SPORT OF ALL KINDS.

Evening Star, Issue 11687, 20 February 1902, Page 2

SPORT OF ALL KINDS.

THE TURF. Egmont February 19 and 20 Poverty T'.av February 20 and 21 Woodvilie .' February 26 and 27 Dunedin ... Februarv 26. 28. and March 1 Tahana Park ... February 27 and March 5 [Gossip nv Old Identity.] The weights for the Dunedin autumn in...ling were declared on Monday. My l ~H . arc:—Hack. Medus ; Dunedm Cup, fV.p.pi'io. Caimio Chiel, and San Renin; nrxclet. Transport-; Publicans', Tsoritsa .md Oniak: Welter. Vandyke. Cant-en appears to me to have been harshly treated. At Wellington hurt month wlicu 'carrying 8.6 he was defeated by Blazer. «lio was conceding him 261b over six furlongs, and in the mile and a-quarter race with/S.O up he was a very poor third to Glcnoglc (8.5) and The Shannon (8.7). Now Mr Moss".-; colt is given 8.6 in the mile and a-half race and 9.0 over six furlongs. Complaints having been made by »?. Wootton and J. Williams with regard to the manner in which their respective hories <lsa and Clanside) were weighted in the Newmarket, the V.R.C. Committee on mvcsth'iition decided that it was unnecessu-y io refer the complaint: to the handica.pper. The Etvlish Jockev Club have notified the American Club that they do not object to the latter body authorising Tod Sloan to accept mounts in his own country, and in consequence he will resume riding there this vear. The Tasmanian Racing Club stewards on the 3rd inst decided to recommend the di* qualification for life of James .Hayes for, it was alleged, attempting to bribe the rider of Spartan to lose in the race with his own horse. Adjuster, in the running off for the Wilson Stakes at Elwick on Thursday. The jockey, Thomas Rouse, was recommended 'o disqualification for twelve months for snspicioTis practices. A leading French stable, offered a lump gtrm of £6,000 for the combined services cf the American trainer Wishard and the light-wehgkt jockey J. Reiff for this season. The offer was declined. T>e features of the Tnapcka meeting were ihe form displayed by Transport and a Naseby hack,. Lord Rule. In the Mile and A-half Trot the scratch hor>3, Ntrathmore, with a flying start, covered a half mile in Imin 9sec. The stakes won by thit mysterious mare Opportunity were ini pounded for a mouth, pending the completion of inquiries instituted by die D.J.C. at the instance, of the Alexandra Club as to ! iie bona tides of the winner. When the last English mail left there, had been a little betting on the Derby, to lo ;un on June 4. Duke of Westminster was ; decided favorite, but 5 to 1 was still :.',.; arable about him after 1.500 to 300 h.vl '!.•>:, bonked in his favor. Nasturtium, the ;i'c:iein bred colt, which left New York ■■l- .\ewmnrkct on January 1, Kinked as .1 Javorite at 8 to 1, and Ard Patrick ■ '•■ quoted at sevens. 'ih.; American jockel D. Maner, who has temped to America for a trip, informed a New York representative that last season re made about £7.500, and he is reckonim' vpim netting betweeu £IO,OOO and £II,OOO :ioin retainers and riding fees in England in 1902. At. the Southcotrrt stud farm Mr L. De KoUiscliiPi's All P,ay foaled a bay filly by Trenton on New Year's Day. This was the fast foal of the year in England. According to the statistician of the 'Austndasion Turf Register,' Go/.0, with £8,306, was the most successful sire for the first six months of the season, ended on Januarv 4 • He had 20 winners of 36 races. Trenton (now in England) is second wim £5,920, nearly all won by Revenue anl Wakeful. Lochiel's progunv have won £4,824, and Bill of Portland "(now in England) has £4,515 opposite his name. The Hawke's Buy Cup has this \-ear oniv ihirteen entries, and nearly the 'whole, of the candidates are locally owned. At Riccarton last week Dundas "allon-d up to his best track form in the Mid-um-mei- Handicap. The Press supplies rhc lollowiiig account of the race.:--'• A fulsome delay at the post, the barrier was, released i.o a good start, DnMas at once being taken lr> the horn. Going out o/' the. straight. Camiie Chiel was the leader.-, immediate- attendant, and next to him came Fulmen and Djin Djin. At Cutts's Dun das had placed a clear ler.gth between himself and Djin Djin, who had got to Can nie Chid and Enlmen. Passing tue mil • post, the leader laid increased his advantage to three lengths from Cannie Chiel. Djin Djin, and rulir.cn. Then, at a slignt interval, came Motor, with Calibre and Cameo last. Dundas was easily holding ins own when the six-furlong post was reached, and there was little alteration in :he order of the others, except that Ful nen had improved his place a little, i'ameo and Calibre still in the rear. Ah rotu.d the i<ip turn Dundas increa,sed his .idvantage, and turning into the straight he was hve lengths to the good, Fulmei by now being well clear of Djin Djin an'i Cannic Chiel. Gallopirg en strongly, the lender drew further away from his held at every stride, and eventually passed the l-o-.t with eight lengths' advantage of Eul-i'-.'ii. who was five lengths in front o: ' i ,n:e Chiel." Duwias's tirat*—2min \e.. has only been beaten once in this : c •: i>::e-iifr;i of a, second faster time. .Hewitt !:.|- i.'ddcn the last three Mudsunmier Han- ■■:■■.-.[' vv-intiecs. The surprise of the mcec-

