FIELD OF SPORT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 83, 18 January 1928, Page 3

FIELD OF SPORT.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By "Onlooker.") The following are the aggregate points gained at evening meetings of the Ashburton Amateur Cycling and Athletic Club up to January 11: R. F. Pellew 13, S. Truman 12, G. Robilliard 9, R. Webster 9, D. Burgess 7, E. McElhinney 4, G. L. Nicoll 3, K. Nicoll 3, C. Campbell 2. The following are points for the aggregate cup for cyclists:— C. Shierlaw 22, E. P. Parsons 10, W. It. John 10, C. Moodie 7, R. Coulter 5, R. Keeley 5, W. Oakley 4, A. A. Craighead 3, R. Boswell 2, J. Sutherland 1, D. Anderson 1, J. Samuels' 1. The decision of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association to sever its affiliation with the Australian Athletic Federation is one of the outstanding findings at the recent athletic conference held in Wellington (says the Auckland "Herald"). The movement for a separate status must have come as a surprise to the visiting delegates, who, while regretting the Dominion's action, placed no obstacles in the way of its recognition. Just* what is behind New Zealand's.' action is not quite clear and it will no doube cause much comment throughout athletic circles.

From a competitive point of view, the wisdom of the separation of the two bodies is questionable, as it probably means New Zealand and Australia will not again meet at such a gathering as that held in Wellington.

Considering there are but four senior teams in Otago, that they have played hut two and a half matches, have had only four or five nights' practice ot the nets, and that three of the leading players were unable to make the trip, the Otago XI. put up a very creditable performance against Auckland in the Plnnket Shield match (states the Auckland "Herald.")

Wellington's win was such as to give prumise of a good performance against Ucago (at Dunediu commencing next Friday) and Auckland (at Wellington a week later). It is likely that there will |je some changes in the team to go to Duneuin. O'tago's chances oi' luting the Plunket Shield this season have departed with the losses against Auckland and Canterbury.! Wellington's deleat of Canter bury reduces the latter's prospects, and it seems that the issue now lies between Auckland and Wellington, who have each won their first match.

When the full story of Tom Heeney's lise to fame is told it will read like highly-coloured fiction. According to a Wellington friend of the boxer, he was pentniless when he left England. Since he has been in America he has sent £15,000 to his people in Gisborne, and has accumulated a further £20,000. It seems too good to be true, but there seems no doubt at all that Heeney is regarded as Gene Tunney's greatest menace at present.

Gene Tunney sends word from Maine Woods that he wants to defend his heavy-weight title twice during 1928 (says an American writer). One, of his opponents, he expects! will be none other than William Harrison Dempsey, back for a third try after two conspicuous failures. Tunney thinks his other opponent may be Tom Heeney, the New Zealander, who is considered by Gene the best of the crop of heavyweights who are about to take part in Tex Rickard's elimination tournament.

The heavy-weight champion will insist that the fight go fifteen rounds, and believes he would have ended all arguments by knocking out Jack Dempsey, at Chicago, recently if the battle of Soldiers' Field had not been limited to ten rounds. Gene told of his wishes, beliefs, and prejudices in an interview granted Al Buck, of the

"Evening News," at Rockwood, Maine, and copyrighted by the "Evening News."

"I should like to defend the championship on July 4 and then again in (September," Tunney said. "I expect Dempsey to be one of the two men I meet. Jack is too smart for the rest of the field." It develops that the present heavy-weight champion considers L>empsey "tricky, but very smart." More tiian Jack's punishing ability, more than his courage, which Gene freely acknowledges, Tunney praises Dempsey's ringcrait. In addition to Dempsey, Gene expects to meet the survivor of the elimination tournament. "I think Heeney is the best of the present lot," Al Buck quotes Tumiey as saying.

The lack of adequate facilities for the provision of life-saving instruction in schools was strongly commented upon by Mr F. W. Gamble, headmaster of the Mount Albeit Grammar School, Auckland, at the annual prize-giving recently, when referring to the gift to the school of a life-saving trophy from the Mayor of Mount Albert, Mr L. Jii. Rhodes. '• c "Auckland, though possessing one ot the finest harbours in the world, lags far behind other centres m Ivew Zealand in the matter of instruction m swimming and life-saving," he said. "The indifference shown is glaringly illustrated in the. latest report of the New Zealand Life-saving Society. In Awards granted Wellington secured 655, Wanganui 628, Auckland seven while the Wigram Shield was won by Wanganui with 2016 points against Auckland's 35. Surely this state of things cals for urgent, attention from our civic and authorities. As a whole Auckland schools are destitute of swimming baths and the use of the municipal baths is almost prohibitive, We are specially unfortunate in this aspect. With the time taken travelling to the Hob*m Street baths, with the cost of tares and bath fees, it is almost impossible tor the great majority of the boys to get propfr induction, and our activities We to be confined chiefly to demonstrations and I greatfuly acknowledge the Mayor'* gift ra the hope that it may act as an incentive to bovs to persevere m their efforts to qualify for the various awards obtainable in life-saving work."