, voting no-confidence, called on its members to resign. A fourth considered that there were faults on both sides, bvit in view of the approaching matches with the Indians they felt that the executive had acted drastically. This and the remaining three clubs regretted the executive’s action and suggested a general meeting of the association to secure an amicable settlement. The facts briefly were, that the selector, who was also president of the association, requested a day for a trial. The Emergency Committee advised that this could not be spared, but said that it would recommend a trial match before the competition games. Mr Kent chose the teams, but the executive refused to adopt the sub-commit-tee’s recommendation, deciding instead that the trial be pla}*ed after, instead of before, the Saturday competitions. Mr Kent thereupon published the names of the, men to go into training, together with a memorandum that the executive had refused him a trial game. The executive at its next meeting denied this and called for his resignation, which was given at a._ subsequent special meeting after Mr Kent had refused to conform with a motion that he apologise for what the executive termed ’* mis-statement of the position.” His resignation was followed bv those of three vice-presidents and Mr Kent himself as president.