ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2162, 30 May 1914, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

[Br MEnerar.l

SOUTH AFRICAN TRIP ACAIN. The Proposal Not Dead. Some littlo while ago fo- %-as' anTtounced that tfhe A.A.A. of South Africa contemplated inviting a; team of representative Australasian, athletes and cyclists to compete at the various centres under the control of that body. Nothing has been heard, of the project for somo time, and it began to appear as though it had been t'lowed to drop. From South African papers, to band, however, it is apparent that, the matter is receiving serious, consiuerajion at tlio meetings of the Saijth African Executive; and present indications, are that an official invitation wilt shortly bo received by the A.A.N. ot Au'-trj lia and New Zealand.

What is Being Dom. In a recent issue of the "Sporting Star" of Johannesburg the matter is. given some prominence in aii article., .the following extracts from which ttill be of interest:— "At- a meeting of i'lift- esernvt-iyc committee of tno South African . Amateur Athletic and Cycling Association, tho suggestion, emanating from Western Pnjvifiee, .and sent forward by the Cape centre, fo . , invite an Australasian team of athletes and cyclists, to this country, was thrashed out, In faet ; a full hour was spent in discussing the pros and cons of the projected tour, Tho idea was/ favourably received, only the delegates 6f tho Orange Free Stato voting against -its adaption. Tho Transvaal, liad cons.eiitc.d by letter but tentatively promising to _ support the scheme it, in tlio ■ opinion of the governing body, the plans for sending a Sv-nth African team to the Olympic Gaffies hi .19i.fi would not be affected thereby, ; "Tbe executive committee did not. think that tho tow would adversely affect the prospects of the OJyiju. pic committee for the collection of fluids, indeed, tho members thought it wns quite.possible {hat tbeMsit of,the team, which is timed to tab place during the Australian c;!cket ' team s tour, would be of material assistance by creating a frowWM , interest ■in cycling .and athletic sport. And, though t'iio Fr.e:e State delegate opposed the scheme, a decision in favour of the visit- was come to. The association has i.nvto find out whether sueli. an Invitation _ would be a ccspitiui l>.y -ths Athletic Union of Aiisti-aksia, which is to bo approached to cot the team together, aiul whether : the terms which aw offered n-.c-i. tho requirements of that body. If the answer to this, question, .is 'Yes,' then the im Ration is to bis colifirmed, provided tlio m-cessa; v guarantee can bo found." The Bsllcrby, Jump.

The London "FieM.;" in an article on tlio I recent , inter-'Vairsit-S' sports, has the following:— I "itt had' been agreed to discountenance the. head-first method of jumping exploited by A. 0, Betlci-by, and a rule was for that jjii.rp.aso adapted, disqualifying j;iii:ps in. ffhieli any - part of tho body above the waist was the first to alight 011 the ground. 'Hm question at once a'rosfe whethe'r tb.G hands were to bo considered as being below tho waist, alii since they tW> employed simply to' break the .iunipa-'s. fall as lie camo driwii in a jialf siit-rag position, it was 'mistfered in tile affirmative." A IClliing Conservatism:. • This is a fair saun.lo of i.lic soiiservativo spirit that is fifting., and 'has always done, so nuteh to retard English progress in athletics. The r.rtu-le does not make it clear as to who badput tho embargo dn wllat is now reeagniscd as a perfectly legitimate, jinnp. We had an exemjiHScat.ion of a juniper alighting prone in. out late visitor "Itic' " Templeton, but-, iu default af further information, it is reasonable to assume that the University authorities brought about the ban. Tlio offcct of the derision wifl hs to stifle anv excellence—or any chance of attaining excellence, just where one would bo most hopeful of developing it—in ths public schools, and universities. It must ho recognised that, to com* peto with_ tho other nations on an equal footing. English atWotes must adopt up-to-dato methods. Sweden, Franco, Ciormany, and in fact, tho majority of tlio Continental nations who comneto at tlio Olympic Games, are working hard to perfect tho latest and most effective styles, in athletic, events —particularly so ill fie]J gmjies—and it is in the jumps where the result of this striving is the must ui.arke.d. C.a.n it be wondered at that tits English jumpers lag so far Jieh-ifid, with the examplo of tho universities before thun ? When institutions such as these—and because of their nifluen.ee, the public schools—bind their athletes don 11 to methods that havo-' been almost as obsoleto as they, are'ineffective.

