ATHLETIC SEASON

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 39, 9 November 1932, Page 5

ATHLETIC SEASON

Prospects Discussed MR. A. C. KITTO’S VIEW Centre’s Annual Meeting Prospects for the coining athletic season were mentioned by the president, Mr. A. C. Kitto, at last evening’s annual meeting of the Wellington Amateur Athletic Centre. Mr. Kitto referred to the financial loss which the centre had suffered during the last season, and drew attention to a suggestion which had been made that the centre should control during th coming season only the two Dewar Shield meetings and the provincial championship meeting, At the Dewar Shield meetings, he said, competition with Auckland or Canterbury teams might be possible. In moving the adoption of the annual report, he reminded delegates that everyone was passing now through what mignt be called abnormal times, and that the spending-power of the majority of people had been reduced to a minimum. They still had to round a long, hard bend before they could reach the straight. But he maintained that to drive away the general fear of the depression there was nothing like participating in some branch of sport. The lad of to-day was feeling the pinch as much as anyone else, and. it rested with the various athletic clubs to encourage such lads to enter their ranks and to take a part in their activities. ■, All clubs, Mr. Kitto continued, had had a hard season financially, and he was afraid that the coming season was going to be just as bard. Many members of clubs had been sorely put to it to pay fees, and in some cases the clubs had carried members on free of charge. The centre itself, he said, ■ had had a bad year, and delegates would agree with him that a change in their system was necessary. Lack of public support bad been the main reason for the loss, and the centre would welcome, suggestions tor putting its athletic meetings on a paying basis. ■ Finance was not the. main thing, of course, but the fact remained that the centre could not carry bn without money to pay, its way. * • ’ < , Last season athletes had competed for no prizes; and while it was appreciated that that was in the true amateur spirit, they could not be expected to go on in the same way indefinitely. Meetings Next Session.i It had been suggested, Mr. Kitto said, that the centre should control during the coming season only three meetings—the provincial championships the two Dewar Shield meetings. At the Dewar Shield meetings inter-provincial contests with Auckland or Canterbury might be arranged, and he considered that an Auckland team consisting of Elliott, Savidan, the best cyclist and the best woman athlete might be invited and might prove to be a good public attraction. Evening meetings and electric light meetings, which had been a success at different times in the past, might possibly be revived with success; but in that case it was unlikely that the centre would be in a position to pay fees for the ground. If clubs could make themselves responsible, it might be possible to obtain the’ use of the Basin Reserve at a charge of £l/1/-. After commenting on the outstanding success of the harrier season, Mr. Kitto said that there was still a certain undercurrent of ill-feeling existing in the ranks of the cyclists, but he thought that during the -coming season it would fade away. He felt sure that the cyclists would work amicably with them. ;And in that connection he regretted that very few of the cyclists were present at the meeting. This year, however, the method of notifying delegates of the annual meeting had been changed, and it appeared that some secretaries had failed to notify-their delegates. Notices, however. had in every case been sent. The women’s branch of.the sport was making great headway and deserved every support the centre could give it, Mr. Kitto said. , He reminded delegates that for the coming season all active competitors had to register before competing, and that this rule applied also'to club athletes competing at their club meetings.

Financial Position.

The centre had suffered a financial loss during the season, and it would be seen from the balance-sheet that they were down about £123 on the year’s work. Against that. he.said, they were owed sums of £l3O and £73, which were the amounts still due from loans made respectivply to the Masterton and Petone clubs. , , . In concluding, Mr. Kitto thanked by name all those who had helped amateur athletics in Wellington during the year. “I trust,” he said, “that the coming season will ba as pleasant as the past one, ami that the sport will prosper.” The adoption of the annual report was seconded by Mr. H. Rose and carried. Election at Officers. The election of officers resulted a? follows:—Patron. Mr. R. W. McVilly; president, Mr. A. C. Kitto: vice-presidents. Mr. W. H. Bennett, 'of Wellington, and presidents of the sub-centres; chairman of committee. Mr. H. McCormick; delegates to the N.Z.A.A. and C.A. Council. Messrs. R. W. McVilly and J. O’Sullivan: delegate on executive. Mr. F.‘ Bond (other members ex officio): honorary starter, Mr. T. W. Leslie: assistant, starters, Messrs. L. A Tracy and J. O’Sullivan: timekeeper. Mr. L West: local officers. Messrs. D. Paris and P. G. Thomson : walking Judges, Messrs. A. B. Slcvwrlght and J. Ellis; megapbonist, Mr. C. Parsonage gear committee, Messrs. F. Jones, C. Collyer, and C. A. WiUis: advertising committee, Messrs. G. O’Leary, J. Jenkins, and I. Jones;, programme committee, Messrs. F. Bond, V. Clifford, tD. Paris, and O. A. Willis; honorary secretary, Mr. C. A. Wi|lis: Jipnorary treasurer. Mr. D. Wilson; handicapper, Mr. C. B. Allan. Other Centre Decisions. Permission was granted the Wellington Show Association to include a number of amateur events in the programme of its carnival at. the show stadium on December 26 and 27. The events listed in the association’s letter included handicap races of from 100 to 880 yards, women’s 75 and 100 yards handicaps, mid high jump events for both men and women. The centre decided to suggest that events for juniors should also be included. • T Permission was granted to the Labour Day Celebration Committee to. continue its.’already twice-postponed sports meeting on November 26. Centre records were approved as toilow: C. H. Jenkins (Wellington), 100 yards. 10 l-ss.ee.; J. T. Fleming (Wellington). 440 yards, 50 l-ssec. At the end of a twenty-minute discussion. tile centre approved new colours for the Olympic club. The new tunic will be of a cerise-colour, and will have on tb fi front a white-winged “0” with a blaCk centre spot. ■ ■Mr. D. Paris suggested that the centre should insist upon two scratch races one a sprint and the other a distance race —as well as a boys’ race, on every programme. The chairman regarded the suggestion, apparently, as a sign of noconfidence in the programme committee, and almost before delegates had realised it, hud put through a motion substituting Mr. Paris for himself on the programme committee.