AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Evening Star, Issue 23146, 21 December 1938, Page 5

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

OTAGO CENTRE MEETING BOOT TO APPEAR IN DUNEDIN The Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association held its monthly meeting last night, those present being the president (Mr C. W. Clark), Alessrs E. C. Isaacs, B. R. M'Kernan, C. K. Heaton, A. A. Cameron, J. W. Tapp, D. J. Dorman, W. A. Stewart, J. W. Johnson, A. R. Geddes, S. I. George, H. Bond, H. Sullivan, S. J. Bartlett, T. M. Brydone, J. W. Holley, J. S. Shephard, T. Allen, J. L. W. Gerken, C. G. Gibbons, and J. G. Barnes (hon. secretary). The Secretary of the Wellington Centre advised that the services ot a local masseur would be obtained and everything possible done to make enjoyable the stay of the Australian athletes, Gerald Backhouse and Ted Best, in Wellington. The coach, Mr A. L. Fitch, would also be available to help the visitors.

V. P. Boot wrote that he was looking forward to his visit to Dunedin in the New Year, and to his meeting with Gerald Backhouse, and that Tie regretted it was impossible for his club (Ashburton) to hold a meeting for the Australian athletes on a mid-week date,

Arrangements were completed in connection with the visit of the Australians to Dunedin, and Messrs E. C. Isaacs, C. G. Gibbons, and B. R. M'Kernan were appointed an entertainment committee. It was reported that the sportsmen’s reception would he held on Thursday afternoon, at which representatives of local sports bodies would he present to welcome the visitors. It was also decided to hold a coaching school at the Caledonian Ground on Saturday afternoon. Mr C. M'Queen was appointed to act as masseur to the Australians during their stay in Dunedin.

REINSTATEMENTS. Mr R. E. Dimick (sub-local officer for North Otago) wrote supporting strongly the applications for reinstatement of Messrs 0. Turnbull, L. Milligan, and D. Craig, all of Enfield. Recently he addressed a meeting at Enfield, explaining the aims and objects of the North Otago Amateur Athletic Association, and a fair number of new members were elected. For nearly 40 years the Enfield Athletic Society had staged a professional meeting, and the young people of the district had known no other form of sport. The general atmosphere of the field events in which so many of the local athletes competed was more or less of the picnic type. Those who desired reinstatement had an earnest desire to further amateur sport. It was decided to forward the applications to the New Zealand Council with a favourable recommendation, and also to forward Air Dimick’s letter. NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS. Advice was received from the New Zealand Council that March 10 and 11 had been approved for the New Zealand track and field championships at Napier. March 25 was approved as the date for the New Zealand junior and women’s championship. The 1940 track and field championships were allotted to Wellington, and the 1939 cross-country championships to Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay. COACHES AND SELECTORS. The Coaching Committee was appointed as follows : —Alessrs A. A. Cameron, J. Anderson, C. G. Gibbons, J. W. Johnson, and B. (R. AFKernan. Messrs B. R. Al‘Kernan, A. A. Cameron, and C. G. Gibbons were appointed selectors of the'Otago track and field team. GENERAL. Advice was received from the North Otago Amateur Athletic Association that Alarch 18 had been fixed as the date for the North Otago championships. B. Hart applied for a transfer from Toko, to Caversham, and H. Whitaker from Caversham to Toko.—The applications were granted, subject to clearances being in order. It was resolved to hold the Otago junior and women’s championship on Alarch 4. A committee comprising Alessrs B. R. AlTCernan, J. W. Tapp, E. C. Isaacs, C. G. Gibbons, H. M. Sullivan, A. R. Geddes, A. A. Cameron, and T. AI. Brydone was appointed to consider ways and means of extending the activities of the centre and of inducing larger numbers of young men to take up amateur athletics.