ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 104, 25 January 1908, Page 9

ATHLETICS.

(By Mercury.) COMING ' EVENTS. ' '' Jan. 29.—Civil Service ii.A.o. •' Feb. I;—N.Z. Championships (Basin Re..serv.e).\... ... V .. -' Feb. S.—Y.M.C.A. evening; meeting.' Feb. S.—Hutt; Valley A.A.C. meeting (Pi-o-viiicial.championships). • Feb. 29 and Mar. 2. —Australasian Championships (Hobart). j 1 Congratulations to Dawson on his "scoop", at the Miramar Carnival. . Four, wins and. a third, :-out-.. of-firo starts,- is a good day's work,- anil no ono will envy DaWson .: his good look, ,as his name does not appear..on the list of winners as often as it'might, con-' siclering what a, good performer and ■ liard : trier he always is. '• Fisher had: a try at tha' 200 yds., more as a' test for his bad instep than as a serious effort. .Ho did not forco matters:at all or take any risks, so. was not proimneut in thd-run-liing, but oxpressed himself as ; fairly , satisfied with • tho way tho injured member stood the strain. ' V- : '" Our' local.' candidates for ytho'xhampionships next Saturday aro all putting in steady training, but the hardness of- the. track in tho' Basin .Reserve is making tho work'vpry unpleasant. "In addition, to . this, many' r of th 6 nion, aro complaining ..of the difficulty of . procuring good rubbers, so : that even,'at-- this late -hour , .complaints' are, ;t'o>. bo.'.:heard of stiffness i and soreness: Goodbehere has?been ; rather ' out of • sorts : and. took' a 'coup]e;. ; 6f. nights' .spell, *bti P'lilrt'o" .secii" in. tlioir preparationyare .looking full, of fight... MJK'ii'y partioulirly is' showing go'Gcl form in his pble : vaiiltiiig pra'ctico,' and should .ho'able, to negotiate lift, without difficulty oil'the day.; • ' -'• '.' '■ '. Tlie'Hutt Valley jA.A.C.'s programme' is., ono that should attract 'a lot of entries from 1 runners, and substantial- support from the public. Tho prinpipal athletic features are the Wellington provincial championships. Six events aro open for compecitipn, including tho usual three sprints,, half-mile and mile inns, and. mile walk. Of course it.is hot to be expected tliat : these events'will, fill like the handicaps, but the class ; of tho cornpeti-' tors, and".the. fact of these-.'events;;?feeing! championships, should make them- big draws. The ;:ommittee has departed from tlip' vontional in the distances for the handicap events, - which any 50,''120;'. 200, 600, . ana 1000 yard?, and three milo runs,'and'a Wo-' mile; walk,' 120 yds.' hurdles,: ahd'lorig.and polo; jnmpjij so fcliat""all "classes'of pprformc'rs..are well oat6red_fprV,.v\-.'>; , \*i; The handicapping is being attended •,toby ilr. 'Fleming Ross; and entries close on January 29. Last week 1. mado a criticism of the Canterbury team for tho championships,.to which I now add .the following by "Sprinter," id'f tho "Canterbury Times, as being made ,by. tho man on tho spot;—Tho. selection committee has probably made-the best of a bad bargain in its ciioico of a; teani,to represent' 'Canterbury at Wellington on February 1. Murray, Orbell and possibly Do Thier can win championships in their respoctivo departments, but'l shall lie greatly surprised if . any other member of the team catches tho

'judge's ..eye at,, Wellington... . Moore and CJaughton, however.' may hard' improved since, their, last .appearance, and as the Wellington Centre is.just now.short,of a first-class, dis-

tance ■ it .is quite, possible .that tho 1 mile and .ttiree mile' -v;ill come to Canterbury. For some ■ occult'reason "De 'Thier has .been selectiicl, for tho hammer, but I,do not re-, mcmbor having seen him handle;, this impiement. Hois,' however, of a very strong build,' a ud may do well.' .1 should like to hayo seen, Hamilton's name amongst : the team, and ; also M' Whirter, ; of Timaru, the latter in ! nreferenco-'to Bass,, .who • has .notboon .at- ail prominent this season. I must not. forget Stubberfield'-s chances in the walks, for a" great deal will depend-upon tho judge's verdict' on Kerr's'style, whether the Canterbury: walker is successful.'' JJo.is'walkihg.vory. well just hqw,j and in, active'trai:i'- : ing, and with. Rowland out of,the;way', Stub-' berfield'•• is -vthb, '.liext, best- walker,to Kerr,-';so that it is just .possible that- hi> may score"l 2" points for. his lirovince, - ' • ■. In contrast-to 'the. entries received' at- tho' evening meetings': held by ,locil".clubs,' those attracted by a recent , evening , meeting conducted by the. Pioneer Club in Christchurch were surprisingly. poor. In tho quartcr-milo' only eight started, and, what is. worse still, only'two finished. '' The'mile event was an even poorer exhibition, only three, starting and only one finishing.' Tho Cathedral City has indeed fallen from her. old-time eminence in amateur athlcties; but why?. . \ * A.fß. Postlo will not, after all, visit .the, Dominion, as he has.received suhc flattering offers from 1 ' sports-promoters in Johannesburg, whero there is at present a boom infoot racing. He left Albany ■in tho White Star liner Runic 'on January 7. . Tho>Council of tho N.Z.A;A.A.-have voted £78 to finance the Dominion's team to..Hobart. This'is "sufficient for 'a manager and five' men, who are to bo chosen on the. form shown at tlie-chairtpionship /meeting. Three names suggest themselves as cer-tainties.:-TrHcndor.son. for.sprint, ovents,. Kerr for tho wallas, and Wallace for tho hammer. Tho other two inust be .chosen, from, tho distance, hurdling, and jumping departments, and M'Kay seems likely to ho' ono of thein on account of his all-round excellence. Keddell is rather.an uncertain quantity. just at present, but'if he strikes form- must be. considered, and if Trembath can ir.alse a satisfactory showing against Burke, ■ whom ; ho meets to-day in Dunedin, ho also is in the running.- . lis G. Waddy,. -of. the Sydney University Athletic Club, ,is tho new Rhodes scholar for New South Wales. Ho. is well known as a' capable distance runner, and holds at prosent the threo miles championship of his State. -