Hockey Stir

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 57, 23 March 1937, Page 4

Hockey Stir

FRICTION AMONG WOMEN Napier Chairman Refuses Re-election 'DRASTIC STEPS NEEDED' Refusal by Mr C. Cross to stand again for the chairmansbip owing to repeated friction aanong the aifiliated women' s cliibs caused a stir at the annual meeting in Napier last xxight of the Napier Hockey Sub- Association. He said that the ptoeition would have to be met With drastic measures if an improvexnent were not apparent at tbe beginxiing of the 1937 season. He felt that the unpopuiarity he had incuxred last year would obstruct the achievement of this lmprovement. In pioposin'g the re-election of Mr Gross to the position of chaii'xnan, the secretary, Mr H. W» Dowling, said that ixe was doing so contrary to the Wishes of the retiring ofiicial. He felt that at clmes Mr Cross, who had devoted much of his time to tlie position, had not met with the full co-operation that he should. It was but natural, he continued, that at times a chairman had to be firrn and to suppress certain elemenfcs in the eub-association. While this .did pot tend to make for gcneral good i'eeling, sueh aetions were necessary for the smooth running of the sub-union. Mr Cross had aiways been impartial, and had striven to do his best for the good of the sport in Napier. In reply, Mr Cross said that his i'esignatiom was due to women 's hockey. ' 'Women h) hockey has got to the stage in this association where it is not an asset biit a Gyrae,*' he said. "For the uelegata of a club to come along for self-interest is definitely wrong, and Vvon't be right until delegates can cotns along and see two si.de-s of a question. We have firmly realised that drastic stepa must be taken this ' season to eliminate the feeling that exists between Bome of the women 's teams. I don't blame the players at all; I blame the hangers-on. If the position continues it will be the death of hockey. 1 ' Rather than be the cause of the trouble that I feel is coming, I thought it would be better to resigtt graccfnlly," he added. "The sub-aBSbciation last year was controlled by cnergetic and impartial men, who Worked for the good of the association— and what do they get out of it! Nothing. You breals their hearts. ; "Unless the position improves, then hockey will be back where i,t was a few years ago, and that is not desirable," he coneluded. Mr Evett commented that he eofasidered the chairman to be fully capable of takiug any drastie steps necessary. Criticism of alterations of rules during the season was made by Mr A. Eowe, who alleged that they had been done tq meet individual circumstances. In reply, the secretary said that the chairman had been strenuously opposod to any change in the constitution, and the sub-association had found it necessary to hold a special meeting to amend the rules. The chairman then refused to accept nomination for re-election, but said that he would reconsider the question if the sub-association were in difficulties, provided he received an invitation to the annual meeting of every women 's club. No further nominations were forthcoming, and the position was left open until the first ordyiary meeting of the sttb-association, A tribute to the work of the hobotary secretary, Mr H. W. Dowling, was paid by Mr Cross. He said that in his many years of administrative work for the sub-associatiOn there had never been a finer secretary. The following ofiicers were elected;— Patron, Mr M. S. Spence; president, Mr H. H. McDougall: vice-prfisidents, Hon. W. E. Barnard, M.P., G. Husheer, W. G. Cross, Rev. O'Dell, Rev. Simmonds; chairman, deferred; secretary and treasurer, Mr H. W. Dowling; [issistant-seeretary, Mrs H. W. Dowling; auditor, Mr H. C. Barlow; trustees of bank acCount, chairman and Miss Websier; senior selector, Mr R. J. Surgenor; junior selectors, Messrs R. Tucker and Evetts.