Issue 132 : 2 July 2023
Talofa Lava, Kia Orana, Malo E Leilei, Tena Koutou, Hello ...
... and welcome to the latest issue of “For The Love Of The Game”, the official e-zine of the New Zealand Amateur Sport Association Inc., founded in Wellington, New Zealand in 2017.
If you have any feedback on this issue, ideas for future articles, or would like to contact the Editor, please click here. And, you are invited to forward the e-zine to others you know, who may be interested in reading it. An archive of earlier editions of the e-zine can be found here.
For those who follow Twitter, you can also follow the Association, @AmateurSportNZ. If you are interested in applying for membership of the Association, please click here.
Association Meets With Rugby's Governance Review Panel ...
Last week, the Association met with David Pilkington and Graeme Nahkies from the independent panel reviewing the governance and constitutional structure and the related governance processes of the New Zealand Rugby Union, (NZRU).
The panel is consulting widely to understand the challenges facing NZRU as an organisation and rugby as a sport. In this context, they were interested in discussing the impact of the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 on community rugby (NZRU itself is an incorporated society) and the opportunities and challenges associated with the governance of youth rugby nationally.
In a wide-ranging conversation that acknowledged the importance of “grassroots” rugby, it was recognised that legislation governing community sport needed to be fit for purpose.
In particular, it was agreed that it needs to ensure that volunteers involved in delivering sport have the necessary knowledge, competence, skills and resources to promote and encourage the participation of people in every local community. The Association looks forward to the outcome of this review, which aims to ensure that NZRU has a capable, contemporary governance framework that can assure the future of New Zealand's national game.
“Remember The People” Passes 100 Personal Profiles ...
Amateur sportspeople have played a key role in developing New Zealand society. Over the first one hundred years of New Zealand’s European settlement (during the period from 1850 to 1950), organised amateur sport shaped our national spirit, our community values and our family lives. It brought people from all cultures and backgrounds together.
In 2022, the Association developed a database comprising biographies of New Zealand amateur sportspeople who competed for the pride of their local communities and who were remembered for their contribution to the well-being of society. The database now comprises over 100 stories and is intended to be a resource which celebrates “the corinthian spirit” in this country.
Through this project, the Association intends to provide support and important content for “Te Akomanga”, which is the New Zealand Government’s revised programme for teaching and learning the history of New Zealand and New Zealanders. You can explore the database, here.
Membership Of Minors – Contract Enforceability ...
Recent legal advice obtained by the Association on the question of incorporated society membership under the current 1908 and new 2022 legislation, will be of interest to those considering the implications of sections 74 to 83 of the new Incorporated Societies Act 2022, when reviewing their constitutional arrangements as required.
(Membership contracts with minors may be unenforceable)
In particular under sections 86 and 91 of the Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017, clubs will need to be aware that “the contract” formed between a member who is a minor and the club may be unenforceable by the club, while being enforceable by the minor. The possible issues arising (e.g., non-payment of club subscriptions) are a small example of others which the new Act will bring into focus for ICSOs (incorporated community sport organisations) nationally.
The full advice is available to Members of the Association, on request, here.
Not For Profits (NFP) Face Challenges In Accessing Banking Services ...
A new report states that an increasing number of NFP organisations are having difficulty accessing and using banking products and services, with “the hurdles that these organisations have to routinely overcome when they do their banking ... tying up hours and hours that should be being used for the impact they do in our society and economy”. The report goes on to suggest that the process of getting a NFP banked is “essentially random and haphazard”.
The Association notes that part of the many challenges identified by this report arise from the legal obligations a bank has when dealing with entitles that have a distinct legal identity, (such as an incorporated society). The report notes that the impact falls on volunteers responsible for a NFP’s governance, who (in the Association’s view) often do not have the necessary knowledge, competence or skills to navigate the relevant requirements defined by law.
(Many NFPs need assistance in navigating the complexities of the financial system)
In summary, this report provides further support for a further review of the legal framework which applies to NFPs (including ICSOs) more generally. You can read the full report here.
Association Receives Pelorus Trust Grant ...
