ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 604, 4 September 1909, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

!; ' ;"!■•. ' -.'!' (By Mkbcory.V; .■■■■■'■■.■;■..•'■. '■ ''■•■''■: 'An'important, thbugh.usuaUy not the.most interesting, part .of tho proceedings at every; Australasian chainpjonsbip ilroeeting' is.> thq biennial meeting' of 'the. Australasian Union: This vcar'' the .-proceedings'■; werq; highly in-, .tefestm'g'.'. At'.th'e very outset'[when, tho. question of'new officers .was brought up," there was a slight "breeze"; owing" to tlie attitude , of the[ Queensland delegates,; who "wanted the .heacjquartbrs Vghifted, • ■' and consequently a: <iharigb_bf officers'." Tho matter'..iivasramipably sottledj , however, and -for th'p next'two years tho headquarters remain at Sydney with the ;saino executive', officers as' beforor-Messrs.. Qbombes' (president)j 'E.' S. MarkV (secretary), and Stanley Rowley (treasurer). .Wβ on this sido of i tho Tasm'ap''Sea-'; have; cpnaiderable i diffleulty in uhdorstanding why any/attempt should be made to phango .the .headquartorG'i ■ With tho oxecutiyo: constituted as it is, and" its powers limited/(so that it" is. practically nothing : but a go-between; tho afiiliated as-sociations),.Sydney-is'undpubtMly by far the most , suitable,'-place; in 'Sq.far.as it is tho :most central. : To' shift' the, headquarters 'would also'mean'lpsing tho spryioos of' Messrs. Coomhes,'''Marks,', and Rowley—a soriqus.'los's indeed'.;;%•; Cobmbos's yiows :hayq hot al;' ways' met with; approval bvor:hero,' but tbe experience'of twenty gorio to.show thiffc no pno'liashad tljo'intbrest of amatojir 1 [itliletics mbrp at heart than.he,"and t<).his [labours'".■ almost'.'entirely. , -is,due the floiirish.iug". condition' of tho' Union 'to-4ay! . \V : ■ ■ .During the piwt,t\vq : years' the executive' has been in touch' ivith.various foroign-bodies, gbyerning athletics 'with ; a view' to fbrming alliances. :. .The correspondence, was' dealt with "at'.-Brisbane, and it is interesting to noto that,''..'while.-the Canadian A'.A.A.', 1 and the. South African. A.A,A., were in favour of. such an alliance, the English Association de.cliiifid to enter!into any agreement.; .Tho re-, ply' of tho American Union was" merely..an ! acknowledgment.'■■'■■' '' .■','.'■■: ■'.' ■■ ■.".'■ '...On the'first day of the"coiiforonco'i'tbn. delegates asked for a list of , 'all reinstatements, ondorsed '.by;" the executiyo durinp: the past two- years. ■ On ,tho .secbml .'day! delegates' passed a : niotion'niaking';fit compulsory for every.affiliated association'.to. forward to .the board a, .list of reinstatpnicnta , mado betw'oon' ■ the ; mpatings: of' thq': boaril i Some <>f-tM : *fl.H"M ß '" f |''r*fayW i ''n a>| M\' <l M\

alleged to havo been peculiar, and -.it ie significant that tho only "noes" to the m<y-' tibn were tho voices of Queensland's two delegates. . . ■■'■■- Ilio question of trophies of increased value for Marathon races again cropped lip to bo settled pneo and for all. By soyon votes to two, , Queensland's delegates alono dissenting, it was decided to adhere to tho present limit of £10. ,•',■ : ■■.-■". '

The "Banner , ," which like its companion, tho "Ashes".in cricket circles, has dono duty for years past as the reward of. State supremacy, has gone out of existence-altogether, albeit that existence was at best imaginative. A shield' is to bo purchased by tho executive and presented to tho winning State at each meeting. It is to be hoped that'tho shield: will be engraved with tho names of States winning prernico- honours at'previous meeting's, 'i'his was done; in tho caso of the New Zoalan'd Championship Shield, which replaced tho old banner when the Centres came into 'existence'.' '."■■ ■

