THE ATHLETIC WORLD.

(BS "VlCTOB.")

Next week I hope to be able to congratulate the Kesgan Bros, and O'Shannessey, on having gallantly wod the Champion Fours. Here's Inok to the Aramoho " boyi !" H. B. Woon was allotted 10yds in the Stawell (Victoria) Mile and was placed on scratch in the Half. Woon is not going aorou, but has gone South as manager for Walter Bentley. A. Hall is soratoh in the Mile, and is giving away long starts. It will be interesting to see how the ex-New Ze&lander fares in this race. A movement is on foot to form & baseball club in Wanganui, and there should be no diffioulty in establishing this splendid winter game in popular favour here. For cricketers especially the game would be of great benefit, as it would serve to keep them in form during their "off" season. An alteration has been made in the order of events at the Picton Regatta. Races numbered 1 and 3 have been reversed, so that the first race will be the Maiden Fsurs, second Champion Fours, third Junior Batswing. M. Sweeney, the Amenonn ematenr, who has accomplished many sterling performance* at high jumpine, cleared 6ft; 3\lb at the Worcester (filais) Skating Rink on 13th f~ Feb. This is «n indoor record. Edward Smith, one of Englaud'a most * promising profe»«ional sprint runners, died of typhoid fever on 18th Feb. Although only 19 years of »ge, Smith h«d already distinguished himself by winning the two last £100 handicaps at Newcastle, and was generally regarded as likely to develop into a genuine ohampion. T. W. Leslie has not lost much time in challenging any man in Australia to walk for £100 aside over one or two miles, for a paragraph appears in the last Sydney Referee to that effect. It is to be hoped that the well-known New Zsalandor will succeed in getting on a match The team to represent the London Athletic Club in the match against the New York Club will probably include Bradley, Fry, Downer, Bredin, Lutyens, Horan, Williams, Shaw, Barry, and Ovendon. Football is toe latest f port fer ladies, and e> " British Ladies' Football 01 ub " has been started and, in the language of the sportsman i» " going well." The president of the club it Lady Florence Dixie and cbere is at present a membership of 26. The dress is of the " rational " kind and consists of blue zerge 1 nickers of the divided skirt pattern, while the team* will be in cardinal and pale blue blouses respectively. Playera are to be allowed reasonable expenses and each of the winning team reeaivee a present. Word comes from Johannesburg, South Africa, that Jim Burga and Jim Murphy (both Australians), having had a dispute about a " fake " boxing match, decided for t " satisfaction " to have a fight with skin gloves. It took place at 6 o'clock on a recent morning, about two miles out of Johannesburg, and lasted for thirty-seven ronnds. Both men were then in a very weak state, and quite unable to burn each j other, but Murphy had knocked up his hands on old Itonbark's hard phiz. Eventually a draw was agreed on. The Wellington Druids' sports take place next Monday, and will, no doubt bo wall "worth seeing. In the 100, 200 t 300 yards J. King is scratch, Wareham being on the tame mark in the latter distance and in the Quarter, and getting two yards in the shorter events. I like F. W. Webster SJyds, and G. Lett, 7vds, in tha 100 yds, with "Ike " Watta, 7Jydi, next bast. King, sch, or Wareham, 2yds, should about win the2Ooyd«, with Jarrett, 12yds, Lett, lOyde, and A. W. Watts, 7?ds, an the pick of the others. The latter with 10yds must have a rosy chance in the 300 yds if anything like well. King and Wareham, the scratch men, should he close handy, while " Jaok " Ellis, 16yds, ought to have a chance. Flanagan, Byd», reads well in the Quarter, and probably the scratch men, with Wareham for preference, will fill the places. Tho Half-mile ought to provide a great race between Flanagan and Dernngs if both "cut" off the mark. E. Hall, 20vdg, appears to hare been let in light, and may with Jarrett, 20yds, take most basting. " Jaok" Derungs is on the mark by himself in the Mile, in which the handicapper has been rather lenient to E. Hal!, 35yds. One of

