ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1132, 20 May 1911, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

(By MEncnni.) THAT STEANGE PLACE, OTAGO. Enter—the Exhibition Sports, The Exhibition Sports Committee has fixed Wednesday night in each week for the sports meetings in their "stadium," so, during the ten rafcs that the Exhibition is in being, our local athletes should be kept busy. These little meetings are lo be eonductcii on thorough sports lines—which is to say that tho walks will bo walks according to the rule-liook, that tho ordinary hack rules as to jostling, etc., will ba enforced, and generally that everything will be done to give each competitor a fair run. and each spectator a night's legitimate sport. 'flic track, albeit small in circumference—it now proves to be about twi-lvo laps to tho mile—shoi'.ld be fairly fast,<iud though circular sprint rores will lie found oat of the question owing to the sharp turns, tho distance racing should prove additionally interesting from being carried out "right in the public eye," to lo speak. Every expulsion and move of the runners will be easily discernible (even when they are on the far side of the track) Iroiii the stand, which runs along ojio side only, and consists of raised seats capable of holding 1300. The 50 yards football championship is aii-eady causing a. stir. Bath Kugby and Association club's have been circulanswl, and, in addition to tho inter-club coin petition, there will also be the inter-code rivalry to add to the keenness. Competitors must, run in their club uniform, excepting, of course, the boots, The tracit —a straightaway one for 50 yards—is of Xeuehatel asphalt, fo it will be necessary for runners lo use rubber-soled shoes. The first meeting is fixed for Wednesday next, May a By the way, it is worthy of note tno.: some of our local hockey players are inquiring in indignant tones why the executive has not put on a running event tor them. One prominent . hockeyisl saw "Mercury" on the subject, and intimated that a iicckey championship (JO yards) would l>o a popular event, and, moreover, that it would "fill" well.as regards entries. Seeing that, hockey L* a game m which sheer pace is undoubtedly of more avail than it is on the football field, thero is'probably a lot in what he wys. The matter is commended to the consideration of the Sports Committee. The Dour Province and it's Mis-kadcrs. By throwing out the motion lo rewind its "previous resolution unseating Messrs. Manyatt and Pollock, the Otago Centre lias lost its chance of rehabilitating itself in the esteem of the other Centres, and of the sporting public. That Hs original action was hasty, ill-considered, and altogether opposed to the spirit and letter of tho N.Z.A.A.A. constitution, ami inimical lo the best interests of the sport was testified to freely by every (porting writer in the .Dominion and Australia that dealt with the matter. In fact, even in Dunedin, only one of the two principal papers there—tho "Star"—was with ths Centre— which, considering that it led the members astray in tho first place, is not surprising. The other journal, tho "Otago Dailv Times," maintained a very fair attitude throughout—"nothing extenuating, nor aught setting down in malice"—and urged tho Centre to reconsider its original action, and to deal with tho matter constitutionally. But the wiser counsel has been of no avail. The Otago Centre has temporarily robbed the athletic government of the Dominion of two of its wisest and most useful members—"temporarily," because it is idle to think that the other Centres will allow these two gentlemen to remain in atheltic obscurity for long. "Mercury/ would bo more than surprised if one. if not both, is not returned to the council again at the annunl meeting in November. .

Tho Otago Cadre has also adopted the extremely childish diversion . known as "cuttingoff one's nose to spite one's face" in. depriving itself of the services of Messrs'. Marryatf and Pollock, and tho anliotfneeniDiifjjiofmt))? names of their successors Will' be > awaited with interest. It is presumed that Otaao will appoint theso successors to enable the business tho council. to be carried on. Tho position is that, although bv rule the two retiring councillors are entitled to hold office until their seats are fillerl again, in this case they have waived this right, and are resigning. The council consists of ten members when at full slrcngfli, but, at present, Southland has only one delegate sittinc, so that when Messrs. Morryatt and l'ollock retire, there will bo but seven, and it takes six to make a quorum.