:■ u wai tiio defeat of Cruciform in the ( liainpion Plate. The pair got away on luriu:, and for two furlongs there wa • nothing to choose between them, Cannie duel having the inside running. A little further on Cruciform got away from he"pponent, and led him by a length round the top turn and into the" straight. Below the distance the Yaldliursfc filly appeared t) have the race won, but Cancic Chid came well ur,der punishment, and gradually overhauled Cruciform. At the stand lie had got on terms with her, and eventually won by a length. The time—lmin Ajfsec —was the slowest in the history of t'u» race. In 1899 Blazer won in lmin 30|sec: 1900. Screw Gun. lmin 231 sec, 1901, Mensehikoff, lmin 29|.sec. The following were the winning owners : —Mr G. C. Stead, £500: Sir G. Clifford, £370; Mr M. Hobbs. £245; Mr T Sheenan, £200; Mr A. A. M'Masters £180; Mr W. George. £135: Messrs Lewis and Thomas and Mr W. O. Rutherford, £9O each; Messrs P. Campbell, W. Franks, V. Harris, ar-d E. Gates. £SO each; Mr C. G. Dalgety, £45; Mr J. Boreland, £25; Mr C. P/Mtrrray-Aviisley, £10; total, £2,190. The Porirna-trained Achillas, who siiwcd such brilliant form at the Hutt last month, srddetdy lost all power of his limbs last week, and it is feared that his radng career may hi at an end. It is not generally kriwn that Mr Solo mon's champion, Blazer, in Lis long racing career, extending over seven years, has only taken part in two meetings--bo, Ii at Onristchnrch—without beim: returned a winner. This is a great record, and proves that the son of Gorton was always what is knowt' as a "trier." CRICKET. There are two sides to every question—two to the case of the Englishmen objecting to play against Marsh at Bathtirst. Public opinion, however, u (says " Nocout" in tho 'Referee') against tho English mplain on the ground that the Umpires alone are there to decide if the bowler ihrows or trangresses tho law. The captain of one side in this cast) has no io say who shall or shall not bo in the oppoMng side, unless some such compact was made when arranging the match. The .•■tared objection lies in the fact that MacWin docs not. care to risk injur}- to any of his ni'-n. This desire on his part is ceriainly natural, for ho has already two prominent players on the injured list. But is there any greater than the ordinary risk? Sydney cricketers play against Marsh every Saturday, arid we dr. not hear of them being injured. Another thing, the Bathnm wicket is an excellent one of turf. Had Marsh been chosen to represent New South Wales against the Englishmen there won Id probably have been no objection of this kind raised. But were objection raised, it could not possibly hold good. The following is a copy of a letter sent hv A. (J. Maclaren to Crockett:—''lt ;s with .great regret that I consider it ncces-

