ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 65, 17 March 1900, Page 4 (Supplement)

ATHLETICS.

Judging by the attendance at the Auckland A. A. and C. C. sports last Saturday, public interest in athletics is at present anything- but keen. Time was when the club's autumn carnival used to draw six or seven thousand people; on Saturday there were about twelve hundred, the poorest attendance the Club has ever had on the Domain. Xo doubt the weather had a good deal to do with the paucity of spectators, for a heavy shower came- down just when people were thinking of setting- out for the Domain, and further showers during the afternoon must have kept many indoors. Then the regatta at Lake Takupuna was a. strong- counter-at-traction, many hundreds going off by steamer before the rain came. But even making allowances for weather and counter attractions, it was evident, on Saturday that public interest in athletic meetings has waned considerably.

S. Heald, the winner of the 100 yds, is v promisingl young1 runner, with a good .style. His time 10s for the distance, ;from the 7 yards mark, shows that he is no slouch. Heald won the public; schools' championship two or three years ago, but this was his first appearance under the Amateur Athletic Club. He should be heard of again.

Another new performer, .7. Moore, of Waikafo, carried off the 300 yds. Ladies' Bracelet, from the ~"2 yards mark. S. Heuld (l.'iyds), the winner of. the 100 yds, caught Moore in the straight, but the Waikato man lasted better and drew away again at the finish, while IT. (!. Bell (17yds) overhauled and passed Heald just, on the post. George Smith and T. Roberts, who were beaten by Heald in the first heat of the 300, did nob start |in the final, although both had qualified. G. W. Smith, the hero of the X.Z. Championship Meeting, was conceding' long starts on Saturday, and failed to score a win. His best performance was in the 120 yds hurdles, iv which he owed 18 yards, nnd was only beaten by six inches by ,). Campbell (owed Byds). Campbell's time w*as 37 ;»-sth.s, so that Smith must have made the journey iv very little more than lGsecs.

McAft'er walked very well in the two mile, and those who considered J. C. Dickey the better man of, the two will probably feel inclined to alter their opinion after Saturday's race. The Australasian champion walked right away from Dickey in the last lap.

The pole jump brought to light a new performer of considerable promise in the person of Ilatene Wano, v Maori boy from St. Stephens' Native School, llntene cleared 10ft and would probably have done better but for nervousness. His handicap of 1(3 inches placed him first. Hori Eruera's best errort being 10ft Tin. Hori made a gallant effort to beat his own Australasian record (lift 0}) but failed. Had he been fresher when he made the attempt the champion might have been successful; at is was, he went very near it.

H, G. Bell's performance in the 440 yds, which he won from the 20 yards mark in 53sec, was a very fair one. He judged his spurt well and

finished strong-ly. A Watson, who was greatly fancied in some quarters for this event, spoiled his chance by spurting- too soon, the effort leaving him beaten before the finish.

11. A. D. Anderson (50yds) and E. Sutherland (scratch) both ran well in the mile. F. P. Goldie, who ran third, is a promising long- distance runner. i In the half mile H. A. I). Anderson 'put up a very fine performance, nmI ningl from scratch and coming- second in 2m 2 l-ss—u yard or two only separating" him from the winner Bradley. The time for the same event, at the late championship meeting1 was 2m 0 ?>-ss, so that Anderson would have won the event pretty comfortably on his present form. ]?. P. Goldie also ran well for third place.

A meeting- of influential citizens was held at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, on March 2nd, for the purpose of considering the advisability of Australia' being- represented at the World's Olympian Gamps at Paris, which are t.o take place in July next. The Hon. T. H. Hassnll, M.L.A., said that lie was of the opinion that Stanley Rowley, as a sprinter, was second to none in the world. Australia had held her own in England in almost every other field of athletics, and it would be a great pity if the opportunity were lost of sending' to Paris a runner who could hold his own with the best in the world. He moved: "That efforts be made to. send Stanley Rowley as a representative Australian sprinter, to take part in the Olympian Games at Paris." The motion was unanimously and enthusiastically carried. On the motion of Mr Hassall it was decided that those present should form themselves into a committee (with power to add to their number) with the object of carrying- out the proposal. Mr Hassall handed in a subscription of £'i 3/, and other donations were promised in the room.

