“IN A STATE OF FLUX”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 950, 17 April 1930, Page 8

“IN A STATE OF FLUX”

AMATEUR CYCLING IN NEW ZEALAND WELLINGTON’S POSITION Special to THE SUN WELLINGTON, Today. Matters in relation to amateur cycling in New Zealand are at present in a state of flux, and each day brings along something in the way of change. While the subject has been settled to some extent so far as the other centres are concerned, such is by no means the case in Wellington, where there are two contending forces at work. A few days ago it was tliouglit that the matter had been finally settled, and that local cyclists had agreed to adopt the principle of control as at present in force in Canterbury, but more recent happenings have changed this idea and left the cyclists divided. The Council of the N.Z.A.A.A. sent Messrs. Id. Austad (chairman), E. C. Guy and L>. A. Tracy (secretary) to Auckland to confer with the Manukau Amateur Cycling Club in the hope that they would be able to evolve a plan that would overcome the Auckland difficulties, but while they were away matters developed very rapidly in "YV ellington. In fact the two contending parties 'almost split the club in twain. First of all the patron of the club, Mr. PI. D. Bennett, apparently supported by the club captain, called a meeting of the disaffected ones and passed a resolution framing a notice of motion to be submitted to the annual general meeting of the Port Nicholson Amateur Cycling Club on April Now comes a move from the other side of the club. Mr. J. S. Stalker who is president of the Port Nicholson Club, states that lie is both president and chairman of the management committee, but he knew nothifig of tho meeting, nor was he advised of it. Neither was the meeting called bv the secretary, Mr. G. S. Bright. Mr. Stalker said that he considered such a meeting was entirely opposed to the best interest of the cyclists themselves and quite unfair to the loyal officials of the club. All those who were present at the meeting had a grievance, and several of them had been active lor some time past in bringing about aseyerance of cycling and amateur athletics. Mr. Stalker further stated that the method ot control adopted by the Canterbury Centre, where the cyclists are apparently a contented body of men had been in force in the Wellington district Iqj* the past two months, which yas quite contrary to the statement made by an unauthorised delegate lrom Wellington to the Papanui Cycling Club, who had declared otherwise and so led the Papanui Club to pass a motion “that the best interests of cyclists in Wellington would be better conserved by adopting the same principle of control that has been adopted in Canterburv "

POSITION EXAGGERATED

c-, 0 -} the other hand it seems that Mr otalker has to some extent exaggerated the position in making reference to the meeting in Wellington. The meeting was apparently one in which a number of disgruntled riders and then- supporters assembled to frame a notice of motion which will express their opinions, but which cannot possibly become law until the " annual general meeting of the club passes it. surely no reasonable man would nre- \ ent members from foregathering and discussing the position as thev see it m?nf7f n l mg legislation to place their pomt ot view before their fellow members at a properly constituted meeting. To prevent such a meeting woufd be _ entirely undemocratic, besides which it allowed a good deal of surplus steam to be blown off, and this alone may help to clear the situation ' f as U bri ns:s before members the ideas and opinion of the malcontents. The most unfortunate ra>-t or the meeting was the fact that it was held at the time the N z -V A A delegation was away in Auckland at-' tempting to bring the Mar.ukau Club back into the fold of athletic control thus undermining and nullifying their efforts tow’ard a settlement. AH these happenings are rea'k onlv helping to stir up an undercurrent of feeling which is now becoming more oi less personal, and when a debatable question takes such a turn it is verv difficult to get a cool consideration of any question, particularly one such far-reaching- importance as the reparation of one branch of amateur sport from another.