ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 240, 7 October 1916, Page 16

ATHLETICS.

The annual β-porta gathering el the Auckland Grammar , 6ciiool will be iield on the Domain pa Thursday, the 26th inst.

Some people have commented on the cabled report that Jack Donaldson had sought to be excused from active service, but had been compelled by the English authorities to enlist. . It is unwise' and unfair, says a Victorian writer, to draw unfavourable conclusions from the incident without full knowledge of the facts. It may not be generally known that the champion's brothers, Donald and Frank, both volunteered early; that Donald has been wounded, and Frank killed in France. The latter was only 18 years of age, and, in the opinion of the champion, was likely to have proved as good a runner as himself, having shown much promise.

Baron Pierre de Coubertin'e recent pronouncement regarding the Olympic Games has been received with more or less amusement by Light and Dark Blues in England. That greet upholder of pure amateurism in France seems to think the Games might well fee renewed in 1920, and, preferably, at either Antwerp, Lyons, Amsterdam, or Havana, and adds: "It is impossible to say what the state of International feeling will be four years hence." "Baily's Magazine" comment: "Exactly. So far as Oxford and Cambridge are concerned, however, it is highly improbable if they will have anything further to do with the Games, or similar functions. It is pretty generally felt that they have altogether failed in their prime object, i.e., a 'better understanding among the nations. In any case, it will obviously take many years to put University eport on its oldtime footing."

The revival of the meeting of Eton and Harrow—not to count in the official series—must be set down as a distinct success, writes "Wanderer" in the "Sportsman," and it is to be hoped that the return will be equally so. Sir Home Gordon, writing of it, says:—"Both the headmasters are believed to be opposed to the encounter ever being contested at St. John's Wood again; but its abolition would have a serious effect on the bal-ance-sheet of M.C.C, and destroy an annual fashionable function. "Thougli such should not, in my humble opinion, have been allowed to become the case, the M.C.C. cricket receipts in the ab•sence of an Australian visit are dependent on the two society fixtures, and I wealthy as the iI.C.C. is, the removal would be a big blow. Nor would it be a very grateful return for the outlay which the premier club has annually made on away games with schools throughout the kingdom, though for a year or two before the war there were rumours of dissatisfaction as to the calibre of some of the sides sent out. In one respect, however, the M.C.C. has been to blame this summer, viz., a certain amount of indecision over playing these school games, and I believe members were kept in the dark too long as to a definite decision on the subject. Hot a few schools were disappointed, I am told, at the disappearance o< the M.C.C. from their fixture list. School cricket really needs increased encouragement just now."