Speedway Control Not Satisfactory

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 822, 16 November 1929, Page 13

Speedway Control Not Satisfactory

MOTOR RIDERS PROTEST POSITION IN AUCKLAND ! Dissatisfaction with the manner j in which their interests are being 1 looked after by the New Zealand i Auto-cycle Union has prompted | the dispatch of a protest signed by j most of the registered motor-cycle j racing riders of Auckland, as well , as by a large number of intending riders. A resolution requesting a conference between riders and union officials has been forwarded by the Sports Motor-cycle Club, and a petition on the same lines is being circulated for signatures. The Now Zealand Union is a govern- . ing body, formed of registered racing ; motor-cyclists, to protect their own ; interests. The union provides lmndi- j cappers and judges, and frames rules ! under which meetings are conducted. Recently delegates from the Aiick- j land Speedway Company, which will stage meetings on the Western Springs , stadium: the Wellington Stadium Company: Christchurch Stadiums, Ltd., which controls Monica Park: and a: Dunedin company, met at Wellington. ! and formed themselves into the New | Zealand Speedways Association. Meanwhile, a remit from Auckland had been j passed by tho annual meeting of the j N.Z.A.C.U.. stating that the union will | grant affiliation to one track only in I each of the centres. The union dole- j gated its control of dirt-track racing ! to the Speedways Association, con- j trolling the rules only through a referee appointed. Two delegates- from the union, and three representing the i track proprietors, form the governing j body. Riders registered with the union 1 are allowed, under the rules, to race ! only on affiliated tracks, under pen- \ alty of disqualification. It is to tliis last rule that chief ex- t ception is taken by riders in both ! Auckland and Christchurch. In Auck- I land the company controlling Western ! Springs has been granted affiliation, I but the large majority of registered j riders have signed up to race at Bland- | ford Park, which will disqualify them | from appearing at Western Springs, j Claiming that this principle of a j monopoly is against the best interests | of tho riders, who incidentally are the I union, 13 registered, and an equal j number of other intc’nding competitors forwarded a protest on Wednes- j day to Mr. Arthur Way, secretary ot' tho N.Z.A.C.U. Both these speedsters and the Blandfo.rd Park company, with which they have contracted to ride, would prefer that tho races be held within the control of the union, and have requested the officials to reopen the question immediately. A recent meeting of 11 te Sports Motor-cycle Club, which in the past has been affiliated with tfie N.Z.A.C.U., passed a unanimous resolution protesting against the principle of a monopoly. “The union is not looking after the : riders’ interests,” states*the letter for- i warded to Mr. A. Spragg, president j of the union, as a rsult of the meet- j ing. “The interests of the largest : body of racing riders in New Zealand j here in this centre have been neg- | lected. Our views cannot be put be- ' fore you by the Auckland delegate to the executive, who is a director of ! the affiliated speedway companv j here.” A petition on these lines will be j circulated at the club’s beach race meeting tomorrow. POSITION IN CHRISTCHURCH The position in Christchurch is j more complicated. Last year a i small private company was formed ! from members of the motor club, and ■ a cinder track built at English Dark I was used for three meetings. The j company was granted its affiliation, : and made arrangements lor visits by i Australian riders this season. Christ- ! church Stadiums, Ltd., then built a : speedway at Monica Dane, represen- j tatives of this company being present ! at the meeting in Wellington at which j the Speedways Association was formed. ! Christchurch Speedways (English | Park) was not invited to attend. Its i affiliation was cancelled, though fees ; bad been paid for the 1929-30 season, • and tliq directors were advised to S apply to the association for a permit, j This they refused to do, claiming that j a "group of speedway proprietors” I should not have control of the racing. English Park opened its season on ‘ Saturday. Riders had been notified i that disqualification would follow rue- I ing oil this track, but at the last j minute Mr. Way announced that per- i mission would be granted by the union ! to hold the meeting, pending further j investigations. The company, which j has obtained legal opinion, considers : that it is in an unassailable position, j Tiie directors maintain that the union ! had no power to cancel their affilia- j tion once the fees were paid. A conference was lielci during the week and it is understood all differ- ! ences in the South may be settled j shortly. It is hoped that a conference will bo arranged in Auckland between officials and riders, and that a solution satisfactory to all will be found.