Atheletics Dispute.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 December 1922, Page 3

Atheletics Dispute.

WEI.-I INGTON. Dec 27. Interviewed hv a “Post" reporter ] to-day., regarding the. Otago rom- ; plaints with reference to ihe date of i tire Xpay Zcsnlnml t.*li:inipionj -sirip meeting, Mr A. T. Davies, prt-si- : dent of the New Zealand AmnlAur Ath--1 letie Association, -said that at the anI nual meeting of tln* Council held on j November 2(Uh, the application of ’ Otago to hold the New Zealand j championship meeting was granted. , and it was suggested (not decided) I that flip meeting he held in February. | “Otago »hose February 17th.. which 1 date the Council confirmed,” said Mr i Davies. “It was also at the annual | meeting that word was received that ; j tfio Americans h:ytl accepted our iui vitation to visit the Dominion, pro--1 vided that they arrived at the end of j January. Subsequently a cable was r<*j reived stating that they must come I ii, month earlier, and the dut-; of the j chni.ipionship meeting had to be al- | tered. It was perhaps, unfortunate i for Dunedin, hut circumstances dr- , i inanded it. The itinerary of the I American visit suWnwtted to the centre 1 was headed ‘Proposed itinerary,’ thus | h'nviug it •pen for such alterations to . ; he made ns might lie dimmed oxped- j | kmt. The date set apart- for Otago, j (January 20th), was, however, not - changed, and it was suggested that i | they might (hold the New Zen-hind | . : championships on the same day. After , .! r<•reiving protests from other |4v.ecs, I j the Council caino to the conclusion ! that it would he impossible to hold the : 1 New Zealand championship meeting during the currency of t hs* American , tour, and advised Otago to that ef- ! f t ,(.t. The whole trouble seems to he : the postponing of the date New Zeahmid Jiliampionstwp meeting from February 17tli to March 3rd. The date j submitted loi; the Otago meeting with j (,| K . Americans has not been altered. 1 ’ To show tlio absurdity of holding the > New Zealand championship meeting on- . February 17th., it is only nevessnry I fo point out that the Americans will > ho performing at Wellington on that date. The present difficulty was eniiwiuterofl in arranging the American itinerary so as avoid clashing with racing. cricket, and other fixtures, and muter the circumstances the Council * lias done tlm best possible for all coni' corned. While wo regret the necessity • of postponing the championship meet- . 01 j,,.,. Otago must surely ho reasonable 1) and recognise that it is solely due to l( the visit of the Americans, and that " - visit luu been arranged, not to •- annoy Otago, but to benefit and encourage athletics in all parts of the lhmiui- '* ion. Should Otago not he wdlnrg to ' s accept- a- later date, for the New Zeay Vtiul chutnpioiiship meeting, thu Coun«il will have no alternative hut to hold s ‘ it elsewhere. It hardly becomes Otago 1 to raise a, dust about this meeting, see's i n g that at the last championship " mooting held at Christchurch they worn “ reprcsenttil by one solitary competi- ' .tor who it is understood, paid Ins own V expenses to get. there, while at tlio previous gathering hold at Auckland ' thev were not represented at all.