ATHLETIC TEAM FOR ENGLAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 9604, 23 December 1891, Page 6

ATHLETIC TEAM FOR ENGLAND.

Sib, —The time ia near approaching for the completion of the above project; in fact the only one remaining obstacle to be overcome is the obtaining of the necessary sum of money needed for the expenses of the trip. There ia every reason to believe that very shortly an active canvass will be made of the Christchurch public for this purpose, and I think the following remarks from the London correspondent of the Canterbury Times, which appeared in that journal last issue, commend themselves,and also at a very appropriate time. He says:— “That it is necessary to acclimatise a New Zealander before he ia fit to run in England was proved by my performance at the L.A.C. Meeting. Certainly I was not in my best form, but I had done about a fortnight’s sprinting. Yet, comparing my performances in the lOOyda Handicap with Shaw’s, the latter was a two yards better man. I used the new method of starting —on the hands—and was the quickest off the mark iu my heat; but even then ran a little worse than lOJseo for the whole distance. A New Zealand team would be very welcome over here, but it would be absolutely useless to allow the men only fifty-five days in England. They could not possibly acclimatise in that time, and it is a proved fact that men cannot ran successfully in England until they do become used to the wonderful vagaries of the climate.’’ This is the opinion of one who is well qualified to judge, and in the face of it, surely the public have no right to be asked to give further support.—l am, &c., THOMAS KERK. Dunedin, Dec. 16.