sary for me to appoint Banncrman to umpire* in the match against New South Wales, you, to me and other members of my side, appearing to hnvo lost confidence in yourself. I have never altered my opinion about you that you are an absolutely fair and conscientious umpire. It is, therefore, oil the mow regrettable that I feel compelled to tnko this step." Crockett turned up on the Svdnev ground on the first day of the match", and was informed by C. Bannerman that he (Bannerman) had been appointed umpire instead of Crockett, It appears that the, non-receipt earlier by Crockett of the letter quoted is not in any way ascribablo to Mr Maclarai. The-'cause, of the trouble, so far as "Felix" in the 'Argus' can gather, is this: During the third test match S. Gregory, in playing a bail will up on the off side, chopped it in the slips, and A. C. Maclaren by it splendid effort effected what appeared' to be a very lino catch. Crockett considered that it was a case of "bump boll," and on appeal gave a "not-out" decision. Argall, Iho other umpire, and Hill, the batsman at the other end, agreed with Crockett's opinion. Another decision was that in which Crockett • gave W. G. Quaife out leg before wicket to Trumblc. Quaife states that he played the ball before it bit his leg, and so,' of course, could not be out leg before wicket. Granting that both the decisions given by Crockett were incorrect, it docs not follow that Crockett has "lost confidence" in himself, or that ho is one whit inferior to the Crockett who won such high praise from English and Australian tenms in bygone matches. Even Madmen himself, if ho. stood umpire, might make a mistake. It is human to err. However, one thing i,s certain, and it is that the action of the English captain will not in the least derogate from the high position Crockett has deservedly attained as an umpire- in Australia. The stand by Maclaren and Hay ward for 314 runs is the Australian record for any wicket in first-class cricket, the old record being 310 by Shrewsburv and W. Gunn for the third wicket of the Non-Smokers v Smokers at .Melbourne in 1887. The greatest partnership by Englishmen against Australians prior to this was 241 for the fourth wicket by Abel and Maurice .Read against the 1886 Australian Eleven at Kumington Oval. The biggest Australian partnership is 286 by M. A. Noblo and S. 'lO. Gregory for New South Wales against- South Australia at Adelaide, two years ago. A remarkable thing about the new record is that neither batsman gave a chance.

Other records have gone Hie record made by Shrewsbury and Lillywhitc's team against Victoria in 1387. when they compiled 624 (Arthur Shrewsbury 252], is now eclipsed. English team* have compiled over 600 i-uns in an innings against each of the three leading Australian Slates. Stoddart's first team hawing made 609 again-1 South Australia. Lord Huwke (Yorkshire!. Mr Grejor M-Gregor (Middlesex), and Mr H. W. liainbridge (Warwickshire) have been appointed ;i selection committee for Knglaod in the test matches against the Australians, with power to co-operate with other amateurs. England will probably be able to put a greaL eleven into the held this year, including/Jackson, Ranjitsinhji, Fry, Maclaren, Hay ward, Foster, Lilley, IJarnes, Rhodes, and Hirst, which, combined with the fact that Australian bowling just now is not great, makes us (says "Not Gut"' in the ' Referee') all deeply interested in the selection of tiie team to be shortly made to visit England. At the present time there seem to me to be about eleven men who ought to be certainties—viz., Hill, Dailintr (if available!. S. E. Gregory, Noble, Truniper, })iivi, Kelly, Carter, Howell, Trumble, and Saunders. From these and Poidevin, Hopkins, C. Gregory, Kermode (N.S.W.), Armstrong, Laver, M'Alister, M'Leod, Worrall t Victoria), raid Travcrs (S.A.) a very solid fourteen can be selected. V. Urodale has dropped out of big cricket. ('. .1. Eady is mentioned as a fa,st bowler for tlfc: team: he is, however, a good deal below the Jones standard. If the weatlu.r Ingood, the chances of a majority of the games being drawn are great. In that case, the Australians, not great in bowling, may receive as well as give some big j'cather-

