WILL NOT RESIGN.
A DELEGATE'S ATTITUDE. "NO FLIRTING WITH PROFESSIONALISM.*' Through putting forward a proposition in conflict with the opinions and instructions of a Centre for which he is a . delegate, a. member of the Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association has been called upon to resign his position unless lie is prepared to withdraw liis motion. In reply the delegate states: "For the present I do not intend either (a) to accept your Centre's instructions, or (b) to.resign iuy position." A telegraphic message from Christehurch recently indicated that Mr Frank Wilton, of Wellington, who is one of the delegates appointed by the Canterbury Centre to the Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, had not pleased his centre by the attitude ho had adopted ion the question of issuing permits to proprietary bodies. This is a matter of particular concern to Canterbury, and it lias aroused not a little interest in Wellington since the occasion on which amateur events were decided in conjunction with a professional cycling match at Athletic Park a.few months ago. The question was considered at the May meeting of th< j Council of the N.Z.A.A.A., yid after much discussion, a motion that no permit be granted to proprietary bodies to conduct amateur events except by the consent of the Council, was carried by five votes to two. The mover was Mr F. Wilton, and after the motion was carried he gave notice ttf move that the rules be amended accordingly. This notice had to be given to all Centres twenty-eight days before being considered by the Council, and as only the,bare twenty-eight days had elapsed when the June meeting was held, consideration was deferred until the next meeting, which takes place on Monday. - Withdraw or Resign! Under, date June 26th the honorary secretary of the Canterbury Centre (Mr G. G. Lockwood) wrote to Mr Wilton as follows ''My Centre notes with great regret that _ you apparently intend to proceed with vour motion to confine the power to grant permits to proprietary bodies to the Council. This proposal clearly convicts with my Centre's opinion and instructions to its delegates that any such restriction should be actively opposed, and, by a unanimous resolution of my Centre, I am accordingly instructed to request you either to with- : draw your motion or to resign your position as its delegate immediately, i in order to allow of the appointment , in time for the next Council meeting of a delegate who will support my Centre's views on this important matter.
"Needless to say, it is with extreme regret that my Centre is compelled to assert its authority in this way, especially in view of the happy relations that ,have been recently. established with yourself and, 'largely through, your agency, with the Council. Please rest assured that it is not from any feeling of pique or arrogant assertion of its overriding authority that my Centre takes this step. "Were the matter one
of principle not vitally connected with my Centre's activities it wouhl have no hesitation in allowing you the customary freedom of action. But this is a question of such obvious importance to it and one on which its opinion is so unanimous, that it, must insist on the exercise of its fullest voting power when the matter conies up for discission bv the Council. It has taken and a'lowed amt)le time for reflection-, but there is such incompatibility of viewpoint between your insistence on your motion and its considered instructions that it has had no alternative but to take this drastic step. I feel sure that I voice the ooinion of all members when I say that it is with a feelins; of personal loss that I contemplate the . possibility of your resignation." Delegate Stands Firm. Reply by Mr Wilton has been made as follows: "I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 26th instant, and note with regret that the extreme step has been taken of calling for my resignation as a Canterbury delegate to the Council oi the N.Z.A.A.A., because I 'apparently intend to proceed with motion to confine the power to grant permits to proprietary bodies to the Council.' Hay I inform you at this stage that, up to the time of reading in the daily Press a telegraphic message conveying "your Centre's decision, the question of my attitude at the meeting to be held on the Gth pros had not been further considered sine© receipt of your letter of tffce 28th ult. My omission to acknowledge receipt of that letter was an oversight, for which I desire to express regret. "In view of the stand which your Centre has taken, and of it . assumption of an 'over-riding authority' for which I can find no warrant in the Association 's rule book, I wish to state that for the present I do not intend either (a) to accept your Centre's instructions, or (b) to resign my position. . Regarding (a), your previous letter conveyed a polite 'request' that I should act in a pertain manner, and this was still under consideration when I received an 'instruction' couched in the terms of an ultimatum.
"That can only be accepted in one way, viz., as a challenge to a trial o' strength, and, adopting your Centre's spirit, I decline to resign at its 'behest, and during the remainder of my term of office, which expires in November next, will continue to act in what I deem to'be the best interests of amateur athletics throughout New Zealand. Power to Regulate. "As you' ai<e aware, the peculiar position of the Canterbury Centre in its relations with a proprietary body are well known to me and, through our joint representations, to . all members of tlie Council, and while that position continues I feel certain that the Council's attitude will always bo sympathetic. Eut in order to prevent a similar position developing elsewhere it is manifestly important that the Council, as: the governing body in the Dominion, should hold the power to regulate any further entry into our sport of an element, which, if unchecked, may easily attain dangerous proportions. "What my motion particularly aims at is the avoidance of a repetition of such an action as recently occurred in Wellington, when the local Centre granted a permit to a proprietary concern to stage a professional cycling match. It is doubtless known to you that there is no .cause for the Wellington Centre to flirt with professionalism, and, in my opinion, it is desirable that the Counci l , as the controlling body, should exercise control over a matter affecting the rela-
tious between the amateur and on sional divisions of the sport. ' || "I have also to dir.vt your attigi to my letter ot" November 23rd, ji in reply to a request from your Cm dated 16th idem, to act as its ddw in which I stipulated lor a free kuj dealing with business which esoa® fore Council. In my opiBMH Centre's power over its <leleg&t2 the Council is similar to that of a4m over its representatives on a Caj| and I feel sure that no member w| Canterbury Centre would permit Mo to be used as a mere voting record his club's views, his own judgment of what i$ bc|j| the sport at large. "Will you pleiS range to have this matter furthe#! sidered at an early date and favotjp with your Centre : s decision. In c|| sion. I desire to thank you for| courteous manner in which yon <*orto the Centre's instructions, and that, whatever the outcome. I aiaea trust that thei<e will be no ruptin| the amicable personal relating which have been established l*etwe«! individual members of your .Centwij myself. I have particularly to w you personally for your kindlr M ences to my oast services.''—WeUins "Evening Post." ;lj| == il
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Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18426, 6 July 1925, Page 10
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1,303WILL NOT RESIGN. Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18426, 6 July 1925, Page 10
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