ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 693, 18 December 1909, Page 9

ATHLETICS.

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■ ; . •;• :.■;./\' . >;- December 22.—Catholic Y.'M.A.A.C. Evening Meeting. December 2G —Wanganui A.A.C. Meeting. January 29.—Civil Service A.A.C. Mooting. February.— - Championships (Auckland). February.—Port Nicholson A.A.C. Meeting. March s.—Petone A.A.C-: Meeting. March , 9;-C.Y.M.A.A.C.; Meeting. . : ... "

-Intending competitors are reminded of the Catholic Young Men's Club's meeting next Wednesday oveniug at the Basin Keserve' at 6.30 p.m. The events set down for. discussion are 100 yards, 440 yards, and mile run.. . All handicaps and entries close to-night. As summarised. last week,, the' distance of the event won at Napier recently in linin. 59aec. by W. G. Harding was SJO yards, and. 1 not 800 yards, as stated in .the'-Press Association telegram. Harding must be running really well to do such a performance, , even allowing ■ for some degree of llattery in the timing, and, qn this form,'looks liko: winning the half-inile'chainpionship for Wellington at Auckland in February.- , ' ... ■ ■ Tho formation of amateur clubs in. the smaller towns is still being pushed along. Mr. J. F. Thompson, quo o£ the Auckland delegates to tho council of the N.Z.A.A.A., who is "convalescing" in.Westport after an attack of appentlicitjs, is busying himself in tho good work, aiid writes to say that ho has succeeded in. forming an amateur body,4ll the "black diamond" town.'■ Mr. Thompson writes encouragingly of tho-prospects of amateurism on the coast as follows:—; .'..■.:■•-. "I havo managed to form an amateur athletic club from the St. John Club who desire to be affiliated to the N.Z.A.A". Association. They have bean running harrier races 1 and ,an occasional _sports meeting , here, and last night I attended a meeting, and explained the auvantage»of being affiliated. They are very keen, are .young, and are amateurs purely and simply, only one or too having run locally as professionals. As no amateur club has ever existed on the Coast at all, much loss within 50 miles, these cases can doubtlessly bo treated as special. Their best man—a distance run-ners-competed professionally iu Victoria five years ago, but has now ran for trophies ever since. Tho memberihip will'be at least 40 strong and, as a finonew turf ground has just been laid dqwn •in vthe town,' they should llourish. The professional meetings all take place in the country and, as Westport boasts 4000 people, it should stand an athletic club or two. I am going to , make ! a.plea for further interest through both newspapers, and there is a possibility of forming an even stronger club, from another -section, of the ■athletic committee. They are Keen sports down here, and you: would be surprised, to hear of their desire for amateurism.; They are tired of professionalism and, of course, havo ■had no other choice in the past I am going to get in touch with Greymouth—the hornet's nest of professionalism—rwhero there is a chanco of iorming an amateur club; likewise at Hokjt'ika." , ■ ■■■'. At iiawern also a start has been made. Through the ageuey of H. Burdekin, who was, prominent on the local sprinting track last season and who is now stationed in that town, an , amateur club has'been set going. This is now tho second in the Tarauaki district and, if another, can be inaugurated, tho butter province will be ablo to set up its own centre and control its own affairs, as thj N.Z.A.A.A. rules provide that there must be at least three clubs affiliated to any now centre. . - . • A notice has come -to hand of another "Marathon" event, this time at Now Brighton. Once again is the name .'a: misnomer, as tho distance is only 15 miles. The contest is to bo held in connection with , the New Brighton gala, on the second day thereof—Saturday, January 22. The conditions set forth are as follow:—To bo rim in 5 laps of 3 miles each, turning at flags fixed 3 miles apart, on flat, hard, sandy beach'at dead low water; race to start at 3.30 p.m.; first prize, value .£ls; second prize, value £7 10s. i third prize, value, £3; a sealed handicap will be included with Marathon Kace: first prize, .vohib. ittlOs.; second prize, value £3; third prize, value It is stated on the ' notice, which is presumably official,, that this program mo has been approved by. tho Canterbury Centre. If this is so, tho centre has been very lax in not refusing its sanction to .an ■ event, tho ' prizes for which exceed in value tho maximum laid down by the N.Z.A.A.A. and the Australasian Union.; 'The .southern .executive.must surely be nwere.tlmt no prize exceeding .£lO in value, challenge cups excepted, may be given for an amateur event—vide Australasian Union Handbook, page 89. - • ..'■ /.