ATHLETICS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 144, 14 December 1935, Page 15

ATHLETICS

H TOUR OFF

WELLINGTON CENTRE'S PLANS

It was indicated last week that there was a strong possibility of the Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic ■Association regarding the Wellington Centre's plan for a visit by three New South Wales athletes to- Wellington, Hawke's Bay, and Auckland as a major tour. This attitude the council took at its meeting this week, holding that the proposed tour was outside the scope of the policy laid down recently for the conduct of tours by individual centres. The council also would not entertain a suggestion, made in the alternative, that, providing the three centres concerned put> up the guarantee money the council might perhaps run the tour. The view advanced against this proposal was that the council should not merely cater for two or three centres. NOT LIKELY TO PROCEED. In view, of this decision, it is unlikely that the Wellington Centre will proceed further with the idea of importing an athlete or athletes from Australia this season. It has been suggested that perhaps the centre would be prepared to bring a team over to compete solely in its territory, but questioned on this point Mr. A. C. Kitto said that he felt there would be too great a financial risk attached to such a venture. After all, apart from Wellington city, the athletes would only be able to compete in ■ the Wairarapa and in the Nelson district, and it is not reasonable to assume that the return from appearances at these centres would help a great deal to balance the accounts. If J. W. Savidan (Auckland) were available (at the moment there seems little likelihood of his even competing on the track this season) it might possibly have been worth while to bring Sheaves, the New South Wales distance runner, to New Zealand. But on the face of things it would seem that the centre would be well advised to drop the idea of a tour. ATTRACTION NEEDED. There is .need, however, for some effort being made to provide an extra attraction, and this could be done by inviting, say, N. F. Cooper from Auckland, C. H. Matthews . from Christchurch, and .L. McLachlan from Dunedin to Wellington to meet E. Forne and A. R. Wilson over a mile. If such a field could be got together in Wellington it should prove a draw card, and result in a great race, but whether, for'instance, McLachlan could obtain the necessary leave to make the trip is, of course, another matter. Apart from the Wellington provincial championship meeting in February, the only other big meetings at present on the card for Wellington are the: Wellington-Canterbury fixture in March, and the two Dewar Shield gatherings.. ..The idea is to hold the latter at Petone, but now that it seems possible that centre, if it wishes, will be able to obtain the use of the Basin Reserve for at least another Saturday afternoon, it, might be advisable to hold one of the Dewar Shield meetings there, and if suitable arrangements can be made have some first-class athletes irom other centres, such as those suggested; competing also to provide an added attraction. ' , . :.