these two shoV'd < " : u with -Jarrett, 60yds,

and Colemnn, 20yds, ea the bent of the others. A. W. Watt*, sch, or one of the 9 Caiuarons should win the 220 yds Hurdles. V On Wednesday, the 10th iaifc., the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club intend holding a 440 yards hardlo ohampioßsbip race. Messrs Roberts and Martin, who ran first and second, and were eventually disqualified in toil event at the Championship Meeting at Napier, will compete, and are to attempt to beat the record now held by D. Matson, vis., 6 1 l-sth soo, " Jimmy " Jung has kindly sent me a letter enclosing some valuable suggestions •i to the rales, eta., tieeeaaary for forming an association amoogst professional clubs. I shall take an early opportunity of refering to tbia matter, as there oan be no question, as King e»ys, that " Now Zealand is badly in want of a somewhat different method than i» at present in rogue. I think the proposed rules for an association if brought into practice would be of great beneSt to all concerned. A» it i» some of the sports meetings are very badly conducted, and this, auisted by a few ' oronk ' pedu., is very much • off.' " Next Monday will be »n ererttinl day ia the New Zealand a«jutttio world, for the Championship Regatta it to be held at Picton then. Several of the orewi engaged are already on the scene, amongst these being the Auckland B.C. and the Queen's Drive (Dunedin), who are entered for the Champion Fours. The latter crew are said ' to have done their trial in 13min in lumpy water, and have a lot of supporters. The Aucklanders are also reported to be in great fettle, and capable of doing batter time than la»t year. These crews and probably the Lyttalton crew will have the advantage of ■^ a week's training at Picton. and will have a decided " pull " over the Aramoho Unions in consequence. However, I have no fear as to the result in a fair test of the relative merits of the crews which are to compete, and fael sure that this year the Champion Fours will come to Wanganui by the aid of the Keegan Bros. wad O'Shannpasey. The time they put up in a trial in smooth water was eimply phenomenal, while in a later spin in vei-y lampy water with a wind against them they covered the two miles in 12min ss«o without rowing themselves out. 'She tide waa certainly the least bit in their favor, but the water was very rough and the wind dead against ■ them. I do not think they can lose, without having a large share of bad luck, as they are all in grand form, their rowing is magnificent, and they are confident that they can beat any crew im the colony. I expecc the Auckland U.C. will finish second, with the present champions tbird. In view of the fact that several Wangsnui peds will be competing at Wellington on Monday next, the following should be of interest :— The Wellington Post gives

particulars of the trial of a starting contri- / vance at the Basin Kegervo on March 27th. The maobine is the invention of Mr JLewi», of Greytown, and can be used for cither horse or foot rasing. For foot racing silk elastic bands are stretched aoroes the track at the different handicaps allotted in the race. At one «nd of each elastic a small ring is attached which is connected by a lerer to a cord which continues a distance along the track, and the other ends of the elaetio tapes are fastened to posts. A strong elastic band ia attached to the further end of the connecting card, and a lerer at the other end. On moving this lever the cord flies back, releasing all the tapes.simultaneously. The experiments with the machine proved very successful. If _it should come into use it will do away with the " setting " system of starting, as all the competitors will be made to stand on their marks. For horse raoine two elastic tapes are placed across tho trap, one end of the tapes being fixed, whi!» the other is released by o lever. It is maintained that tho tapes fly across the track so quickly that the horses cannot notice them, It is probable that the footracing machine will be used afc the Druids' Sports on Easter Monday. At St. George's Hall, Bradford (aaya the

London Sporting Life, of February 15), a contest for the three-style wrestling championship of the world and £100, came off last night between Tom Cannon, of Liverpool, the Grfcco-Koman and five-style champion, and John Larkin, of Australia. Ir was Larkin's first great match in England, and he was giving at lease 3sfc in weight *•• n.wuy, bat he made up for this disadvantage by a splendid phyfique and muscular de« Telopment. Both men were in the pink of condition and Gannon was favourite at 6 to 4 on. Catch as-citch-can was the first •tyle, and the colonial fairly astonished the natives by his agility. Once Cannon got a double Nelson on, but by a marvellously clever head spin L&rkin lantJed b^hinc) Ms

opponent. Eventually Larkivi got the Englishman by the double leg hold, and by sheer strength foroing his shoulders on the ground, gained the fall in llmin 48sec. The next style was Graoo-Roman, that in which Cannon has always been regarded as pre-eminent, bnt the agility and soience of his opponent made the match more equal than was anticipated. Tha men rolled to the eide of the canvas, first one and then the other having the advantage. Finally the Australian got' tha English/nan nearly down on the edge, and it seemed only a question of inches. Cannon, however, recovered and vigorous work followed, the champion, amidst tremendous applause, eventually gaining the final throw by a front Nelson and half-elbow. Time, lOmin lOteo. With a throw each the men oame out for the final in the Scotoh style. The bout developed into a go-as-you-please. It was a grand exhibition, but unfortunately Cannon began to lose his temper, and attempted to rvwh his opponont, who got a front double, and secured an unmistakeable fall. The result was received with oheermg. " Jason," in the Canterbury Times, says that ho does not think the Lyttalton crew for the Champion Fours is as strong a combination as last year's. He goes on to soy that " The crews I like most for the Champion Fours are Wanganui, Auckland Lvfcfcelfcon in this order. It i« said that ttio Wellington Club will be very strongly represented, and th*t Queen's Drive will make thiDgs very merry. The changes in the Blenbeimcrew have, to my mind, very considerably reduced Us chance; St. George, Star, Walrewa, Picton and Nelson I do not think are quite class enough for the older combinations. If I had to make a pick in one at the present time I should take Wanganui, but unlit I have seen the crews at work I thall refrain from a definite selection.