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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 39, Number 21, September 6, 1976.

Thrush On the Mat Again!

Thrush On the Mat Again!

Dear John,

I read with great interest the article concerning us (Salient vol 39 no 18), and I must My that once I got over the glory of having my photo in Salient. I was disappointed that you should have printed the article there is nothing as boring and less informing than a set of potted biographies. I am afraid that I must also point out that were factual errors in the article, the most important bring: we are not Sports Council; we are members of Sports Committee, the elected, representative body of Sports Council Incorporated - which consists of all members of all sports clubs on campus. Not that anyone is going to be wildly misled, but I can't help thinking that if a person can't gel the small facts right, how reliable is he/she when it comes to more important things? (Also I must point out in all fairness that I was more piqued than the other members of Sports Committee because, firstly, a report I submitted for the article about the functions of the committee was completely ignored, and secondly, the piece referring to me in the article was totally fabricated by the author and I object to having words put in my mouth).

I'm sure it would have been far more useful for you to have "commissioned" a well written expose of the committee along with a group photo of the people concerned (showing how unified we are - compared to other Stud Ass committees!!). Doesn't anyone realise what a bunch of ruthless, megalomaniacal capitalists we are? (Any groups of individuals prepared to spend $500 on a booze-up for 15 people must automatically be the subject of scrutiny and closed committee discussion!!) I am disappointed, John, that you should have consented to print such a misleading and mediocre piece of writing (although on second thoughts, maybe that is in keeping with Salient 1976 so far).

But to more important things: the committee has asked me to make known some important points regarding our relations with the Sports Officer. Firstly, we on Sports Committee are concerned that he is not treating his position as it was intended. He is supposed to be the mouthpiece of the Executive on Sports Committee; the committee is not intended as a vehicle for the Sports Officer's dreams of expansion and elitist sports competition (if only because neither the committee nor the Association can afford it).

I do not mean that Sports Committee is not appreciative of the tremendous amount of time and effort the Sports Officer has put into his portfolio (as indeed I did when I was Sports Officer), but we are concerned that some of his enthusiasm has been a trifle misdirected.

Regarding the Batter Tournament Travel Fiasco (1976 model not 1975); Sports Committee is very concerned about it, as an SGM of Sports Council Inc. held on March 24th decided that a travel subsidy would be paid to all competitors. In view of this, a complete cost account of the total expenditure has been requested from the Sports Officer at the past three meetings we have held, without success, despite repeated promises to do so on his part. Therefore at the last meeting of Sports Committee held on August 12th, a motion was passed (unanimously) censuring the Sports Officer for failing to provide the required accounts as requested.

The Sports Officer has recently been in Australia on an NZU volleyball tour without the blessing of Sports Committee - in fact some members are actively opposed to his having gone. The committee felt that if he was able to devote so much time organising this tour, he had enough time to draw up a simple set of accounts.

The motion of censure is not meant to reflect on the Sports Officer's industrious efforts concerned with sports tournaments, nor is it an attempt to add to the negative aspect of his relations with VUWSA members, as indicated by the no-confidence votes he received in the last Exec elections, but it must serve to remind him to get his priorities in the right order and to whom the Sports Officer is responsible after all.

With love to all the Salient workers,

Chris Hardie,

Secretary, Sports Committee Inc.

p.s. Even more scandal has reached my ears regarding the Sports Officer!! When I was in Christchurch recently as delegate to NZUSU (in the S.O.'s place), the group of people controlling the Winter Tournament told me of their amazement at S.O.'s latest effort: when he informed Chch people that VUW's competitors would be arriving on early morning flights, they offered to arrange a bus from the airport to the university at a nominal charge to each person. Peter Thrush's reaction on being told this was, "No don't do that, charge it to VUW Sports Council."

Fortunately the Christchurch Tournament Controller had enough sense to ignore the statement and save us at VUW further embarrassment. But he was puzzled to discover that Mr Thrush apparently is able to go around the country operating a charge account in Sports Council.