A3. a result of. tho board's deliberation a-cross-country championship is"to be held , be-' tween every track championship mooting, and the first contest will take place in Tasmania' noxt iyear. Tho idea is a good one, but so far as New Zealand, is concerned it ■ is no. great interest; because it is quite-certain that tho council will never bo so flush of funds as to be able to'finance a team of six or seven to compete-in this ono race; : ■-...- The cabled news that Walker will not inaka tho trip to Australia and' New Zealand came as a great surprise, as not very long ago both ho and Duncker. expressed their intention of visiting these ■ parts if invited' to dp so by the governing bodies hero. For the reason of the refusal, wo shall have \o. wait-till tho mail brings news, but it js just possible that Walker, after being in training for close upon two years, is wearied of running, and wants a spell. , . . , Hefforpn, who-was to havo .been invited to accompany. Walker, lias' been unable to resist .temptation in tho shape of a fat purso to induce him to turn professional. In all probability jostle's hacker (Rufo Naylor) was tho cause- of Hefferon's defection from tlie amateur fanks, as for somo months past he has been offering inducements to Heiferou to meet Norman Conway at various ; distances. \. , " ,'.-;'■■'■■■, ■'.'■ .■■■ ' ■:' ■ ■■

.'With' the visit of Walker, the most 'mportant business at ; the conference was: the qu<stioh of representation ! at future Olympic games. On tne motion of Mr. Pollock (N6w;Zealand), it was decided: "That the va-rioiis delegates, representing tho States and the Dominion hero assembled, pjedgo themselveis ,to . bring before their respectivo councils tho proposed formation of : Olympic councils in each State and. the Etominion, and', also - to, pse' their licst endeavours ■ i.o carry the scheme- into' effect; and (2) to report, tho result, of thoir. labours to tie Australasian r-epresontativo of tho; International Council." Tho -proposal is lhat' each State shall form a council'-to provide for the representation o'f v that Stato,.. not . only.'-.. ;'n athletics proper,..but in every, other branch ofvspor't. : Tins tho. writer is inclined to.think top ambitious a..' schemo.,' altogether...; For instance, it wpiild, he impossible to. send a football team.. to .'Cpmpoto in the football competition, unlessjS of : course, the' games coincided Arith. a-visit of a'.'-Now. ■..Zealand' team ;to England, wjien tho extra pxpenso: would' not;bo.'hoticofl..: Wo '■ have •npi/.-'.-pt proso'nt' (nor,does',there: appear any,likcli: nood'bf our having for somo time) aswiminer of ] sufficient.class to, send.i Home, and. our gymnasts. aro' probably not within touch of the Germans and Danes,- to say. : nothing of. tho. English/ .Outside' of. athletics and football, .-.boxing and tennis appear to ',be\ the orjly .branches of. sport' 'in-wliich.we ever produce "ariybnd'up 'to the class one; sees tit', Olvrapio games,', 'arid.it, is nipro than probablo that tlie governing bodies of these two spprts;;wonld-prefer'to act, by' .themselve3 in' the/matter^' It would be'better for. thai to"form an.Olympic-Council:;to s'eoto the represo'ritatdon of Now Zealand on tho athletic or;stadium pvents. Tliis council should! be''•'principally.-:opneeroed '. .with /the -faising of ' money." to: : send.: rpprosentatiyes :Epme;''- In: the "past,"-it hae been ■■. tho prac-tic!p-a sncces-sful- one, too—to : scour, the ■country for.Vsubscriptions v -fromj-the pub'ic. ,Th{sj, was' dorio when Smith and. Simpson sliips/in 3.902,' and 1 again "to enable Keri- arid Murray to'-.bo''se)it'to tho 'last "Olympic, game! , ; , ■' But'in':ifufnre,-it'■ Is-lplaiiily evident that 'athletes themselves ■rhust bear,a : fM» shafe'.of'tlioVcostibfi representation:', To -this -, end ['.'.'llercurj". ..would .'.suggest , that -.-/the codnoil of. tllo ,N.Z.A.A.A.,.mako a levy on clups'aißliated'.to'it of 3dC per, member per, •yoiir.'■■: At-a modest estimate, tho fifty \or'so clubs-ih. New/Zealand have.