AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 37, 7 November 1933, Page 10

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Wellington Venue of N.Z. Championships VISIT FROM AUSTRALIANS The New Zealand amateur athletic championships are to be held at Wellington on February 16 and 17, the Wellington centre’s request for those dates being approved at a meeting of the council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association last night. Correspondence was received from the Australians, J. Horsfall,. E. W. Barwick, and J. P. Metcalfe, and the council decided to invite the three to visit New Zealand, leaving Sydney on February 15. Horsfall is a 100 yards and 220 yards runner, and Barwick’s distances are one to ten miles, while Metcalfe competes in high and long jumps and the hop, step, and jump. Mr. H. R. Weir, secretary of tlie Victorian A.A.A., remarked in a letter that Barwick seemed to be inspired with a new lease of life since his return from Los Angeles, where unfortunately he had not been able to show his best. He had last seen him in August, when he had brilliantly won the cross-country championship of Australia, and since his return to Hobart be seemed to have been indulging in an orgy of record breaking. He was certainly a very much improved runner since 1927, when he was seen in Wellington. Undoubtedly he was the best distance runner in Australia to-day. Upon a letter being received from Otago centre suggesting that the question of securing a coach from England be investigated, the chairman, Mr. R. W. MeVilly, expressed the opinion that there was a great deal to be said in favour of the proposal. Lord Burghley had contended that an exemplar was of great benefit to a community of sportsmen. Immediately a great performance was put up the quality of the sport was improved. The secretary pointed out that a coach could be in New Zealand for only about six months. It would be useless for him to attempt to coach individual athletes. He would have to be a coach of coaches. The council decided to refer the subject to the centres for their opinions. The following were granted reinstatement: —A. E. Lacey (Whangarei), A. R. Wilson (Whangarei), R. Whittle (Whakatane), G. S. Akroyds (Whakatane), E. J. Robertson (Rotorua), I. E. Symes, (Whangarei), and O.- L. Davies (Taneatua). Applications from the following were declined:—W. M. White (Hawcra) and V. Barratt (Blenheim). White singlet with a blue A and blue pants were approved as the. colours for Auckland. As it was the last meeting of the council’s year a toast list was honoured at the conclusion, speakers farewelling Mr. C. B. Allan, who has not been re-elected, and the delegates from the Cycling Council, Messrs. C. W. McConehie and G. Harrison, who, as a result of a motion by which the N.Z.A.A.A. renounced control of cycling, will not continue to attend the meetings.