LEAGUE’S NEW PATRON

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 630, 5 April 1929, Page 6

LEAGUE’S NEW PATRON

Was the Mayor Any Asset to The Code as Patron Last Year?

MR. J. B. DONALD ELECTED TO OFFICE

That the Mayor, Mr. George Bailclon had not been an asset to the code during last season and that it was high time a change was made, was the view expressed by Mr. R. Doble at the annual meeting of the Auckland Rugby League held last evening when it was proposed to re-elect the Mayor as patron. At the show of hands Mr. Baildon received meagre support, and the lion. J. B. Donald, M.P., for Auckland East, and Postmaster-General, was elected to the office.

Y\7HEN Mr. James Carlaw, president of the Auckland League, proposed the re-election of Mr. Baildon for the office of patron at the meeting last evening, his kindly views for the Mayor of Auckland were not shared by a large quota of club representatives who were present. If anything, the proposal was met with outright disfavour, and it was intimated that the embarrassing position in which the league had been placed last season, when the Mayor had failed, at the earnest request of the Council of the New Zealand League, to give a public re ception to the English Leaguers, had not been forgotten.

“After the attitude taken up by the Mayor regarding the visit of the Englishmen, is it advisable to have him associated with us as patron?” asked an official. Mr. E. J. Phelan explained that the hitch ■which had arisen last season was most unfortunate and in a way could not be avoided. The Council of the New Zealand League had not given the Mayor sufficient notice concerning the reception and at the time it was most inconvenient for it to be arranged’. Mr. Hanlon: Was a letter of apology received?—No. In and endeavouf to smooth matters over, Mr. James Carlaw remarked that Mr. Baildon’s services were undoubtedly desirable for the welfare of the code, but evidence of the fact that his remarks did not carry a great deal of weight with the majority of tho.se present could be gathered from the loud cheers which greeted the election of Mr. Donald to the office of patron.