The Association is delighted to have received a grant from "Pelorus Trust" for the further development of the web presence of the National Sport Club Survey. Now in its sixth year, the survey has become a respected research project both nationally and internationally. In September 2023, members of the Project Team will be presenting insights from the survey to "The European Sport Management Conference" in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The Pelorus Trust is a charitable trust based in Hutt City, which raises funds for charitable, philanthropic and sporting purposes through the operation of gaming machines. The Association expects the web development to be complete by year-end.
Heartland Support For Poverty Bay & East Coast ...
A fundraising drive initiated by the Mid-Canterbury Rugby Football Union has resulted in $27,000 being raised by rugby nationally to support rugby participants in Poverty Bay and Ngāti Porou East Coast who have been affected following the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle earlier this year. The funds raised will provide financial support for around 4,000 rugby players across Poverty Bay and Ngāti Porou East Coast.
Ngāti Porou East Coast Rugby Union chief executive Leroy Kururangi said the gesture was a testament to the close relationships between rugby’s unions, particularly fellow Heartland Provincial Unions (Buller, Horowhenua-Kapiti, King Country, Mid-Canterbury, South-Canterbury, North Otago, Thames Valley, Wairarapa Bush, Wanganui and West Coast) who each donated $2,000. Kururangi said, “we’re a small union ourselves, but have learned to remain positive while we adapt to unfortunate circumstances.” You can read more here.
From The Archives ...
STAR (CHRISTCHURCH), ISSUE 17960, 24 SEPTEMBER 1926, PAGE 1
A MAMMOTH MAN IS IKE ROBIN
CERTAINLY HE GAVE ZYBSZKO MORE THAN HE WANTED
(Special to the Star) AUCKLAND. September 24
“There was a mild commotion in the “Star” office the day before yesterday. Tommy, the office boy started it. That irrepressible young man rushed in without knocking, and excitedly exclaimed “Zbyszko’s coming up the stairs!”
With an unreachable skylight as the only means of egress, and the heavy tread of Mr Stanislaus Zbyszko resounding along the passage, the writer made a dive at the Trotting Editor, and despite his strenuous protests, commenced practising headlocks. These preparations however, proved quite unnecessary. Mr Zbyszko’s intentions were strictly honourable.
The mighty Pole is no chicken at the wrestling game. For a little matter of twenty odd years, he has been well-nigh unbeatable amongst the strong men of the globe. He has met many redoubtable rivals, but he puts on record the fact that he doubts if ever he has met an opponent with such tremendous strength of limb as Mr Isaac (“Ike”) Robin."
Ihakara Te Tuku Rapana MBE (known as “Ike Robin”) was born in Wairoa on 8 November 1886, the son of Ihakara Rapana and Teaue McRobert, (Ngati Raukawa). A champion sheep shearer and professional wrestler, he was the first New Zealand heavyweight champion recognised by the National Wrestling Association and successfully defended the title against some of the great wrestlers of the 1920’s and 1930’s, most notably against the Polish wrestler Stanislaus Zbyszko in September 1926.
(Ihakara Te Tuku Rapana MBE, known as “Ike Robin”)
A Hawkes Bay firewood merchant and later sheep farmer, he married Mei Hawi Pere in 1926, with whom he raised five sons (James, Isaac, Aroha, Don and Rewi) and a daughter, (Erina). Robin’s sporting interests extended beyond wrestling. He was Vice-President of the Tamatea Hockey Sub-Association, Secretary and Coach of the Tamatea Rugby Football Club and a member of the management committee of the Hastings Rugby Sub-Union.
A member of the Tamatea Maori Council, in the 1950 New Year Honours, Robin was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for social welfare services to Māori. He died on 21 June 1968 at the age of 82 at this home at Kohupatiki, near Clive in Hawkes Bay.
(Ike Robin with Stanislaus Zbyszko, left and Anton Koolman, right)
The Final Word ...
“If we were to reckon the value of the materials of which the human body is composed, we would find that its commercial value is about five shillings, whereas all the wealth of the world could not purchase a single soul.”
(“Ike Robin”, Ihakara Te Tuku Rapana, MBE)