Amateur Athletics.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 135, 4 December 1909, Page 14

Amateur Athletics.

(By "Porte-Voix.") (Any notes or comments for notice in this column will be welcomed and should reach our office not later than Wednesday in each week). "Foster the sport -in our schools and colleges" was the keynote of a little speech of thanks made by the retiring president (Dr. Newman) at the annual meeting of the council on Monday evening. In that same day's papers was a report of a gathering of the North Canterbury Public Schools Amateur Athletics Association, held on the previous Saturday at Christehurch — a monster sports meeting of youthful athletes, boys and girls from '"under 10" and upwards, meeting in competition, to do battle for themselves and ior their respective schools. Thousands of entries, hundreds of heats, and huge crowds of the public. What an ideal children's picnic ! What a week of contention as to the chances of "Tommy" against "Johnny" in the sack race ! What excitement on the day — the "dark horses" and hints of surreptitious training in. tho back yard ! and the succeeding days of wordy argument as to what "Tommy" would have accomplished had he not had the misfortune to select a small-sized sack. On the occasion under notice the gathering was a more pronounced success than ever before; £150 was taken at the gates, which, after deduction of exponses, will be handed over to the children's ward of the hospital. Tho question is: "What are tho athletio people here doing for the children?" and the answer is, "Not much !"" I venture the opinion that a special children's day in Wellington, with a points competition between the different schools, would turn out a huge 6ucce6a. At the local sports gatherings run by tho clubs, it is usual to tind the solitary boys' event on the programme well patronised, and it is certainly not the least entertaining event of tha proceedings. At the annual sports meeting of St. Patrick's College Mr. Henrys filled in time between his duties as starter by getting off a series of boys' races (scores of boys in each race) and tho public enjoyed it. I beliove the public schools have a WSll organised football competition throughout the winter months, and it's a pity somo attempt is not made to follow the excellent example 6et by Canterbury in regard to the summer sport. The Petone Junior Club is well to the fore in the matter of evening meetings. On Wednesday evening they got off afitty yards and half-mile handicap — won ]fy J. 1). Fraser and T. Mould respectively. Another, meeting is announced to take place on the 15th instant, with 120 yards and mile handicaps. Writer would like to see tho Petono and Hutt combine in running an afternoon meeting. A South African professional named Donaldson recently made a name for himself by beating tho professional record of 1.13 over 600 yards, made in 1897 by that very fine athlete, E. C. Bredin. Bradin as an amateur ran the distance in under 1.12, as also have amateurs iialswell and Sheppard, whilo as recently as 1908 E. H. Montague did 1.11, equalling the American amateur record made in 1896 by Burke. Donaldson will have to improve, won't he? From tho Tasmanian association conies particulars of the two days' sports gathering to be held late in February in connection with the Hobart Tourists' Carnival. It is desired to get at least two first-raters from New Zealand, and a Bum of £15 is guaranteed towards their expenses ; others, apparently, will have to., pay the whole of their own expenses. It, as contemplated, Australia and New Zealand supply numerous competitors, the gathering should be an interesting one. "" Competitors in the pole vault, should note for future use that under a recent addition to tho rule a hole nofc more than one foot in diameter may now be dug in which to plant the -vaulting pole. The championship meeting for 1910 has been allotted to Auckland, and the only question remaining is the matter of date. Canterbury suggests the end of February. If the Wheatley-Davis. tour comes oif, it will almost be a certainty that they will be wanted to compete at the championships, so that "the date of their visit will cither have to bo regulated by the dato selected for the championships or the dato of the championships will have to bo arranged after it is definitely known that they are coming over, and the date of their arriving hero. It is about time something definite' was khown as to this visit — that is, if they are really coming. At the annual meeting of the council on Monday night, the financial question in regard to sending representatives to compete at the Olympic games cropped up, a suggestion being made that a small amount as oapitation fee be collected from club members, the whole to form a specifio fund to be devoted to that object: Going round with the hat foi such is likoly to get monotonous, and somo organised scheme is required. Writer does not fancy the present suggestion will meet with success, tho trouble being not the amount '

involved, but tho annoyance of 'having to collect threepence or sizpenoe from each member. One of tho finpst enthusiasts and supporters in tho history of Wellington athletic sport took the chair at th* annual meeting of the council on Monday ■evening —tho last time until tho genial doctor has more time at his disposal and some centre again pulls him back into exeoutive office. -A Wellington 6ports meeting without Dr. Newman would appear somewhat blank. j