NEW ZEALAND ATHLETIC TEAM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9026, 3 November 1892, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND ATHLETIC TEAM.

A CHAT WITH MANAGER CUFF. " Vaulter" writes as follows in the Christchurch Referee:—Mr. L. A. Cuff, who went to England as manager of the team of athletes, returned to the colony last week in the lonic, which arrived in Wellington on the 18th October. Mr. Cuff transhipped to the 5.3. Tafcapuna, and reached Christchurch on Thursday morning. Shortly after his arrival I had an interview with him, with the following result:— " Now that you are home again, Mr. Cuff, I should like to have the impressions you formed of athletic matters in England. Did you expect your men to do better than they have done ? "Yes," he said, "I certainly did, especially Hempton. But the men had bad luck, both Wood and Hempton breaking down, the former hopelessly. The sprinter, although patched up for the championship meeting, broke down again in his heat. Wood ruptured a muscle at the back of his thigh, and, strange to say, Hempton went in the same place, although his was not of such a severe nature as Wood's. Both were under medical treatment before the championship meeting, and the doctor thought he had got Hempton all right, but he was mistaken. Batger was unfortunate enough to contract a bad cold just before the championship meeting, and he was so sore that he could not bear to be rubbed down by his trainer." " What did you think of the champion sprinter, Bradley? Do you consider that, both, fit and well, he could always beat Hempcon ?" " Mr. Bradley is a very fine sprinter indeed, in my opiuion. His performances sneak for themselves, but still I think, both fit and well, that Hempton is the faster of the two up to 100 yards. Hempton does not get off the mark so smartly as Bradley, but I fancy gets into his running rather quicker. At 120 yards Bradley is rather the better man of the two." j

" How do you compare Bulger, Shaw, and Batger?" " Well, all fit and well, I really do not think, from what I have seen, that there is really anything between the trio over the 120 yards hurdles. In my opinion,. under the most favourable circumstances as to ground and weather, they can each break 16 sees. Shaw has undoubtedly improved in the scratch 120 yards hurdles since I saw him run here, and his performance the other day at Ha van t, where he ran the 120 yards over ten hurdles 3ft Bin high in 154-sth sec— timed too by men who were undoubtedly reliable watch holders—was truly a magnificent one. It was extremely hard lines for him to find on measuring the course that it was a yard short, in consequence of which he will of course not be allowed the much-coveted record. It must be mentioned that Batger was never at his beat while in England." " Do you consider the change in climate affected any of you ?" "1 think the long voyage home affected them more probably than the climate of the country. If we had been able to indulge in a month's walking before starting our running practice I don't think we should have been troubled much with the climate, which we did not find so very different from what we were accustomed to. I have come to this conclusion— England on one of the real summer days, given a track in good order, you can run every bit a3 fast as you would in New Zealand. But you get so many bad days, with a close and dull atmos phere, so that New Zealanders are bound to feel the change when running. In New Zea laud our summer weather is almost invariably favourable to fast times. I am referring mora to sprinting than distance running. England certainly seems to be the home of distance runners.

" By-the-way, I see the last Field admits that the statements of ' Or.e of the Team' in the Weekly Press that the ' average British amateur is an awful scrub,' and his other condemnatory remarks are too true. What is your impression of the standard of amateur athletics in England?" " I must say I was disappointed with the general standard of amateur athletics in England. I find, and it is generally admitted, that the majority of men running make, or attempt to make, their living by it. The idea of running for sport never seems to enter their head. I fancy this is due to the valuable trophies Riven, and the large arnouut of open betting that is rampant at most of the meetiugs, in spite of the stringent laws of the Association. In fact, many men I have no doubt would have gone into professionalism pure and simple, if they did not find it more profitable to run as amateurs. Of course, there are very many notable exceptions, such as the 'Varsity runners, London Athletic Club men, and leading members of man ot the prominent clubs." "Do you know whether the English Association will send a team out to New Zealand as a return for your visit?" "I don't think it is at all likely, from what I have heard, at least not for some seasons. There are many difficulties in the way of the English Association sending a team of men they would like out to the colony." In answer to a question relating to the management of English meetiugs, Mr. Cuff said : —" With the exception of only perhaps a couple of the fixtures I attended, I cannot say that New Zealand is behind them in the conduct and general management of meetings. I saw no track better than that at Lancaster Park, and I consider that the Auckland Donfiiin grass track at its best is superior to the English grass paths, and quite equal for running purposes to any of the cinder tracks. I was rather surprised to find so many English meetiugs held on the grass. As to ' wrinkles,' I am glad to say I have been able to obtain a large amount of useful information from Mr. Herbert, which will no doubt be of use to the New Zealaud Association in the general management of athletics. As to handicapping, I recognise that English haudicappers have a very difficult task to perform, and the way in which they bring the large number of competitors together is really very creditable."