A Southern scribe points out that" no less than six performances at the recent championship meeting- were good enough to have won at Brisbane. They were: One Mile Walk (6m 56 l-ss), Three Mile Walk (23m 171s), One Mile Bun (4m 38 3-ss), Three Miles Run (16m 6 2-ss), High Jump (sft SMn), Throwing the Hammer 136 ft 4Jin.) The above performances were put up by four men, only one of whom (Madill) journeyed to Brisbane. Of the other Australasian winners, George Smith was much .in evidence, Jas. Te Paa was not asked to come, and Mai thus and M'Affer were unable to spare the time.

At a general meeting of the Pioneer Amateur Bicycle and Athletic Club held on, February 28, it was unanimously . decided to forward n letter of condolence to the parents of the late Lieu tenant Neave, who recently met his death in the Transvaal war. Lieutenant Neave was one of the most popular members of tlie club, and it was decided to have a memorial brass plate and his photograph placed on the wall of. the club

rooms. Presentations are to be forwarded to Lieutenant Lindsay, Troopers Overtoil and Wilson, members of. the club, now on active service with the New Zealand Contin-

gent. . Amateur running appears to be in a flourishing condition in Melbourne this season, chiefly because of the numerous big mixed gatherings, held by various societies, at which amateur foot races are included on the programmes. Athletes there, having plenty of fixtures to race at, are encouraged to keep in training throughout the season, and thus interest in the sport is kept up. "Sprinter," in the Canterbury Times" undersctands that the bal-ance-sheet of the recent: championship meeting will show a profit, though it will be small. Mr N. L. .Jackson, in the "Athletic News,""has the following on amateur sport: —"An extraordinary feature of amateur sport is the apathy shown by those who take an active part ill it in all that pertains to its management. In football the. amateurs might still have retained the control of. the game had they not been so indifferent to their interests. Cycle racing has fallen away from its'high estate, chiefly because of the absence of that sporting instinct, which is n characteristic of the true amateur, and which would have prevented every race from degenerating into a funeral march, with a one-lap sprint. At cricket and rowing the amateurs are somewhat more energetic, and the interest taken in their doings is proportionally greater than in less favoured sports. The apathy of which I complain is not confined to out-of-door games, for it is conspicuous in connection with billiards, the amateur championship of which is a pure and unadulterated farce. Originally run by billiard table manufacturers, who even framed the rules for the competition, it is now under the control of the Billiard Association, ..which cannot be recognised as an amateur organisation."

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —It may not be generally known how the Auckland Amateur

Athletic and Cycling- Club have treated mo since J ran at their sports in March last. In March, Keating and m3'self competed in both sprint races at the meeting, Keating' winning" 100 yds and myself the 300 yds. Shortly after the latter race the committee decided to suspend Keating, pending a further inquiry, and also decided to take the race from me. On the Monday following the great tribunal disqualified Keating for two years, und decided to let me off with a caution. Of course, their decision was appealed against; but what a chance We haw, in fact, I think the New Zealand Association hardly dare go against the Auckland Club. Now, what I have to complain about is this: When the November meeting was coining round, I commenced training, and continued doing so until the date of the closing of nominations, when I sent my entry in due form, also entrance fees, etc. To my surprise, I received by return of post a notice from the Secretary stating that, my nomination would not be taken for that meeting. No reason was assigned. Consequently 1 hart spent some five weeks training, all for nothing. Being thus put on my guard, I thought I would enquire beforehand as to their intentions for the March carnival. I wrote to the Secretary, and enquired as to whether my entry would be accepted or not, and the reply I received was this: "Your entry will not be accepted for this or any other meeting"; in other words, we disqualify you for life. Now, Mr Editor, if this is not a queer way of doing business, I would like to know what is. If they had anything against me, why did they not deal with me at the time, or if they found out anything against me at a later period, why did they not acquaint me of same and give me a chance to defend myself. Similar unfairness and bad management is he-p-inning to tell on the popularity of the Club. For proof, just look at the entries of the November meeting, or even at the meeting this month. A paltry 14 or 15 are now entered for the pedestrian events, whereas it was generally 35 and 40 per event. Further comment is unnecessary in order to show how the popularity of the Club is decreasing.—l am, etc..

M. G. POWER, Paeroa