ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14888, 13 January 1912, Page 9

ATHLETICS.

THE AMATEUR SPORT.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

A meeting of the committee of the Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club was held at the Sports Clubroom last evening. There were present: Messrs. A. 1 illy (inthe chair), A. Plugge, A. Twinamc, P. H. Hanson, C. R. Robertson, J. E. lagan, and J. P. Jerrat (secretary). . The date of the autumn carnival was fixed for March 2. The club intend to place a number of championship events on the programme. ''■■'•_,' '-» ' Messrs. G. N. Hill and A. W. Dormor were selected to represent the club at the New Zealand championships, to be held at Invercargill on February 21. The club is unfortunate in losing two members of the committee, viz., Messrs. G. Donaldson and W. H. Moves. Mr. Donaldson, who has been closely connected with Rugby football and amateur athletics for some considerable time, has taken over tho Palace Hotel at Rotorua. Mr. W. H. Moves, lato of Kind's College, has taken the position of principal of the New Plymouth High School, and he will leave Auckland at an early date. Mr. F. J, Baildon has been elected to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. Donaldson's retirement. Tho Plumbers' Picnic Committee will place two amateur events on its programme for their, annual picnic to be held at Motutapu on February 3. R. Wilson, a member of the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club, who is now residing at Opotiki, is reported \o be something above tho average at putting the shot. Ho recently put the shot 40ft while training. SOUTH AFRICA'S TEAM. A South African writer, in: dealing with the Olympic Games, considers 'that it is useless for the colonies to send men who. are not out and out champions to represent them, and their representatives must all be able to do a performance approaching a world's record. "It is useless to send a pavement artist to paint a picture for the Royal Academy; it would do idiotic to send a 16ft cutter to compete for the ' Lipton cup; and! it would not be more absurd to send a hurdler over to Swedon who cannot beat 165., when there are four Americans who can beat 15 2-ss. for 120 yds. It would be equally useless to send, a half-miler who cannot beat 2m. for the distance, when there are a dozen in America who can do the distance in less than lib. 58s. However. South Africa (says a writer) can send a team of selected athletes which may possibly achieve more success than any other team outside the U.S.A., Such men as M'Arthur, N.0.C., St. Norman, and 6. H. Patching, could all probably touch world's record in their events, and at their distance, and each and all of them may. score a success." .