nuntings. Here is a coincidence. In the first, match New South Waies v. Maclaren's team, in tii" second innings of New b'outh W;Jcs, 936 bails were bowled : in the tii>i, innings oil the second match a similar number of balls were sent down. In the first match the tutal was 422; in the second 432. The mud of Maclaren's team against New South Wales is ihe greatest on record by any English against any Australian team. The best, scored on an English ground is rhs 576 bv England at Kenniicton Oval in 1899. 'There is a feeling growing amongst- cricketers that the Englishmen are becoming a Trifle too dictatorial. Their acting captain, Mr Robson, in the match in Melbourne agaiust the Country Team, insisted on declaring his innings closed at the beginning of the second day's play, when the opposing captain (an old English University cricketer) claimeu that such a course vmdd he illegal. The umpires presumably knew no more about the law on this point than die Hampshire captain, who, insisting on his alleged right, and, being a visitor, was, in the absence of a copy of the law? given his nay. Now Mr Maclaren's attitude with respect to Marsh is ridiculed by Sydney cricketers. There is no ground, so far as

I know (says a Sydney writer), for I lie statement that Mr Noble litis not chosen Marsh because he thinks his delivery unfair. One is inclined to think that is n,,>; the reason, for it is not so long since Marsh was chosen by Mr Noble to play for the Next Fifteen against the Eleven.' Maclaren in the match against New South __Wales was butting just about four hours for Lis 167, and scored at the rate ut' 42 rims per hour. He did not give a chance, and during the whole of his inuings made hardly more than two or three bad strokes:, and only about one really bad one. Pie has played more brilliantly, "but never more soundly in Sydney. He was master of the bowling from start to finish, and played all his strokes with such exactness in timing and such ability in placing that it really looked us thougli he would never get out. "sx-xt to defence, the most remarkable thing about his cricket was the timing, which equalled the best that Eanji ever gave us in Sydney. Jessop made his 07 against New South Wales in 57 minutes. Ho hit Noble for three fours in one over. Quaife's score was 40 whsu Jessop went in, and it was c-± when the hitter left. The Tfawke's Bay Cricket Associatic-i have dccidcl, owing to 'he short time Trott's services tire available to the district this season, and in fairness to tho subscribers to the coaching fund, to notify the selector that Trott could not take pari in the North v. South Island match. it is also pointed out that. Trott not being a bona fide resident of New Zealand, he could not fairly bs classed as a representative player for the colony. At a meeting of the Hawke'.s Bay Cricket Association the president submitted a letter which he bad written in reply to a communication from the Wellington Associa- j tion relative to charges of tampering with j the wicket oj: tho second day of the Wil-bngton-Hawkt's Bay match. The substance of the reply was that the Hawke's Bay Association accepted the assurances, given, by the captain of the Wellington team to the Hawke's Bay captain that the grass bad not been cut; but at the same time they •vvwre of opinion, from evidence: adduced, that the wicket on the second day of the match had been tampered with, in the sense that it had been watered and rolled outside the tune allowed by the Laws of cricket. The letter also expressed regret that anv unpleasantness should have arisen between two associations with whom hitherto there had always been the best of good feeling and comradeship. The, letter was adopted, and ordered to be pasted in the minut>. book. Ranjitsinlqi has been interviewed on the subject of the success of tho English team in Australia, and frankly confessed that the pessimistic views which he held concerning some of the players were groundless. The selection of Barnes is a feather in the cap of Mr Maclaren, says tho Indian Prince, inasmuch as absolutely on his own judgment he took that player, who was practically untried as tar as first class cricket was concerned. As to the proposal to play out future lest matches, "Ranji" says: "I think it is impracticable. Personally I am

