THE OLIVE BRANCH IN ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 464, 24 March 1909, Page 9

THE OLIVE BRANCH IN ATHLETICS.

i AND A TRIBUTE TO WOODGER. A reporter interviewed Dr. Newman (president of those who had revolted , from the council sitting in Christchurch), who hr.j returned from Dunedin, where ho actixi 1 5 ii re J Plcs 'the championship eports. All tho centres—the governing v bod-ies--met in • Duondin on ■ Saturday night,' and though things were, rather unpleasant at first if all ' ended, most aat.sfactonly. Dr. Newman says: "It w at Kn«TilY ul> 0 - o ', l moEt sensible linos. Mr. Atack s council and mine aro to resgn, and a fresh election Jleld, every centre electing its oivii two tlelogates. This is to be cone within 30 days. She hcadqua rtcw of the new parlmment, of athletes f s re moved from Chnstchurch to Wellington There was general rejoicing. that all :"ffi« were a 2 ain under one umbrella.. Tlwrioxt ?""*?, moetiiißr i ? /to"be in Auekiaitd. Iho system of choosing' a tcunto Tißit Austrolitt for the chimnionS "t greatly improved: It is, refcrrej to a commil eo-onc from each ttntre.. Thi r fflf to'bo 020 aS satlsfactol T as I*;is.possible rf'As regards'the championship,", contiimed Dr. Newman, "it was the finest vet liciil in tho Dominion. Wcllihgt«n lost the ''■champion shield to Canterbury,-who •"produced a mngmhconf team of athletes. Tho competitors wcro such a splendid nil round.good set of sports. Guy Ifaskins, the New % n . and man, who was champion half-miler of the United States, is a • beautifully-built man—one of tho finest runners foyer saw. Dickson, tho three-mile ' champion ' runner' is new to Now Zealand. He ehould easily win in countries •utside New Zenland. But the bright shining star was onr m<in;Woodecr. V/e felt sure that h« should win the 100 yds. end the 220 yds. We knew that he was a fine runner,- but we did not : kn6iv \Voodc;ei-. Wo'odgor clcctrifipd, na nil. The way in which ho won the 100 yds, the" etvlo in whjoli lie beat his field in tho 220vds and his times were maiTellous'oir a hold--ing, slow track. AVoodgdr'is out by himself: not only as champion to-day, but the finest sprinter ever soon in . Now Zealand; Yns, I mean it, calmly and deliberatolv,:l repeat it—the linest sprinter Nciy Zealand has yet produced! I knew Hamptoii and George Smith. Woodger is far,- I'avfineV.Tho Dnncdih people were "at first amazed; 1 ond then they roso at him. Evbiyono" was' talking ' Woodger. It was Woodger, Woodcef all the time. "••■• ■ ••■■• ■-.'.■