LOST AMATEUR STATUS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2386, 16 February 1915, Page 9

LOST AMATEUR STATUS

SUSPENDED MILITARY. The very unfortunate position which arose through the holding of a professional ' athletic meeting at Trentham camp has received some further attention from 'the, New Zealand Amateur Athlotic Association. It will bo remembered that the Athletic Association's Counoil announced last week that, all the men who entered for the events lost their amateur 'statue automatically. The officials who acted at the meeting were, however, held to be on a different footing, and tho Athletic Council decided to suspend them. Inquiries were then made as to who the officials were, so that the secretary could write to them and notify them of tboir suspension.

The secretary of the association (Mr. J. C. Cusack) has since written to the following informing them of the amateur body's decision.:—The president and referee, Lieutenant-Colonel Potter; marshal, Major PinwUl; secretary and treasurer, Sergeant G. G. ' Priest; starter, Captain Goulding; Press stewards, Captain Wilkinson and Lieutenant Hoggans; result : steward, Captain Boon; judges and stewards, officers of the Permanent Staff and 3rd, 4th, otli, and Samoan Reinforcements, Captain Garner (Salvation Army), and Mr. W. J. Bennett.

Mr. Bennett was a prominent competitor in events at last season's championship meetings. The rule of the N.Z.A.A.A. under which the competitors brought themselves reads as follows:—"An amateur forfeits his' status and becomes a professional by entering for any athletic events for which a money prize is offered, or for which a money prize or trophy are offered as alternatives, or any event open to professionals." Competitions at arms are excepted.

Among the men who are disqualified for having entered at the meeting are many who have done'fairly well at big amateur athletic meetings.

When it became known that the officials were suspended, an interesting question cropped up as to ivhether the patron and vice-patrons were officials according to the A.A.A. rules. His Excellency the Governor was the patron, and the vice-patrons were ,the Prime Minister (the. Right Hon. W. F. Massey), the Minister of Defence (the Hon. James Allen), Sir Joseph, Ward, and Colonel Robin. Members of the council to whom the point was referred hold that the patron and the vice-patrons do mot come within tho meaning of "officials." •