opposed to anything that lengthens the game and tends" to make it slower. Making a match extend over four or five days is bound to make the game slower, and, in all conscience, some players are slow enough now." The record of Maclaren on the Sydney Cricket Ground has baen phenomenal, despite the. fact that in 1890-95 he failed to net rims on it. His scores there were : 4, 12 not out, 4, 20, 1, 0, 142. 100, 109, 50 not out, 61. 140, 65, 0, 145, 73, 116, 157, 92, and 5—1.306, for eighteen times out. Ho has thus made seven centuries in Sydney, and altogether compiled eleven against Australian bowling—not one of them, however, on English wickets. A correspondent signing himself " Slip" writes as follows: —While looking through the results of previous test matches -between England and Australia- in Saturday's issue of the ' Evening Star' j. thought I would work out the totals of each side, and 1 got the following result:—England : Total in all matches, 23,324; wickets, 964; averase per wicket, 24.188. Australia: Total in'all matches, 22,737; wickets, 1,020; a-vc-ltige per wicket, 22.297. THE OTAGO-SOUTHLAND BENEFIT MATCH.

No cricketer throughout New Zealand was better known in his d::y than Charlie Frith, for whose benefit the Otago-South-land match will be played here next Saturday and Monday. A few notes regarding Mi Frith's career should prove of interest. Although rightly regarded as a colonial cricketer, the subject of our sketch was born on January 19, 1854. at Southgate, Middlesex, England. He left Home witli his parents in 1867 for Wellington, and in 1881 he was induced by Dr Burns, the godfather of Duncdm cricket, to come *o Otago. On his arrival here he joined the old Dunedin Club, replacing (!. Paramor, and when the Dunedin fizzled out Frith took an active part in its resurrection under the title of the Phcenix. In 1891 ho joined the Grange, and for three seasons headed the bowling aveiage. with ''Alick" Downes as a worthy second. Cricketers will recollect Frit-h'sVonderiul bowling feat against the Englishmen iShuw's team) at Chiistchureh in Jtb7B, when his bowling analysis panned out thus': 249 balls, 32 maidens, 51 runs. 9 wicker--. In the same year he toured the colony as a member of Mr W. F. Ncibon's term, which dele ited Nelson. Auckland, and Wellington. Dining Came.rbiirv's jiit.ereolraiial tour Frith's bowling analysis was: 1.009 balls, 100 maidens. 27t runs, 23 wickets : average. 11.21.' Or.-oro fit's! ..nlisted Frith's services on the intcrcohural held in 1882, when he. faced the Kndhbmm. and next vcar lift battled for tin- province against Australia, a contest in which he captured four wickets for 24. a fear which was emulated by a fellow-bowler—viz., llewat. of Oa.mani. Later in the season Frith bowled against- the. Tasinanian fain on the newly - homed Carisbroc.k Ground, winch, owing to the previous night's rainfall, had to lie. {lumped 'ln- bv the Caver-ham Eire brigade. Otago "easily beat the Tight Little Island by ck'ht wickets, the score being: Tasmania. 40 and 47; Ora<_'<>. 65 and 23 for two wickets. Frith handled the leather only in the second innings, whin he put up the" excellent performance of 105 balls. 14 maidens. 8 runs, and 5 whkets. "Their name is legion'" may be ;-aid of Frith's interprovincini matches in Maoriland, but he loves to dwell on the Ca.nterbury-Ota.go match of 1882-83 season, when our boys defeated the Northerners for the first time in nine ve-nrs. In this ma:eh Frith, with the 4cund ball, drsnai.ned Ashby. after a sound innings ot 30 odd. and wound np bv getting three wickets for 2 runs. In the second innings, after Otago had bowled Cooke and Mac.neil to a standstill, the veteran Irundler came to the rescue and despatched two wickets for 3 runs, thus making a total of five wickets for 5 runs—a truly phenomena! i:at in first class cricket. Canterbuiy en passanl was defeated bv 78 rims. ' Friih's best season's performance was for th- !a:e Phcenix Club i'i 1336-87. when he had the following wonderful avenge :- -1.625 balls. 121 maidens, 457 runs, 111 wiikels; avtia.ge. 4.13.

