ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1611, 30 November 1912, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

IBt "Mehcobt."]

MR. UNMACK'S MERRIE MEN. Monday-Civil Service Departmental Tournament, Good Man Gained—Good Man Lost. The big event of the week in Dominion athletic circles was the annual general meeting of the Council of the N.Z.A.A.A. Tho new executive, with one exception, is the same as that which held office during tho concluding section of the past year, the alteration being the substitution of Mr. J. H. Pollock as one of the Otago delegates, in place of Mr. T. Crouch, whose retirement was made the occasion for a well-deserved encomium from the president of the N.Z.A.A.A. Athletic enthusiasts will be pleased to see Mr. Pollock reinstated in the place he vacated on the occasion of the unfortunate embroglio that arose over the allocation of the Australasian championships last season, now happily a thing of the past; but at the same time, the loss of the active services of a worker and an enthusiast like Mr. Crouch is always a matter for regret. Still, there cannot be room for all, and the sport' is fortunate in being in the position of suffering from an embarrassment of riches in this respect. It is gratifying too, to know that the services of Mr. Crouch ivill be available should a vacancy occur at any time on the council. The Rivalry for the Championships, The chief measures before the council were the consideration of the' visit of the American athletes and the allocation of the New Zealand championship meeting. This latter matter was the subject of a protracted debate, the claimants for the honour of conducting the big gathering being the Wellington and Auckland centres. Eventually, despite the sturdy efforts on behalf of their constituents of the Auckland delegates, Wellington was settled upon as the locale, so our northern friends must needs possess their souls in patience for another twelve months. Next season no doubt the New Zealand championship meeting will figure largely _as one of the attractions of the big exhibition to be held in tho northern city. With regard to the conduct of the meeting it was not decided whether it should be delegated to the local centre or managed entirely by the council, and it is quite on the boards that this latter plan will be adopted for financial reasons'. Mr. Unmack's Corping American Team. This leads up to the matter of the American visit. _ As\has been published, the council decided to go on with the scheme on the lines previously indicated in this column provided that certain men \yera available arid that certain conditions are adhered to on the American side. The latest advice from Mr. Unmack, the manager-in-prospectu of the visitors, stated that Horine or Richards, Forrest Smithson (the redoubtable hurdler),. M'Ciuro (Olympic middle-distance man), and a sprinter to be selected, t were available. This was considered quite satisfactory, with the exception of the doubt concerning Horine, and this is the only point that requires clearing up before the team will'sail. In the absence of information regarding the Richards mentioned, the council has decided that the inclusion of either Horine or the giant weight exponentRalph Rose—is essential, and if either of these, each world-beaters in his own department, can come, tho visit is assured. Mr. Unmack has been advised by cable to this effect, and has also been advised that the tour must be under the official recognition of the American A.A. Union, and that it is to be under tho sole management of the N.Z.A.A.A., and that, no extension thereof outside tho Dominion can be made without the sanction of the N.Z.A.A.A. The Finance of it All. It will thus be Been that the New Zealand executive is shouldering the whole financial responsibility of the affair—no small matter indeed, as was discovered when this side of the. question was gone into. As far as can be calculated 'the i venture will cost very little, if anything, short of .£OOO.

In this respect the attitude of the council may require some explanation. It will be remembered that the affair was put in train through a suggestion from Mr. Unmack to Mr. R-. Coombes, the president of the Australasian Athletic Union. Jlr. Coombes immediately acquainted the component associations of the union with the facts—the idea then being that the tour should be an Australasian one.

For various reasons the magnitude of the venture did not appeal to the athletic authorities of the Commonwealth States—or maybe it over-awed them—and the response was not as ready as might have been expected, with the result tljat .there was some prospect of its falling through., Thereupon, the New Zealand Council, having looked upon the scheme and found it good, and with the permission of the A.A.TJ., took the matter its own hands, with the outcome as now set forth.

. There has been no intention at all of "wiping the eye" of the Australian associations, and it is still hoped to seeuro their co-operation, and that the tour will be extended over the Tasman Sea at its conclusion in the Dominion. It was, in fact, in hbpes of this that the proviso regarding the extension was inserted in tho cable, message of acceptance sent to Mr. TJnmack. ' '

As a matter of business it was felt that as the local authorities were accepting full responsibility, they should secure for themselves full control and thus obviate any misunderstanding with the kindred bodies on the other side should they desire to participate later on. This is only sound finance. Should the Australians want the visitors, they will be asked to bear their fair share of the expense, and there is no doubt at all that they will do so, provided their exchequers permit.

This was the position of affairs on Wednesday but. on Thursday came a cable from the Pacific slope that alters the complexion of affairs somewhat. This was to the effect tfhat the Americans will not be ablo to leave as early as tihe 11th December as originally intended. Naturally this has dislocated the local arrangements somewhat, and n. cable was despatched yesterday seeking full'information as to the delay and for; a definite statement as to what is to occur, and there the affair rests at present. .

American Itinerary in New Zealand. A rough itinerary has been drawn up which,' as it stands at present, shows that the Americans, after landing in 'Wellington, will be sent to Southland. . They will compete at the meeting in Invercargill, 011 to Dnnedin, thence to Christ-, church, with a meeting at Timaru en route, if it can be arranged. Then Wellinirton will get them for one meeting, probably Masterfon for another, and also, if possible, Wanganui. Thence to Auckland and back again, via Rotorua, with a possible meeting at Hamilton, for. the New Zealand championships—which, under these conditions, should be a meeting without compare to date in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Good News About the Basin. Tt is good news for our local athletes that the Basin Reserve is to bo reopened next week, and a resultant increase in the number of men in active training oan bo confidently looked for. Also, wo can look with equal confidence for a substantial improvement in tho times recorded in tho lap races, That bug-bear of our runners—the hill up the straight—will in future be missed, but not mourned, arid the great improvement in the rroing on the back stretch should be worth seconds per milo to our distance men.

Sniffing the Battle From Afar. W. A. Woodgcr is located in town again, and there is just a chance —so ho has informed "Mercury"—that he will bo scon .in action again this' season. Ho is keen enough, but the exigencies of his business preclude any proper preparation that ho gets the opportunity of saddling up again for there is no reason why ho should not "come back" and perhaps, after his rest, como back stronger and faster than evsr.