GYMNASTIC COMPETITIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12428, 18 February 1901, Page 6

GYMNASTIC COMPETITIONS.

fr ■ ,; to Tnr.'nniTOß. '; "Sir, —Most of the correspondence of th.<( St Luk'eites is biat.'ed, exaggerated andmifij leading. a« T ?ha!l presently prove. i he. WelHngtonians are superior, and did the most advanced' a.hdj difficult -work, and scored.for voluntaries and combinations en all the apparatus al total-of-270 points, the St- Luke's only fcorH ing 252. .The Welliiigtonuns also secured! ihi. ■' first, thirl,. fourth and : *fiftSj ' places in tbo grand aggregate.. ad<( mitledly surprised their opponents on .tliej vaultinc boi>e. nnd no one disputes their vnx\ on the parallels. In s letter in last "Sportsman," I have illustrated the,superi<j itity of the YVellingtorrians. on tlie ringsj (>r cnurfp. it is only natural for " GynmasJ.'jj ■:\i Mr Harkr-r to say the horizontal-bar I'ie most difficult, the key .to the other paratus, etc. Such statements are reaQyi confessions that the St Luke's are genuinspevformeis on the bar alone, and '•fakers "on the other apparatus. Do youi, correspond'jnr* class as elementary suciiringj feats ps fonvard and bickward somersaults away, dislocate and roll over upstarts dd the fiving, sivinginj; dislocation and ciibj , away combined,' pull ups on the -forward fcwing, and toe drops on both swings!! These arc some of the feats of the WdlingJ tonians. Wi.it more advanced did the Sfi Luke's do? ;. ' j Your correspondents are under some saii-\ apprehension. Tf the points awarded fori carriatre ar.d bfaring, and physical.conditioa and chip? organisation, which formeAonly 4| small percentage, wore disregarded altoge«* ther, tlie 'Wellingtornans would , still win! . with substantial surpluses. And hc-w many, pnir.V- do you imagine the St Luke's last fofi el; ; riivanjsa'tion.and discipline in the six cnmp r ;itioiis? Why, five altogether, a loss which'could 'not possibly affect the results.i ?\o military element was introduced. Thej brsf rriily to tlie rest of Mr Harker's insinu«i ations, is the that "Mr Harrison had no-< thins-to do with the training of the frr this touruanipnt. for he was, as Mr Har-j Ivcri knows, in Wanganui when they.wero practising. The V»>llingtonians did not* think the pubiic biassed, for net only dids their wins have the unanimous approval ofi the judge and umpires, but they received' more praise ncm the ]iublic, the Press- and Ih° other competitor;? than any other team.; "Who are "Gymna«l" and "Athlete," sndi wlia.f. do they know about competitions? I repeat that the excellent .style, grace, neat-! ness and artistic finish of the Wellicgtonians; were almost entirely absent- in the othetf teams. The laddejs actually did intend to' mmpete on the apparatus,, and are pre- 1 pared to go through their exhibition with' larger, or " regulation,"' clubs. The simply truth is, that the ladies out-classed all other competitors, and Avheu they began to swing,' it was time for The men to put on their coats, and go home. Mr Barker is in a dilemma,! and'makes inconsistent complaints; such, as that the judge was incompetent, the judging was too thorough, developing exercises were not included when spectacular' ones] were requiud, etc. Space will not permit' me to answer many other statement?. The tournam"nt having been decided by a judge of Mr Harker's own choosing, it is unneces-! jsary to hold'it "again," especially as there wiE; probably be'.similar competitions here at the' ead of the Tear. —I am, etc.. - " "WELLINGTONLiX. i