WRESTLING IMPASSE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1046, 9 August 1930, Page 10

WRESTLING IMPASSE

OVERTURES TO N.Z. UNION DEPUTATION FROM AUCKLAND Special to TUK SL'X WELLINGTON, Today, j The recently established New Zealand Wrestling Union, for the purpose 1 of controlling the sport in New Zealand. at a meeting last evening received a deputation from the New Zealand Wrestling Association regarding j the difficulty that has arisen at Auck- | land. In a statement made today. the | president, Mr. >l. D. Bennett, said that an unfortunate impasse had arisen at Auckland. Tho New Zealand Wrestling Association, which fune- : tioned only as a local body despite its j name, bad ignored an Invitation to a : Dominion conference, which decided to establish a union of control with head- j quarters at Wellington. All other • promoting bodies were represented at • that conference and became foundation members. The Returned Soldiers’ j Association of Auckland. under the j presidency of Sir George Richardson, i had just then formed a new body to j

stage wrestling, and as its representative attended the conference, it automatically became affiliated to the Dominion Union. All seemed well until it was found that the union insisted upon all wrestlers being licensed and placed under proper control. TOLD TOO LATE? The New Zealand Wrestling Association’s case as now presented was that certain of their officials had neglected to advise members of what was going on until too late. Mr. Bennett said that he was satisfied that much of the trouble was due to the neglect of the Auckland officials, and for that reason, he regretted very much that the New Zealand Wrestling Association had now found itself outside of the union. The delegates from Auckland claimed, and rightlv so Mr. Bennett said, that they were the first to put wrestling “on the map’’ in New Zealand. The union system of control, however, did not allow of two organisations in one city. During the discussion it was admitted that overtures made to Auckland oyer a long period usking for a Dominion conference had not been satisfactorily replied to. Other complaints were met by tho same reply—that it was thv fault of the Auckland secretary. After the deputation had retired, the union unanimously decided to refer the whole matter for consideration by a conference between the two wrestling • associations in Auckland, the union agreeing to abide by the result of that ( conference.

It is understood that representations will be made by the same delegates -to the Minister of Internal Affairs. Messrs. If. Mackenzie. Warner, Reid and W H. Ready were Die Auckland delegates. Sir. Bennett definitely declined a. pressing invitation to accompany the delegates to the Minister’s office.