AMATEUR SPORT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20091, 10 November 1939, Page 12

AMATEUR SPORT

FINANCE PROBLEMS GROUNDS FOR SEASON GISBORNE ACTIVITIES PLANS FOR OPENING At the weekly meeting last evening of the committee of the Gisborne Amateur Athletic and Harrier Club, it was decided to open the season's weekly sports gatherings with an electric light meeting on the Childers Road Reserve on the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 21 and arrangements were put in train for presenting a list ol contests which should prove replete with attraction to competitors and the general public alike. There were present at the fheeting Messrs. W. H. James (acting chairman), J. Tangney (treasurer), A. Kane, W. Wallace, W. Campbell, S. Parker and J. E. Mercer (secretary' An apology for absence was received from the chairman, Mr. R. J. Quinn. In reply to the club’s application for the use of the Childers Road Reserve during the season, a letter received from the Gisborne Borough Council intimated that permission would be granted conditional on payment of tlie rent due in respect of the previous season and on the club contracting to pay a similar sum, £ls. for the current season, the payments to be made in instalments. Sharp Criticism

What was considered the unsympathetic tone of the council’s letter was sharply criticised by the meeting and regret was expressed that, in view of the club’s financial difficulties, as had been outlined in the application for the use of the reserve, the council had been unable to allow some easement of the conditions of tenure. It was pointed out that, in the effort to meet the club's obligations, the subscription had been raised bv 50 per cent and the committee had been compelled to use such expedients as conducting special competitions and had organised a stall at the Poverty Bay spring show. More than the whole of the proceeds of these efforts, however, together with subscriptions and donations so far received, would he absorbed in meeting last season's account of the Borough Council, but it appeared that unless the amount was paid the club would be unable to open the season.

It was stated that, in many other centres, amateur athletic clubs were allowed the use of municipal grounds free of charge for sports other than special gala occasions, and that, at Wairoa, the council had given consid siderable financial assistance towards providing floodlights, whereas at Gisborne the athletic club itself was endeavouring to defray the whole o! the lighting installation and mainten- 1 ance costs and was providing e facility which could be of considerable benefit to other community organisations. Expression of Regret It was decided to forward payment of the account to the Borough Council, together with a communication expressing regret that the council had been unable to sec its way to co-oper-ate in more generous terms with the club in its endeavour to provide facilities for amateur snort in the distric, and assist in the campaign lor national fitness.

Following the presentation of a formal report, the chairman and other speakers expressed keen appreciation of the services rendered by Messrs. Tangney, A. Kane, Mercer and Cleary in conducting a stall on behalf oi the club at the spring show cf the Poverty Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Association and of the support' ac corded, the net result being a welcome addition to the club funds.

The meeting decided to place or. record the club’s appreciation of the services given by tlie attendants a; the stall and the support given then efforts. Mr. IT. L. Owen was elected as a member of the ciub. A letter received from the centre delegate, Mr. E. A. Mosley, indicated the possibility of a visit to Gisborne of a team of Hawke’s Bay athletes during December. Officials Appointed

Officials for the season were appointed as follows: Marshal, Mr. C. McCoy; referee, Mr. F. J. Algie; starter, Mr. W. Campbell; chief judge field events, Mr. M. Taylor; chiel judge, track events, Mr. W. H. James; assistant judges field events, Messrs. A. Tarr, W. Edwards, and G. Graham; assistant judges track events, Messrs. C. Brown, L. Barker, D. W. Coleman. J. Jolly, T., Leslie, F. Martin, W. Carmichael, C. Drummond and W. H. Scott; timekeepers, Messrs. T. R. Gordon, A. E. Ingram, E. R. Brown, G. Geddes and C. Greig; handicappers, Messrs. L. Barker (track events), F. Pollard (cycling events), and W. M. Wildish (field events); track stewards, Messrs. E. Chalmers, P. Wall, J. Shields, E. Clayton, and T. Kane; call stewards, Messrs. A. I. McAneney, T. Parkinson, T. Leslie and E. Chambers: megaphone steward, Mr. N. Lee; lap steward, Mr. A. E. Ingram; record steward, Mr. J. E. Mercer; centre officer, Mr. L. Barker: emergency committee, Messrs. R. J. Quinn, J. E. Mercer, W. H. James and J. Tangnev; programme committee, Messrs. R. J. Quinn and J. E. Mercer; social club delegate, Mr. T. McGuffie. The treasurer, Mr. Tangney, was authorised to appoint the necessary gatekeepers,