- a "membership of 2060','. and, from 'this number, an ihcoino ,of about £30 per'-yoar could : bo derived, '•eiisuririg. that at least £120 will, be as" the nucleus' of .'a: representation 1 fund for every Olympic games'.; Tho public would then bV the more ready to ;- subscfibo- ' whatever, extra amount might; be rieceiaary;'. • Tho clubs ..would" through this,: as all-.'.'tlipj would/h«y.e to. dowotild -bo to'add; Bd.;V onto each . : member , snbscriptipn, and surely .there.i? ; rio 'amateur• athlbte in tho Dominion , who 'noiild' mind. paying 3d. per -ytar 'toward ;seeing-his : country 'represented it'en Olympic gathering. /, ■ .',' ; " . : v ; ••■*;' : :.'-;'- , ' '■'.' : Tho-next Australasian championship meeting . will be held 'iu ! Now Zealand, .and' tho chances are' that .each/.'of tho centres .will ho tlamburing to secure the gathering at 'ts hoadquarters.•' .Christohurcb. (iii, 1896);■ -and Auckland (inl9ol)'havo : each had a meeting. i This leaves' tho ohoipe between Duncdjn.iuid '.Wellington,, and-tho latter,, partly because it is tlie headquarters..of .'t-ho association, but more , particularly ibeijaiiEe'-it ..ietho , -moat : convenient point, , : at ! wijch" to - assemble the Dominion's,representatives, should bo, tho place. .-The next meeting will, in all proba- ! hility,'.: be held- some time : botween, December 1911, and March/1912..-/.-,- ; :•>- ",."■■■■ "■ - . During' the present month ; local clubs will beholding their annnalineetangs, and already two of tlierii aTo busy/preparing reports and balance-sheets. V Tho Tort Nicholson Club, 'after.much...struggling, caused through•. iio . fault, of its own; : has almost,- made 'erids_ meet financially,"iand,.unless some £30 which isowing to it is gathered-in, it-will have a hard-row toihoe during the coming ..season. Tho Athletic Football, Sports ,Club—the baby of city clubs—reports a successful season. Despite a small membership and a smaller subscription, it, managed to hold' an oven "rig ■ meeting ; which—wonder of wonders I—reeult-od 'in'a/loss of no more :than/2s; ;6d., and it starts- tho'.pr«sont'iseason- with a,balance of aboutr£3.' ; , This is very' satisfactory,, indeed,' under tho: circumstances. •■ With one or two ■exceptions,, every activo member of the cl-üb; secured at, least .'one or'two wins during the one momberT-to wit the local hurdles and high-jumping, oraolt and Wellington, representative '■ three-quarter ' Albjn : Eyensbn— winning',;two proyjneial chaibpipnships ; and securing second places in 'the -same" events (120 yards %dlea\and hjgh junip), at tho ; :New Zealand "championship meeting. ".'.G. P. Keddcll is' seriously, thinking, of retiring from the track. His leg is getting Bounder every day,"arid he is confident he has not.yet reached: thei top':of. his form, but the pressure of business "will not' in ■him to strain consistently.', Keddell recently qualified as a barristeis and the "chances. , are that ho intends launching out -into-the"prac-tice of his profession shortly. '-• ': -/■ . ■/Of. M'lfnight, possibly Miles Dickson, will take "part in 'the' "crp'ss-couiitry championship of New : Zealand at-Timaru next . Thursday./ Dick'son,* H." St. A. Murray, W.. F. SiiripsonV D r . Hodgspn, anc( ,R. A. Sinclair will comprise- the Canterbury //'team. Dicksoh, and Simpson luvyq-'proved', their worth/over' a ; distance., but; it is certainly surprising';to spe-biir quarter^hurdles chambut in such a new direction as this. Before Murray took to hiirdlingho could run a good half-milo (ho finished third, in 1905 to AVheatjey and Burnett 'iii tho"B3oyds. New.Zealand chamriibnship, 'aud'; : a't'fCbllege, did;'.sbnio-marvellous-performances for ono of his ago), and the probability' is ho will bp- quite; able 'to' stay tho' distance.' 'With a ' strong team roprescnting':Canterbury, arid tho' , bjest of. Duri--odin's harrier, talent .'up against'th'em, the Wollirigton ropreseritatives' will need' to display better fprrn"than" ever' before to secure .&rst' place" ampngs't thei'teams. . ,',.." '

