ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 51, 23 November 1907, Page 9

ATHLETICS.

(By Mercury.)

The first sports meeting of the season has at last been provided for, the local ccntro having, after a conference with the Cricket Association, arranged for the use of the Basin Reserve for December 21. Sub-committees to carry out the various arrangements, wore set up last night, and the business is to be pushed in with all speed. Now that .club members havo something definite to go on, it behoves them to get busy with their training operations, in which so far they • have been strangely lax. Considering the importance of the coming season generally, and in view of the New Zealand Championships fixture hero in February especially, the paucity in number of men in harness is surprising. I doubt if more than twenty are doing regular work, and of these the only man going in anything like good style is Harry Henderson, who is exercising on the College Ground; and is'moving very nicely.

The programme committee has'drawn up.a draft list of events which will shortly bo in the hands 'of the club secretaries. It comprises all the' New Zealand Championship distances, with the exception df 120 yards hurd-' les, and with the addition of ,100 yards maiden, tho Club relay race for teams of four (first three men to run 220 yards and- last man half-mile), bicycle races, and public school championships. This programme certainly can lay no claims to originally—the idea evidently being to try out performers for the benefit of the championship selectors—but it will provide a good afternoon's sport.

' Dr. Newman undoubtedly got at the. root of things at the meeting of tho centre last week when he emphasised tho necessity for the proper organisation and coaching of the team to ■defend the banner at the forthcoming championship meeting. Tho men should be chosen as carlyas-possiblo; one, or, if funds allow, two, .qualified trainers should bo provided, and lastly, and chiefly tho squad for the fiold events should'.he put under a coach for each department. This last, of course, is a. big order, but with enthusiasts like Messrs. Doyle, Murdoch, and Skinner (for tho shot events), and Ronaldson (jumps), all, I believe, ready to help in this direction,'some satisfactory arrangement can surely be arrived at. Then, again, the proper equipment of the team is of vital importance, especially for the pole-jumping and hammer-throwing. Some of the poles I havo seen used would be more suitable for sabre-tossing than for vaulting with, arid as for the "hammers," I doubt if there is an up-to-date implement in tho Dominion. I understand that the secretary q'f the'N.Z.A.A.A. Council has written to America for;, a shipment of proper poles, and, if. this is so, the local body should.use every endeavour to secure a supply -when these cqmo .to hand. The old-fashioned straight-handled affair still in vogue here for hammer-tlirowiug, calling for its awkward bent-arm action, should be relegated to the collection of antiquities in tho museum, and the prrlper cross grip handle installed. The actual alteration is a very small matter, and could easily bo made by any capable mechanic if a pattern were provided, but the difference in result is all tho difference between mediocrity and "class" in this branchof the' game. I know the old argument is that it is for the man himself to see to his own weapon, but, after all, it is tho provinco that loses or gains by the actual performance, so it is only good business for 'the centre to see that up-to-date implements of war. are provided for its representatives.

The Wanganui A.A.C. was to have hold its initial mooting on Thursday last, in Cook's gardens, and if the number of entries received is any indication, the success of the venture athletically was assured, I'ifteen. entrants wore, to have turned out for the .1100 yards maiden, 23 respectively for 16 yards and 150 yards handicaps, 19 for 300 yards handicap, and 14 for tho half-mile, while the nominations for the longer distances and jump were of tho same order of, excellence. E. J. Williams, wire,- it will bo remembered, represented' Wellington m the last New Zealand Championships, was scratch man in the threesprint ovents,vand another performer was our old friend, Tom'Craig, owing IS yards in. 120 hurdles,.with-.a.limit man in 3 yards—a big task. ' . " '■•'_" "\

Tho first in the field in tho competition for tho Wellington provincial championship events is tho Nelson A.A.C., whoso delegate has matlo formal application to the centre for permission to place these distances tin the' programme of his club's meeting early in tho New Year.

It is persistently rumoured in Duiiedin that O'Kane, tho Otago sprint champion, lias run his last raccT and intends doing his athletics from the grandstand this season. For Otago's sake, it is to bo hoped that rumour on this occasion is only adding to her reputation for untruth-telling, otherwise the Southerners will bo woefully weak jn tho sprint department. . '. '

' P. A. Anderson, of the Civil Service Athletic Club, and Oriental Football Club; is leaving the Dominion next week to join the staff of the South British Insurance Company in Adelaide. This is a slice of .very bad luck for the C.S.A.A.C., as, in addition to his many qualifications to bo dubbed good sport and white man, Anderson is easily tho Club's best sprinter. By his consistent performances last season ho secured the coveted privilege of being allowed to start off back marks in sprint events at tho local meetings, and eventually won the Civil Service 100 yards championship at Christchurch, and altogether gave promise df developing into a sprinter of tho first order. Ho will Jio much missed in all athletic circles in the city. '

•Hector Burk.has struck form early in the season as is .shown by his win in the halfmile, at the Caledonian sports.at Palmerston South'on'tho'King's Birthday. Starting,, of course, from scratch, ho was clocked to do 2min. 4sec. without being pushed. Burk is reported to have announced that he will be battling for his province again at the Now Zealand championship meet, but will be un : able to make tho trip to-Hobart if selected for tho Australasian championships.

Mr. E. Coombes has 'been appointed sole, selector of the Now South Wales team for the Australasian championships in Hobart in February and March next.

Mr. Trombath, of Gore, who competed in tbo handicap events at the New Zealand cTiampionsliip meeting in Christchurch last' season, cut a very wide swathe through the programme of the Tapanui A.A.C.'s gathering' on the King's Birthday, winning the 100 yds. handicap' (10 4-sth sec), 440 yds. -handicap (55 4-sth sec), 350 yds. Bracelet (42scc), halfmile handicap (2min. 20scc), and getting second in the mile handicap (4min. 535e0.), all from scratch. Apparently the only reason ho didn't appropriate the other events on the programme, was that ho didn't enter for them.

The Wellington A.A.C. has decided to put on an evening meeting on AVednesday, December 1.1. with a programme of four events, two sprints and a half-mile handicap open to club members only, entries to which .will bo free," and a mile walk" handicap open. - Entries willclose with H. S. Robinson, Willis Street, and Kitto and Graham, Manners St., on -Saturday, December '7. Messrs. H. SRobinson. C. E. Bridge, and W. F. Larkin arc presenting trophies for thp meeting, and the following officials have been appointed :— Starter. Mr. T. Leslie; judges, Messrs. Robinson, Bridge, and Brace.