ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 205, 27 August 1904, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

Harry Pearee, of Australia, and Rob. ert Scott, champion wrestler of Newr, Zealand, engaged last, week in a mate* at Ihe Christchurch Opera House. Th. style chosen was catch-as-catch-can. and the two men, who were evenh- matched as regards scientific skill, wrestled stria-! nuousiy togelher. At the end of 13 minutes neither man had been thrown,; and in pursuance of the conditions of the match, Pcarce forfeited to his chal»i lengei- the sum of £io. Tlie champion appears on Monday at Auckland Opera' House. Pearee. who is 45 years of age* is almost an Irishman, having been bo___ at Mallow, near Cork. His father w_3 a Cornishman, and it was while in Sfc, Just, Cornwall, that Pearee learned th« rudiments of the art of wrestling, loj his young days he was no mediocre attfc lete, being usually scratch man in got, as-you-please and walking races, n branch of athletics which he followed for some years. Pearee came to th* colonies thirty years ago, and about si* years later he firs, competed as a professional weight-lifter, as an instance of his versatility- j a athletics, it is in. teresting to hole that on one occasion at Swan Hill, in Victoria, Pearee won all the events on a sports programme* consisting of 130 yards hurdles, go-a_-, yon-please race, one mile walking match, tossing the caber, and wresU ling. • The Auckland A.A. and C.C, has forwarded to Christchurch its cheque fo* £70 as a guarantee towards the expertises of a. team of athletes from America. Mr E. S. Marks, the secretary of tha Amateur Athletic Association of An* tralasia, who recently visited Dm*. edin in company with tke British footti ball team, was greatly struck by the apparent strides made by- amateur at_» leties in New Zealand, and was speeiatly pleased to learn of the incTeasmjf number of clubs—harrier and amateur «thletie—that were being formed here,* He said that the district scheme tried for some time iv Sydney had proved a failure, and they were reverting to thm old club system. Probably the visit of the world's champions ■will snpply a much-needed filip. Victorians are very anxious ' for 4 '. beam of New Zealand athletes to couj* pete in the cross-country champions!-.| on September 1". An invitation ha| been received, but d-here is little possibility of its being accepted (says i Southern _orre_>pondent). An individual in England who called himself the "Walking King" recently announced that he would walk 1000 miles in thirty days dressed in Chinese costume and pushing a wheelbarrow. After going some distance h» was stopped by the police. He waa found begging for money to help him on his walk, was charged with being _t rpgue and a vagabond, and sent to gaol foi a month.