THE FMIMRING IXCrDKNT. With reference to the substitution of C. [ T).iH,craian lor It. CrocK, t- in IV luatc-.H i Ki)i.'!.-u,cl v. "New Souiii "\Yp>.-. Mr A. ','. i Mac'aven. 'n a let icy In the Sydney pnj pers, savs : '" Nobody regrets more than mvsclf the step ] hr.vf u:"'t hound t<> Uikc in ; ibis Ti.atL-l.i. even if every Australian j eiicketei is against mc. in,t stntimrnt I cannot allow to outweigh my judgment. Xo- : body will bo more p'c.ned 'ban myself to j see- Crocket continue to umpire in interI Ride matches :\nd L'ive sati.-jarlion to Ausj tralian players and spectators alike. I take ) this opportunity at reminding Au>trali.ms, | without prejudice, that ov, iv,-:: to hat was considered unsalivfai toiy umpiring on the I put of one of tin'. Ete/Ush imipiics in tiie : test mulch played in Xotl iugham, t!ie first \ of the last iivo in England and llie ! position of the Australian captain that the j .-:aii!S timpir-.: should not be selected for any other of the Australian matches, this umpire wa.'- mimcdiately > truck c<l the list of those ?ei?cttd for Austr;ilia.ii matches ! b\- the Committee of the Marylebone Club, j of which matter nothing mor;: was. heard." J COLONIAL v. HOME TCUGBY. Xew Zealand, says the ' I'all Mall Gazette,' seems to have realised the ideal of ' football. The game is a pastime pure and ; simple, and the s.iandurd of play is very ! hieh. Almost every town boosts as ma.iy j " Kuqircr *' clubs as the whole of ScoUaiid | or Ireland. A. representative of thai jourI mil recently interviewed Mr A. X. Fell, the j Scottish international three-quarter, who I attributed the advance in football of recent I years in his colony largely t'> the Xew Zeaj land public schools. Apvipos, of Wanj g.niui, i tie present champion*. Mr Fell ! said : '" i have never seen any sab" 1 show | such fine combination." Mr Fell thought I that foot bull was played quite u.i well in I Xew Zealand as in England, thai Australian football was not quite so good as Xew Zeaj land, and that a picked Xew Zealand team would hold its own with any liikish team. I Rugby will always be the garni' in Xew | Zealand. We are out-and-out opponents of | professionalism in football, aid for that ! reason, if for no other, Association has no j chance." Apropos of the back play, Mr ! Fell tints delivered himself :—"The urrangcI men! of the backs is different from that I adopted here. We play one scrum-half, j who always wohks Tin; si.'iif:,], and is thus, a 'specialist.' Then there is an 'out' ! half, a 'five-eighth,' a, centre three-quarter, | and two wing three-quarters. The a/lvani tage of this arrangenicjil is thai you get one i yood centre to make the final opening for ! ins wings, and you have a 'live-eighth,' who is good at breaking through or in drawing his meu before parting lo his centre. In this country, on the other hand, you have two centres, who alternately do the work of a "live-eighth' and a centre. They are thus not 'specialists'; and precisely the same can be said of your halves. This arrangement of the field accounts for the perfection to which combination behind lias been brought in Xew Zealand. Tue Xew Zealand forwards are famed for their dash iu the open, but are also exeelleut. in the scm.li). Each man has his ihed place in the line-out and scrnui. The forwards are good at handling the bail, and can pass like backs. Wing forwards are played in Xew Zealand, but they do not tend to improve the game." Air Fell thought that the Maoris were less keen than of old about football. The 'Fall Mall' man left Mr Fell with the impression " that we have nothing lo teach Ne.w Zealand; indeed, it would appear that we have a good deal to learn from our cousins down under." The time is ripe (writes our Loudon correspondent) for a thoroughly representative Xew Zealand Fifteen to come over and i'how us how to play the game. The number of good Xew Zealanders available in England to fill gaps caused by illuess or injury would render it unnecessary to bring over a large number of emergencies; indeed, a very fair team of New Zealanders could be picked from the Maoriianders at present in the Old Country. The men at Edinburgh, Cambridge, and Guy's would tako some beating once they got together. CLUB SWINGING. Tom Burrows, the club manipulator, was engaged during the second week of January ill one of his favorite " long distance" club swinging feats in the Waverloy Market, Edinburgh, where Mr .Moss's carnival was, in mogress. Burrows contracted to