Our Hammer Charftplotii _ W. •!. M'Holra, i ho and New Zealand champion I;amn:or-tliraw-er, lias boon transferred from Port Ahuriri to the tipper Hutt, This should, mean an i.nerfcaso in coffipet'i* tinn work for the big liaiiiiner expert, and a corresponding imp'rovernient iti his form. This seiwoii slimild see Mm displacing his own Australasia-!) figures from tho record booh. If JMlohn does not get tho 150 ferfc maik at a. inpaj meet next season "STo.-fcuFv' 3 will write himself oil' as no prophet. ' Send Boatson to Melbourne? Last season a siigges.tioi! was made Hint- New Zealand should he rr«!, s.'iuod at the. Au^ti.'ni Cliampionsliips, Imttlw id.'a irifs lima-Ji-ed tm» hite in ihe day to pmnit «f ;;nythmg being done. This \ P . lr event is to be rim off in Slelboimmi and the matter has been revived by ilto Otngo Centre, the p»'opQsit,i-is.u Iciptj that, failing a full team, the j^resnit ; New Zealand champion, ,J. !j !M ' OTil j m Sfiil.. At its,lnst, mooting t'iift sfiiiiljorn Mil re passed a strofljs Wmumwffntitm to I Ins ell eel. which lifis bmi fm-wnr.l-ed In the Coiiiie!' of tho N.K.A.A.A for consideration. Notes un the Harriers, | "Mercury's" Hawtar fco.wospoji.dct.iit | of the past tow 69'asoiis sends alone j

seme general notes which, dispisft the despondent note struck, will prove of interest. It is to bo hoped that- the season's operations will not justify our corrM].wntk'iit J s pessimism. He writes: "Although this season in the city tlio re are three Saturday dubs and one Wednesday cltib in tho Harrier field, the fact, is generally admitted that tlra sport in , the Wollingt.au Province, if KOt the North Island, lias retrograded somewhat, and as far as tho official.: of Iwrriereknw can gather the Mmpe. titien for the Provincial C.O. Cham pi'onship and. teams race will, a,s re (j,arcl,s Waw representation, bo confined wholly to local c'.nb-s.

"The sporty in the Wairarapa and Mannvatn districts seems to have died a natural death, the various ch'tbs, vis!.. M.asfcrtoiij Wi».lvilie, ami Palmerston North, being -practically moribuiul at present.

"As rcgiivds local dubs a noi-iocablo feature is the lack of new mert.'i'n airy groat quantity. Poor attendances among the three Saturday clubs are the tule. wliieh seems to indicate that pMsentalay. harriers aro not, as a body, as weatherproof as of yore. Small mnstefs are partieularly noticcobTe 011 wet afternoons.

".£« the matter of a centre representative team, this year, local clubs should show cc-nsi'lerable. improvement hi foot, as convenient training quarters liffvo now been seetifcd which wll give enthusiasts every facility for ii sound preparation without necossitat- ■ ing continuaTh training on macadam roads (a sv.stem which docs not alto- . jgetliftr malt© for the best i® cross-coun-try running). There is no reason why ; all active members should not take ad vantage of the training estabHshnieiit". and club offic-iaJs would do well if they endeav<mrpd to disestablish that old bogy that a man is handicapped according to tihe amount of training he docs, and not according to his performances and ability, This illusion lins ii.: the past hfien gieaHy respoHsihio for -monihers training en the quiet or not training at a-U." ro-day's Field Ea*'. Given fine - weather to-day a record, muster ot' eross-i'ftuntry runneri and their supporters should assemble at Clnf Honse, Mattd Bay, f-or a, eamhtaed rtw. Each club i$ endeavouring to oiit-num-ber the otherst The rtunour h.ae gone iuiat the ruu bo ior kinenratograph. purposes.' 7 jliis. should, be n i'urther hidncemcnt. as to Ifiaiiy there is. a.ll additional charm given to corftpKition when their efforts can be reproduced for their enjoyment. 01,1 the screen of a pirtnre theatre.