ONE-MAN RACE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 136, 5 March 1941, Page 6

ONE-MAN RACE

Question Ot Recognizing A Record PROBLEM FOR COMMITTEE Should an athlete be credited with a record for a race in which he ig the only competitor? This was a question debated by the maua o emeut committee of the Now Zealand Amateur Athletic Association at its monthly meeting last night. The question arose through au application by the Otago Centre to have the performance of G. ,L. Austin in covering miles in 85min. 47 2-ssec. at Dunedin on February 15 last declared a record for New Zealand. The records committee of the association recommended that the performance should be recorded as a record. The secretary, Mr. H. McCormick, pointed out that the rules required that such a performance must be accomplished in a bona-fide competition, and a one-man race could not be held to be a competition in the dictionary meaning of the word. Mr. H. 1. Austad differed from this view, pointing out that an athlete in a one-man-race was competing against time. Mr. D. Mcherson said that the association in, past years bad approved 10mile records to Brown and Geddes when they had run by themselves. If three men started in a race, and two dropped out, Could the remaining competitor establish a record for the race? He was satisfied that the Otago Centre was of opinion that it had complied with the rules concerning Austin’s attempt on the, 10-mile record. Mr. Austad said the question was important, and moved that the application be referred back to the records committee.

This was seconded by Mr. A. Stevens, and carried. On the motion of Mr. W. Holley, it was decided to draw the Otago Centre’s-attention’to the rules. Teh followinfi record were approved: D. R. Blundell (Nelson), high jump, junior, sft. 10in., 22/2/41; Miss A. O. W. Hanlin (Otago), shot, 32ft 10 3-Bin., 15/2/41; K. J. Morgan (Otago), discus junior, 127 ft. 8 l-Bin., 15/2/41. Concerning the Canterbury centre’s application to have D. Shaw’s performance of 4.30 2-5 for the one mile junior on December 7 recognized as a record, on the motion of Mr. G. S. Leeder, seconded by Mr. McPherson, it was decided to ask the Canterbury’centre if it had a plan of the 440yds. track. Mr. Austad said it was time that the position was. clarified, as at present the rules were a complete jumble. At the suggestion of the president, Mr.. A. C. Kitto, it was decided to draw the attention of centres to rule 14. It was decided not to hold the special general meeting, which had been called for April 1, and to shelve business to be discussed at that meeting till the annual meeting in November. Artificial Respiration. The Under-Becretary of Internal Affairs, Mr. J. W. Heenan, forwarded a copy of a handbook on “Artificial Respiration,” published by the Department of Health in co-operation with the Department of Internal Affairs. “Th e Government feels that as wide a dissemination of knowledge as possible of the art of resuscitation' should be undertaken by all organized bodies im the community,” ho wrote. “With this in mind, it appeals to your association for support, and seeks through it to distribute to its responsible members copies of this pamphlet in the hope that .practical classes may be organized, and efficient training given to the greater part of its membership. A fair supply of this pamphlet is in hand, and further copies can be obtained free upon application to the Department of Internal Affairs.”