swing a pair of clubs, weighing 21b each, for twelve consecutive hours each day, for six successive days, under the following conditions : —Swing at least fifty complete circles each minute without rest, stop, or artificial aid whatever. A small stage was constructed close to the large platform en which the miscellaneous programme was enacted, and there Burrows swung liis clubs from eleven in the forenoon till eleven at night each day. He made a beginning on Monday, January 6, and up to January 10 had carried out his contract to the letter, his graceful and dexterous wielding of the clubs being a source of wonder to thousands of visitors. CYCLING. At a Ballarat meeting D. J. Walker won the five miles scratch, with G.- Sutherland wcond and G. R. Morgan third. Sutherland won the Two-mile Wheel Race. New South Wales League, for which he is now a irember, has granted George Sutherland, the New Zealwider, permission to race in this colony in coming events. New Zealand League is not aniliated with the Australian leagues. Those who take an interest in the League in Sydney are living in hopes of the early appe'aranco of Major Taylor, the American colored wonder, or Jaquelin, the French flyer. The idea is for the Australian leagues to combine in the matter. The Federal Council of the leagues will meet in Sydney in May next, by which time something definite may be known about the visit of the foreign'cracks. Latest about the Morgan-Martin maich is that it is to be after the French style, three-mile heats aad no pace-making. At Boston (U.S.) Albert Champion made a new world's indoor record for the mile, doing the distance in lntin 26jjsec—'jjseo better than the previous ligures. ATHLETICS. In the half-mile race for £SO at Edinburgh E. Bredin beat C. Thomas easily in 2mm ljjs-ec. John Flanagan, the amateur champion weight-thrower of the world, established a new record by throwing the 561b weight at the games of the Eighth Regiment.

held at the Armory, Jfinety-foinrth street and Park avenue, New York, recently. He hurled the big missile a distance of 28ft lOiJin from a stand, and without follow. The former record was 28ft, put up by himself in Ireland away back in 1894. PING-PONG. Late in December the burning question which had convulsed the country for the previcroK six weeks was settled. Tile Pingpong Championship of Great Britain was won and lost. ,- Th© proud victor is Mr A. Parker, who belongs to the Hendon Club. Practically nothing else 'was talked about Imt the tournament at the Queen's Hall, and when it wa« all over bar the shouting the country breathed a sigh of relief. It is indeed a. momentous epoch in the history of our national sport. Cricket, football, tennis, shooting, hunting—all have been tried and found wanting, and doubtless our athletic youth will now turn their undivided attention to becoming pingists and pongists —that is, unless somebody can invent a sillier game. That persons can be found with enough nine to waste to institute a championship for thi-5 sort of thing is certainly astonishing, though we daresay soch a champion-s-hip is not without precedent. We believe that somewhere in the classic palaces of Whitechapel is to be found the champion o' the celebrated national game of skovehalfpenny, while the man who can drink most beer without falling senseless is still to be found by the inquisitive.—English

Anjemic persons not infrequently contract consumption or some fatal constitutional disease through neglecting to restore vitality to the blood. Wilton's Bovo-Ferrum fills the arteries with rich red blood and gives a well-rounded form and clear, healthy complexion to all who use it. Procurable at Marshall's Pharmacy, 86 Princes street, Dunedin, and of other chemists and stores. —[Advt.l Exact Location.—Mamma: "Johnny Jones, what have you in your mouth?" Johnny. " Nothin'." Mamma: " Johnny, you know you have a piece of pie in your mouth! " Jobnnv: "No, I ain't; it's ill me suunmict! "