ATHLETIC SP9TO.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1623, 14 December 1912, Page 13

ATHLETIC SP9TO.

THE RUMPUS. ON SWIMMING ASSOCIATION. ITS HISTORY. CAN COLONIALS CONTEOL SPORT? The weird sido. of colonials as sports legislators is a subject which has recently engaged the attention of the Rugby controls. Some say our sports bodice are competent to legislate, and some say not. In this connection, the .recent swimming rumpus has attracted eorne small attention,'and a history of tile various steps leading to the trouble is interesting-.— A special general meeting of the delegates of the Wellington Swimming Centre was held on Wednesday last, and owing to tho nature of the discussion it was (after a certain stage) decided to exclude the press. Tho meeting had been, called by the chairman of tho centre (Mr. J. P. Atkins) for the purpose of receiving the resignation of the secretary. It seems that the whole trouble, which culminated, in tho resignation of the secretary of tho , centre (Mr. H. C. W. Bliok) originated over Bome correspondence between the centre's official time-keeper (Sir. G. S., Hill) and the secretary. The correspondence referred to was inconnection, with the centre's recent carnival. At the conclusion of the meeting on Wednesday evening a resolution was carried (according to Mr. Blick) whereby Mr. Hill withdrew his letter, and was appointed "extra time-keeper" for the centre's next carnival —December 21. The resolution also resulted in the unanimous re-election of Mr. Blick as secretary. General particulars concerning the trouble are as follow:— At a. meeting of the executive of the centre, held on November 27, for the purpose of making arrangements for last Saturday's carnival, Sir, Hill was appointed official time-keeper, to act at both carnivals to be held at the baths on December 7 and 21. On the following Sunday (December 1) Mr. Hill saw Mr. Blick, and told him that he would be unable to bo present at. the carnival to bo held on December 7, but would be available for December 21. Mr. Hill explained at the time that, he had a long-standing promise to be present in his official capacity ns chairman of the Royal Life-Saving Society'(Wellington), at the opening of the Maranui Surf Club's club-house, which took placo on tho 6amo date as the centre's carnival. ■ On December 3 the executive of the centre met again, and Mr. J; E. Henrys was appointed time-keeper in place of Mr. Hill, who was unable to attentl on account of a previous engagement. The above is the gist of the minutes of that particular meeting. Oh the same date Mr. Blick (secretary) wrote to Mr. Hill, conveying the • resolution, with the following words appended: "Therefore your services will not be required for either meeting." On Teceipt of that Mr. Hill replied, on December 5, that as far as the appointment of a time-keeper went, "it was. all right," ■ but he "strongly resented" the impudent sentence inserted by the secretary on his own behalf, "That Mr. Hill's services would not be required for either meeting." The executive' met again on December 5, and tho chairman reported to tho meeting the action taken by him in appointing Mr. Henrys as time-keeper in place ot Mr. Hill, and also his action in instructing the secretary to write to Mr. Hill informing'him that. hi 3 services, "would not be required." This was endorsed by the meeting. ■The secretary reported having received a letter from Mr. Hill, which was read and received. . • On the following day a notice was sent out by the j chairman, calling an. extraordinary meeting of, delegates for December 11, to receive...the, secretaryVresignation. '•'.■■- ■ •■-■' .■•.■.■'. .• '•