1 .. The report of. the proceedings of the Otago Centre at its last meeting discloses the "nigger in the woodpile" an regards tho action of Mr. Barclay, the leader of the anli-Marryatt party. Thus the report:—"Mr. Barclay then save the following notice of motion:—'That this Centre take into consideration tlio question of consulting the other Centres ns to whether the lveadmiarters of the N.Z.A.A.A. Conncil should not he removed from Wellington.' " Further comment is surely unnecessary. Wellington Harriers at tlio Hutt, This week's harrier budget treats of last weslc's doings as under:—Novices of both the local harrier clubs were treated to a handicap race on Sntttrdav last, tho Wellington men at. Tlntt Park Bnrocourse, a.nd the Brooklyn members at Miramar. Tho number of novices in the older clnb is a rapidly diminishing nuantity, so only a small field contested the event. ' F. Pinckney rrfislKt] the good treatment meted out to him by the handicapbcts. and won out handsomoly at tho finish, by nearly the whole of his ffnrt from the second man. Up has an effective, if not a pleasing, style of progression, and should bo prominent in future distance events. F. Rnwherry made a big effort to make up bis start, but. found the winner too well conditioned. It would have been an excellent race if these two men had been placed nn the same mark. The third man home—J. Peart—will run boiler with more experience, as he has a very taking action as compared with tho other starters. Those runners not taking part in the race spent tho afternoon in training operations on the course, which is an ideal spot f° v barriers to disport themselves. No organised run was hvld, (he men indulging in sprinting, jumping, etc., as tho fancy too!; ihciu. Brooklyn Enthusiasts at Miramar. As against Wellington's seven, Brooklyn mustered, fourteen starters, who aspired to a place beyond the ranks of the novices. After'th« (rood rim of Byrne, in the combined finish of the. previous week's ontir.g, no one was surprised to find him in sole occupation of (he scratch position. Vet; he was too severely penalised, considering (he short distance, and could not get closer than fifth. To ask a beginner to give away starts up two minutes iu two miles' is somewhat discouraging to my the least. Tho race was won by Bristow, who had tho comfortable start of 100 seconds, with Coleman Cllfl seconds') some fifteen yards jff.iv, and Wilson (70 seconds) a good third. A younger Byrne gained first, place in the run-in held by the remainder of the pack at the conclusion of Iheir weekly run, bcalimr (he. club cracks, Murray anil Hon. who finished second.and third respectively. Evidently another enso of "running in the family." The "Picnic" Runs Tc-Day. Picnic runs will be the order of the day this afternoon, the Brooklyn pack running at Ta-ira, as puests of Mr. jr. Welch, leaving town for tho scene of action hf brake, while the Wellington men will held a>i invitation run from the residence of their captain (Mr. W. Press) at Miramar. There is but euo thing for each and every harrier in the eilv to do to-day, and (hat is fo turn' out with his rlubmates, and thereby show his appreciation of the kindly interest taken in him by those who arc responsible for to-day's invitations. Apathy at Auckland. A very despondent, note, comc.<; from Auckland, per medium of the Auckland "Star," which, in a re«?;t issue, pub-' lished tho following plaint :—■ "Those official.? of (he Auckland Amateur Athletic Club who take sufficient interest in athletics to give fho matter any consideration, are vorv disheartened over the present conditions of amateur athletics in Auckland. Speaking to two keen enthu.-i. asts during the week, they were very pessimistic as to the future, and re-

■ marked that matters athletic were in a very moribund state. Tlicro was absolutely ,iio enthusiasm amongst tho officials, and the hulk of the work was shouldered on to two or three of the willing ones. At the present timo wo have some of tho most premising runners that.Auckland has ever possessed, and it is'ii thousand pities that they ore not given more encouragement; The time is now ripo for a revival in. amaleur lor next year tho proposed exhibition is lo lx< held, and if the authorities woie approachcd in time, they would probably consider tho advisability of fitling-up a sports ground on tho exhibition ground." It is to be feared (hat there is a largt amount.of truth in this as far as the lack ol _ enthusiasm among the Auckland officials is- concerned. In Mr. Harry Fro?t, the ex-Sew Zealand representativcy front ranker, ex-oarsman of the Canterbury *)•<■>., and athletic enthusiast generally, ami who has been lion, wet.irv of flic Un ro for the past season, the Audilanders have an exceptionally keen and capable official. Mr. Fr<*t has worked hard to push matters ahead, especially in no (iirecuon o! forming new clubs, 'and i -ir •,, ? ", oc «' tln d in establishing oua at Lamiltnn, but, throughout his endcavcurs 1m has not met with tho support and assistant of the men for whose good, and n whose interests he has been workiirtlio young generation who would directly leTi°? I,artlc, l' fltioll ii amateur aliiIt is lxcauso the younger section ot the community shirks its share of tho and tired of the work that must bo dono o keep ho game going. In Auckland thg Vlling horse has been worked too Ion?. im,\l i° von te??\ that how ho is halt, "ig by the wayside? Vonuc of tiie Next "Cross Country," . In a recent Auckland paper the follow. i?f i$ P ?f S ," f-, report of the last meet. ? ? i , A i lcklnnd Cc ' lltrc ' It is com. mended lo he careful consideration oi our harrier friends —Sew Zealand Crni* country Chauipionship.-Mr. G. X. ITiil brought forward the question of holding tins years cross-country championship in Ancidaml. It was decided that the chair, man confer with Kugby Union author!ties as to whether that body would, with .tho, Auckland Centre, hold tho event in conjunction with one of tho Saturday mulches. In tho event of a favourable reRv, the cenlre. will apply to tho New Z-ea. land Amateur Athletic Association for the allocation of the championship t« Auckland.