THE ATHLETIC IMPASSE

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12605, 16 November 1926, Page 7

THE ATHLETIC IMPASSE

MR F. WILTON SUSPENDED UNTIL HE WITHDRAWS “JOIN ME IN EXALTED COMPANY" MR M'VILLY LAYS DOWN HIS DICTUM RE FUTURE MEETINGS The trouble which has arisen betwe'en the council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association and Mr F. Wilton,, the West Coast delegate, following the latter’s description of th’e council as a “body of showmen” or “enterprising showmen,”, developed still more acutely yesterday. The council held a special meeting in the afternobn to consider a motion submitted by the chairman to. suspend Mr Wilton. A lively debate ensued, and the motion to suspend Mr Wilton from acting on the council until he withdraws was carried by seven votes to three, one of the seven votes being by proxy. A two-thirds majority was required to give effect to the motion. The discussion at times became acrimonious, and at the conclusion Mr Wilton challenged the chairman’s power to prevent him acting on the new council, to which Mr Wilton has been appointed* and which came into office following th'e annual meeting of the association last Might. ... Mr Wilton failed to put in an appearance at the evening session, and Mr Connop, th’e other W est Coast delegate, exercised power to vote by proxy.

Those present at the meeting wer| Messrs R. W. McVilly (chairman). H. W. Franklin, A. Urquhart, W. Morton, E. G. Guy, It. Connop. F. Wilton. G. H. Lusk, and L. A. Tracey (secretary). The chairman outlined the purpose of the meeting, which was to consider the motion to suspend Mr F. Wilton for refusing to comply with the orders of the chairman to withdraw the remark describing tho council as a “body of showmen” when discussing the proposed tour of American athletes. Mr Wilton had been given five opportunities to withdraw v and had not done so, therefore he regretted that he had to''move the motion of suspension. Mr L. A. Traeev seconded, saying that unless the chairman’s ruling was respected it would be difficult to carry on the duties of the council. Letters on the subject were read from Auckland and Wanganui centres, the chairman overruling Mr Guy’s objection to them. Mr Wilton said he wanted the council to have a perfectly open mind. He had come expecting justice, and was sure he would not be disappointed. He was about to review past events when Mr Tracey interrupted on a point of order, and Mr Wilton appealed for the assistance of the chair. The chairman ruled that the matter Mr Wilton was- introducing was out of order. Mr Wilton: I accept that ruling, hut if you are going to prevent me from stafing mv case clearly, then you are making the matter very difficult. The chairman: Onoe again you are imputing wrong motives. Be good enough to confine your remarks to any statement you wish to make to members of the council on the point I have raised. Don’t insinuate or suggest that any members of the council are going to be unfair.or. to be influenced by anything hut right and ptoper motives. Get down to facts and don’t impute motives. “EXALTED COMPANY” Mr F. Wilton l in->»iilengthy statement, claimed that the .words he used were “like enterprising- 1 showmen.” and not a body of showmen. “Your refusal to accept the .word of two delegates and to .take up- the dogmatic stand that you must he right and we muat be wrong has introduced a hitter note into this matter _ whioh is quite unworthy in my opinion of the high office which you hold , . .. I will allow no man to call me a liar and allow it to go unchallenged. The chairman: I call upon you to take that back. The term is most offensive. _ „ Mr Wilton i I withdraw it and say I will not accept an accusation of untruthfulness from any man.' He proceeded to claim that his remarks to which exception was taken were fair comment and inoffensive in their ‘application. “Last week thfe 1 Prince of Wales said he had been a showman all his life. I suggest the advisability of waving your objection and joining me in that exalted company.” “I am at a loss to understand,. your persistency in this' matter,” continued Mr Wilton, “but rather than cause dissension on the council I have twice asked my centre to replace me. Twioe have I met with a refusal. On the second occasion I was informed that 1 had been unanimously elected to serve a further term ... “This present council is in its dying hours, and as the new council to which I have been appointed assembles at 8 o’clock, I will not be bound by any motion of suspension which mav be carried here. Why make me a slaughtered innocent? I can only suggest—but* perhaps I harl better suggest nothing.” Mr Wilton then related the circumstances of how he withdrew from the September meeting at the orders of the chairman because he did not withdraw the words, and he submitted that as he was thereby “punished” for not withdrawing, it was not British iustice to punish him again. He had twice retired from the field, but did not wish to be called a “emitter.” The fight would not end there. It would not he between Mr McVilly and himself, hut between the council and the whole of the West Coast Centre. Mr R. Connop supported Mr Wilton, contending the words were used in fair criticism and that it was a more or

less trivial thing and not one for which a member of the council should be suspended. The suspension could only be for a few hours, and what satisfaction would it give them"? Mr E. G. Guy sympathised with Mr Wilton in his position, but urged that it was a question of principle as to whether they would accept the chairman’s ruling, and he felt strongly that they must support the chairman. He suggested that before the motion was put Mr Wilton should he given another opportunity to withdraw, and so close the incident. Mr G. H. Lusk supported the chairman’s ruling, but asked Mr Wilton to withdraw and end the matter. The chairman said he was prepared to allow Mr Wilton to withdraw even now. CHAIRMAN’S FINAL DECISION Mr Wilton still did not withdraw, and the chairman said his argument did not put him in a better position/ He used an expression which reflected on the council individually and collectively. “Until Mr Wilton obeys mv ruling and withdraws that statement lie will not be allowed to take part in anv discussion at any meeting over which T nresido . . . What sort of a hear garden are we going to have if the delegates want, when thev think fit. to set the chairman at defiance. As long as I am chairman and give a ruling it has got to he accepted or I vacate the chair,” Mr Franklin moved an amendment nr addition to the motion, that Mr Wilton he suspended from taking uart In amateur athletics until he withdrew his remark. Mr Guy seconded. Mr Wilton: This council can only suspend me for its life, and not for ray.life, which I suspect will be much longer. The chairman: Don’t be offensive, Mr Wilton. On the show of hands there were six votes for the motion to suspend Mr Wilton and three, against, and the chairman declared it carried. Mr Connop claimed that the resolution could not be effective as it required a two-thirds majority. The resolution was being written down and when read over was to the effect that Mr Wilton he suspended from sitting on the council until ho withdraws. Mr Connop: We are not discussing the original motion now which was put to the meeting. It is being distorted now. Can we go back and wangle it round again ? The chairman: We are not trying to wangle it at all. Please don’t use expressions of that kind. , Other members of the council protested at the interjections of Mr Wilton and Mr Connop while the council was trying to do them absolute justice. . , ' . “If Mr Wilton likes to do the right thing he can still remain a member of the council,” said Mr Guy. Mr Urquhart said the council was trying to give- Mr Wilton a chance to redeem himself, but some of his remarks were very drastic. Mr Lusk: I want to pour oil on troubled waters to stop this sort (J f thing going on. (Mr Connop: Hear, hear!) In order to get over this difficulty he should just say he withdraws the remark and will abide by your ruling. “If he does that, are you prepared to say everything is over and we can start again as a harmonious body?” Mr Lusk asked the chairman, „ , The motion as redrafted was then lead and voted upon again, and Mr Austed’s proxy vote was counted in favour of it, making the voting eeven for and three against, and tho chairman declared it carried. LAST WORDS Mr Wilton: I would like to say before we disperse that I, accept that motion in-so-far as it is in the power of this council to suspend. That power will expire at 8 o’clock to-night, when the new council assembles, and I claim that T am entitled to attend that meeting if I so desire. The chairman: I have already told yon the position. The meeting then closed. Of those present, those voting against the motion were Messrs Morton. Connop and Wilton. The others voted for it.