AMATEUR PROBLEM.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1644, 10 January 1913, Page 9

AMATEUR PROBLEM.

N.S.W, ROWING ASSOCIATION. APPLICATION FROM NEW ZEALAND. The definition of nn amateur oarsman adopted by tho New South Wales Irving Association is rigid in its application (says ■tho "Sydney Morning Herald"),, It closes tho door of all aquatio contests carried out under its supervision to. sportsmen who hove rowed in races for gain. If tho oars? man has once accepted a money prizo ho is debarred participating in. a wiae finld of sport as an amateur contestant; For isomo time past tho opinion has been gaining strength that elasticity should be introduced by. tho 'association into .the interpretation of- the definition. So far it has, to all intents and purposes, been adamantine in its refusal, to olass as amateurs rowers who have -accepted money, no matter how modest the amount or whether the element of personal gain was entirely absent from the transaction. It is believed in some quarters that the interests of amateur sport would be better served, or, at least, would find greater encouragement if the definition was materially alto rod find something less drastio in jts incidence substituted. - An echo of the prevailing opinion found rather significant expression in a letter tabled at the last meeting of the Now South Wales Rowing Association, when the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Asstv ciation pointed out that the definition and rules of tho association should bo so amended as to allow New Zealand oarsmen to compete in Australia. It was explained that at ft meeting of the New Zealand body a resolution was carried instructing the council to collect information with a vieiy _to bringing tho. matter under the notioe of a special meeting of delegates, to be held in Wellington on the occasion of the championship regatta. This will be in either February or March, and the Now Zealand organisation, has asked tho New South Wales Association to .assist in the matter. If the alteration were mado as suggested it would doubtless benefit the sport generally, and allow a freer exchange of competitions between thg two countries, which in itself would be an incentive to the sport, and be responsible for an increase in public interest. Anything that would tend to popularise rowing contests without endangering the interpretation of the term amateur would be welcomed by a largo circle of rowers. . Whatever con-, cession can be made in regard to New Zealand would be, no doubt, reciprocated by. any reasonable extension of. privileges, which would : give encouragement to the development ,of a!high'standard of amatour rowing contests between the two countries. , ■ It was pointed out at the meeting in question that oarsmen of the Dominion wero virtually.,, amateurs.' Whatever breaches had been committed were purely of a teohnical nature. Whenever the oarsmen had rowed for money it was not for themselves, but to benefit their clubs. There were very few men who had competed for- money in other branches of sport, and if the amateur definition be amended tho New. Zealand Association; asks that a generous view be taken of these cases. The • practice at present followed in New. South Wales is that New Zealand oarsmen: wishing <to compete -in ' this State must apply for reinstatement ait amateurs, but this, as a rule, is .merely a matter Of form, provided the applicant has never' competed for aicash prize for I his-own personal benofit. But, nnfor-; tunaboly, a reinstated amateur is : not eligible to compete in an interstate race. Therefore New Zealand oarsmen could not compete in such events, although they could take part, after reinstatement, in New South Wales regattas. After giving the matter'full consideration, the committee of the New South Wales Association resolved to Suggest to tho South Australian Association (under whose control the next interstate oonferenoe will be held, at Adelaide, in April n«xt) that Now Zealand.phquld.be, invited Ito %lid-"a"'delegato' b"t' dfcle&kteS'to the. conference,. and that the New Zealand' Association should be informed to that effect. ; .