Issue 80 : 2 May 2021
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.
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.
Fourth Annual Report Presented At Fifth Annual General Meeting ...
The fourth Annual Report of the Association was presented by Chairman, Gordon Noble-Campbell at the Association’s fifth Annual General Meeting on Tuesday evening last week. The report detailed how the past eleven months had been an extraordinary period of activity, achievement and growth for the Association, largely defined by the impact of COVID-19 and the direct impact it has had on community sport.
Looking ahead, Noble-Campbell noted that, “there are two themes which must be of central focus for members over the coming 12 months, both of which will have a fundamental impact on the future role of amateur clubs run by volunteers as the core delivery method for community sport. The first of these themes is “accessibility” (to organised amateur sport by all sectors of our national sporting community), the second is “sustainability” (of community clubs as sport’s principal delivery method in New Zealand).
To request a copy of the Association's Annual Report, please click here.
Association Officers Re-Elected ...
Marian George (QSM) was re-elected President of the Association and John Morrison (MNZM) was re-elected Vice-President of the Association at the Annual General Meeting. The Association’s Officers are also ex-officio members of the Association’s Board.
(Marian George and John Morrison are the elected Officials of the Association for 2021)
Board Elected, With Two New Appointments ...
At the Annual General Meeting, a Board of 13 members was appointed for the 2021 financial year. The Association’s Board (which is required under the Constitution to have a minimum of 8 members), has both a governance and operational role.
The Association is pleased to welcome two new Board Members this year: Cushla Tangaere-Manuel and Warren Inkster. Cushla is the Chief Executive of the Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Football Union and she is also a member of the New Zealand Maori Rugby Board. Warren Inkster is the Association’s Canterbury regional representative and is a Senior Ministerial Writer at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
(Cushla Tangaere-Manuel and Warren Inkster have joined the Association's Board)
The 2021 Board is: Will Caccia-Birch, Jo Coughlan, Campbell Dewes, Wayne Guppy, Warren Inkster, David King, Tony Meachen, Michael Naylor, Gordon Noble-Campbell, Farib Sos, Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, Adrian Tangaroa Wagner and Ray Tuffin.
Honorary Solicitor & Auditor Confirmed ...
Following the retirement of Jim Meates as Honorary Solicitor following four years' generous service, Benji Crossley (LLB/BA) from Sharp Tudhope Lawyers in Tauranga has offered his service to the Association, Benji is also the Association's Bay of Plenty regional representative. The Annual General Meeting was also pleased to re-confirm Les Foy, Senior Partner at Crowe in Wellington, as the Association's Honorary Auditor.
(Benji Crossley and Les Foy are the Association's Honorary Solicitor and Auditor)
Our Address Has Changed ...
Effective from 24 April 2021, the Association’s postal and registered addresses have changed. Our postal address in now P O Box 582, Wellington 6140, while the Association’s registered address is Level 1, 57 Willis Street, Wellington, 6011. The Association’s e-Mail address (office@asa.org.nz) is unchanged. To contact the Association by telephone, call 021 140 6118.
Provincial Unions Vote For The Cash ...
On Thursday, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) was given the green light by its Provincial Union stakeholders at its Annual General Meeting to finalise a private equity deal that will see US investment firm Silver Lake take a 12.5 percent stake in the game. The deal (if it goes ahead) will see Silver Lake inject $387.5 million into NZR with a large portion of the money earmarked for rugby’s grassroots. However the proposal still needs the consent of the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association (NZRPA) to proceed.
Earlier in the week, Radio New Zealand reported that, "clubs are struggling to attract and keep players, teenage boys are leaving the game, and participation levels are down. Grassroots rugby is struggling." Should the deal receive NZRPA approval, how the money earmarked for the grassroots game resolves these issues and maintains the community social infrastructure of Rugby Union, will need to be key considerations for the national body. You can read NZR’s media release following the Annual General Meeting, here.
Meanwhile, Wellington Votes Against Pokie Funding ...
At a meeting of the Strategy and Policy Committee of the Wellington City Council on Thursday, 15 April, a new Gambling Venues Policy was recommended to the Council, in which a “sinking lid approach” to Class 4 gaming machines across the whole city was recommended. The sinking-lid policy means no new Class 4 licenses will be issued, (nor existing licenses transferred if an existing venue relinquishes its license).
Acknowledging the impact (over time) that this policy will have on community grant-funding for sport, the Committee also agreed to advocate to Central Government about the urgent need to replace Class 4 funding with sustainable, ethical funding for community, sports, cultural and other groups, noting that Central Government collects approximately one-third of all revenues generated from Class 4 gaming machines. You can read more here.
Majority Of Clubs Unaware Of Key Law Reform ...
98% of sport clubs who responded to an Association survey say they've not received any communication from their NSO concerning the Incorporated Societies Bill and its impact on clubs. Over two-thirds are unaware of the Bill, or its purpose. The Association estimates (based on the National Sport Club Survey database) that around one-third of all incorporated societies are sport clubs. Submissions on the draft Bill are required to be filed with the Parliamentary Select Committee by Friday, 28 May.
From The Archives ...
EVENING POST, VOLUME CXIX, ISSUE 82, 6 APRIL 1935, PAGE 22
THREE PRESIDENCIES
“Since he ceased to be an active competitor at sports meetings, Mr. A. C. ("Dolph") Kitto has built up a fine reputation as an administrator in sport. His record today in this connection is one of which any man might well be proud. At the present time Mr. Kitto is president of no less than three organisations, and moreover, the high honour of life membership has been conferred upon him by each. The three organisations referred to are the Wellington Amateur Athletic Club, the Wellington Amateur Athletic Centre, and the Wellington Rugby Referees' Association.”
Charles Adolphus (“Dolph”) Kitto was born in 1883, the son of Francis and Amelia Kitto. Francis was connected with many sport bodies. He was a foundation member of the Victoria Bowling and St. James Football clubs and was well-connected with cricket and athletic clubs in both Wellington and the Hutt Valley. He was a well-known Wellington tailor, with premises at 15 Manners Street where his son Charles worked with him, in the firm known as “Kitto And Son”.
("Kitto And Son" was located on Manners Street, to the immediate right of the tram above)
From an early age, no doubt influenced by his father, Dolph Kitto was heavily involved in sport. He played soccer for the YMCA. and other clubs. He also played Rugby Union for the St. James's Club in Wellington and coached the St. James's fifth and sixth grade teams, winning both championships. He was a member of the both the Wellington Rugby Union and New Zealand Rugby Union management committees. A member of the Wellington Rugby Referees' Association, he refereed inter-provincial and Ranfurly Shield games, and was a President of the Association. He played cricket for the YMCA. Joining the Wellington Amateur Athletic Club around 1900, he filled every position in the club, including President.
(Kitto was Assistant Manager of the NZ team at the 1938 Empire Games in Sydney)
Kitto was President of the Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. He was one of the first to introduce women into the field of athletics and was a member of the council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. Actively interested in swimming and surf life-saving, he was an active member of the Worser Bay Swimming and Life-Saving Club. He was also a member of the Olympic and Empire Games Council and was Assistant Manager of the New Zealand team which competed in the Empire Games, in February 1938. He became the President of the National Council of Sport in 1946 and in the 1953 New Year Honours List was awarded a MBE for Services to Sport. Kitto died in August of the same year at the age of 70, and is buried in Wellington’s Karori cemetery alongside his wife Olive.
(Charles Kitto, circled in the above photo of the 1931 NZRFU Management Committee)
The Final Word ...
"The hand that writes the cheque, rules the world.”
(Robert H. Billens, Manawatu Times, 1943)