'■'There'is n delightful little luStor.v attached 'to-the broaking'of M'Kay's vaulting polo at;lirisbano. When tho bar was raised to 10ft." 6in., Mahcr,.' of Queensland,' ■■■ despite protests: from M'Ka'y that it .would 'break, insjated upon using itho New. Ze'alander's polp to vault with. At his first attempt tho polo nearly, bent in two, aiid -tho second timo. Mahcr'-attomptod'"to loVer liis.list. 71b. over tup bat;with its aid, .-it.snapped.'clean in two.' at one.'of tho. joints. Though ho still bad another tryj'.ijaher odlinly '." sat down iind watched M'KaJv'trying"to'ekar

10ft. 6in. by moans of a hickory branch, which looked; more like tho mast of a ship than a vaulting polo, and • (says H'Kay) quite as lioavy. M'Kay was urged to uso Walker's polo, but refused, as ho, did not wish to risk breaking it, and bo spoiling Walker's chance, and herein ho showed a feeling of good sportsmanship that has probably by this timo commended itself to Maher. Just heforo leaving Wellington for New Zealand, M'Kay was put to considerable expense getting his polo specially boundit took 4i miles of waxed string to do it— and bis feeling on seeing his favourite impleniont: smashed beyond repair can bo well imagined. Tho abovo is the truo history, of how New Zealand only; secured half a win in tho polp vault. • Tho Harriers' ten-mile handicap race at Lower Hutt last Saturday was in every way a successful" ovent, and' tho gratifying, response by members to the efforts of the club committee to popularise' long-distanco running nugurs well for' the fuiuro of the sport'locally. Not ono of tho -entrants. for tho race was deterred by the inclement 1 weather from putting in an appearance at the starting point, nnd all but two of tho fifteen starters completed the distance. Tho handicapping was far, from being perfect, but as .this was tho handicappers' first experience in adjusting allowances for so long a course, they can bo forgiven , their errors. A. P. White, the winner, surprised everybody by the manner in which no made uso of his handicap, and his performance in keeping ahead from start to finish was a creditable one.. Thjs runner was at ono time .a member of the Edinburgh Harriers,' but prior to joining the local chib at tbo beginning of the current season had not run for four seasons.. C. Lainbefg finished second, but; never at any. stage had any chancß of catching 'White. He proved, however, that over a ten-mile course he will in future have to.be treated'with. more, rospect' than over tho shorter ' distances.. E. S. Foriie, the third man home,, needs to pay tion to training before'ho can hope to*reach the first flight of-distance runners. ■ ,W. B. Bennett, was> apparently well-smited by'the hoavy going, as .ho left, his companion, on the scratch mark (Wilton) early in the race, and overhauled" five other competitors, finishing up with tho fastest timo to his credit. Those , is a possibility of some of tho Wellington men competing in the Civil Ser- , vice Harriers' ten-mile handicap at Dunediri next Saturday. ' : : .■ ~ '-, L -~..,;■

AUSTRALASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS. HOW THE NEW ZEALANDERS WON: ; ; ■..;.■ , (By .One ■ . The,first championship .dawn ■■ for disoUß•sion. ori.tho second day was the 100 yards. Jivo heats were; .drawn, .ibiit numerous; scratcnings cut the' number of starters 'down , until' the wholo 'affair '. could . have . been encompassed in;.onp .run. ■'However, for. the sake of tho public, the ."draw" was adhered' to. Nigel Barker (New South 'Wales) and H. J.. Fay (Queensland), who filled tho Ist. and 3rd places in. this event,at tho Hobar'i meeting,' were the only,.starters in the first, heat, and Barker strode home first in 10 2-5 : sec. ■ Tho next heat held somo: tenso :mo-i ments for. the Now/'Zealaridbrs, aa it was. oonsidered that if/Woodgercould got through' the preljmiiiary without ■ a /' . breakdown no; ■would be all right for,tho final run': and so ■it proved.' ',Four'started,' but.Woodgor had no ran home two yards iii front of ; Ellis. (Victoria) in 10 JScc,.: The final" was'i awaited with groitt' interest,.''as ; besides: this ■- event: being, tho Wuo ribband race' of/tho! meeting, it wasgenerally : re'eognised-that , ' Barkers long sequenco of vins'.was jii danger of; being broken'. Thijre was V dead' l silence', from the 12,000 Spectators':as the four men got on tho'mark.. BUis got under way' first, then Barker, and then .Wobdgcr, but at 30. 'yards;'th.c. Weliingtonian. lied drawn level, ■ at ;fifjty he. was'cleary and it was'all over.■ He ran outan.oasy/winner by .two' yards in lpl seconds;.;amidst,a-rqar of applause;-Fay was second; aid"Ellis beat' Barker/by inchos for third place. ,'Woodge'r's -'\vin'<was an,ox-.' coodingly one, i. and' it'. is' tho first that has ..ever beerr'-pbtain'cd>byi a< Now; Zea- r ; lander iii -this bvejlt':'sirice. ttio ■ iriceptibnVof! thMo' cliampionshipsiiv. , ?:ninii' iioipdiri ; •'■'•■ '■ '■*■ ■ Tho next'eyentvras the milp.walk, and. as, .in ;the 3-miio distance , : Ken , emphasised the'' is iii 'a.class by himself as. far as , : 1 Australasian ' walking is '.concerriedw'. , vßdfoM' starting, .ho had declared-Ms intention to his team. ,of. beating Bmin< 40; sec.: "At the, gun fire, aa if to 'help' him carry, out ,his resolve,. or else in'a vain endeavour to. break him up, the wholo field jumped- off '.the mark, with Corrigari: (Queisistana , ) in-tho; lead; andzcut out tho first-qv/srte-r very fast, at the finish of- which: Kerr. was lying, fourth, and as his timo' wa's..lmin. .30sec./ it. will:be seen .that the leaders'wero '-going some." 'Tho "go-as-.Tou-please-,! continued; for another half'lap, Kerr still lying. , fourth,, and, then, the; New. Zealandcr , apparently ' summed. np-.'the position, 'and, opening out, -ho'ripped in 'a'•hundred'yard, sprint that simply paralysed; both competitors'and spectators; aiid:.put him in tho lead.- Thereafter ho!was. never troubled, hia half-mile being covoreds'in 3min! lOseo., the three-quarter distance in 4min.' 6).&c0.,: and the wholo journey in 6miu. 33 4-ssec., : which reduces; tho Queensland record •by 25 I-ssec. Korr's exhibition was a.splondid one, though perhaps, his';gait in his' sensational sprint may have been open, to criticism., 'However, there'-was ho criticism, and all-the officials arid r tho public: hailed Kerr as tho greatest they had ever , seen.: Certainly, in bis two ovents, he. walked as well is over ho has: done sinco'hie inelusipn in '■ tho. amateur ranks,- and. ho ; doubt, .had he;beon"raocd to tho finish, , , could hpvo ent his tiaies ,dowhpretty considerably. ;•'■■■.. ■"■-','; . ■■ The 120 yards. hurdles calls . for,-' little description:' Owing 'to:se'rafchings,■■ it 'was raced.off in-one heat, and Kcddol),- the New , Zoaland, representative, ' romped.. in in 16 2-stec. from Malicr'and. Frawley (both' of Queonslaiid),,the only other-starters! .'Keddell "jumps 'in .the 'American, fashion, witb the front leg straight, and though;'riot, gracpful ovcr.jthe timbw, is very .fast'-'between and with praijitice and attention to detail-., is" capable off making a really fine hurdler. ; ..-"'. "'; '.;.-'■' ,'.'.■.■■ ;■' ;,-Ar' , .j .. :

.; The only; other event in which a Dominion representative . was engaged was the broad jump, , ; in which three were left from 'Wednesday. .These were Mpyes (Queensland),.Keddell'(New Zealand)),.and- Smith/ (New South ■Wales). The .winner' turned up '.in- Smith", who covered,. in his 'three- jumps. 21ft.' 4*iri., 21ft. ; 10in.; and. 21ft.. 4Jin.:" KeddcU missod his. first 'attempt,-and : then '"'into second place'with' 21ft? 3}in. and'2lff, 4iin.. while Moyes got 2\H.' and 20ft. Oliii! twice.,. Notes -on tho .remaining championship events, and-.thp mooting generally,.-w.ilj -appear later. , :'■":! "-■.;.. '■''. "■■','"*; , '-''-V; i •. ■