Athletic Affairs.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 242, 27 October 1914, Page 1

Athletic Affairs.

!TO THE EDITOR."! Sir,—l wish with permission to place certain facts concerning athletic affairs before your readers. l'he New Zealand Athletic and Cjclirg Union ia the governing body for cash athletic events and for all cycle racing in New Zealand. It has recijjro.-i.l agreements with the governing bodies of cash athietics ar,d cycling in all the Australian States, and also with the New Zealand Axemen's Association, which controls all wood-chopping and saving contests in New Zealand. An attempt is being made by a hedy called t!:e "Northern Athletic Urion" in Auckland to get clubs to break away from the control of the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Uniun, and the Labour Day Sports Committee have h.en foolish enough to run their cash events on October 2(3th, under the "Northern Athletic Union" rules. The result has been that the Auckland centre of the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union has arranged to hold a sports meeting in the Auckland Domain on 31st Octobar ao that the competitors wo, almost to a man, are strong supporters of the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union may cot suffer through being unable to compete at the Labour Day sports. The so-called ''Northern Athletic Union" can offer clubs and competitors no adyantages whatever, but here are the disadvantages of belonging to that body : —(a) No person competing in any cash athletic event under Northern Athletic Union rules will be allowed to compete in any other part of New Zealand or in Australia; (b) no competitor from any other part of New Zealand or Australia will be allowed to compete i' any Athletic Unoiu meeting No lydisis rho com- ;•••: at Northern Athletic luum meetings v>.li '••• allowed :•> take j pait in aiiy other u." "tigs :u Aus- j trala.Ma mad rming iuci• d/. d,. j liu dim miming under Nor'hcru ! Athletic Uniun iide« am! be allowed j to have New Zealauu Axetb u's j events (chopping and sawing) on its programme. I strongly urge all country athletic clubs and competitors to remain loyal to the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union, a body which has done, and is doing, excellent work throughout tho Dominion. The following are the centres belonging to the New Zealand Union :—Auckland, Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, Feilding, Wairarapa (includes Wellington), Nelson and Marlborough, Weet Coast, Noitli Canterbury, South Canterbury, Otago and Southland. We will be'pleased to give any information on athletic matters to clubs or competitors.—l am, etc., J. P. KALAUGHEK, President, Auckland Ceutre New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union. Auckland, October 14th, 1914.