ATELETIC TEAM.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12679, 12 February 1904, Page 2

ATELETIC TEAM.

WELLINGTON. Thursday

Somc of the members of the New Zealand amateur athletic team returned from Australia- yesterday in the Warrimoo. Simpson is still suffering somewhat from his “vaccination arm.” Mr F. Ross, who was manager of ihe team, says the Melbourne crowd took very kindly to Simpson, and recognised the effort lie made to please them by coming out to compete in the Three Mile Race. He was, however, too weak to go for more than a mile, but when he retired lie received the greatest ovation accorded to any athlete during the meeting. Smith, of Auckland, who established a world’s record in one of the hurdle races, also was popular, and received a splendid ovation. These two are practically the first athletes asked to join the Australasian team that it is suggested should be sent to the big meeting to he held in connection with the forthcoming St. Louis Exposition- The question of sending a team was fully discussed at a conference in Melbourne at which Mr Ross represented New Zealand, and the final selection of a team was left in the hands of the executive committee. The question of whether a team can he sent is. however, largely one of finance. _ In regard tq the sending of the New Zealand team to Australia. Mr Ross considers that the executive were fully justified in the action they (oofc. Indeed tins has now been proved by the fact that every member of the team competing secured his standard cap and badge, in addition to which one member of the team achieved the distinction of establishing a world’s record in one event. Victorian and New South Wales athletes, who had attended meetings of amateur athletes in various parts of the world, declared that the meeting held in Melbourne the other day was the finest they had gver seen, 'Mr Ross points out that this statement' is no idle boast, because standard records were beaten in no fewer than 29 instances, and in addition one world’s record and several Australasian records were established. The New Zealanders found that the very warm weather affected them, and prevented their making a better show in the various events. Mr Ross and other members of the team have come to the conclusion that it is a mistake for a team to arrive a week before such a meeting during the hot season. They would do much better if they arrived only a day before the competitions commenced. This was proved in the ease of Pollock, who arrived only a day before the meeting, and was consequently less affected by the climatic change. Altogether the members of the team have enjoyed themselves very much, and they speak with pleasure of the and hospitality shown them by the Victorians.