AMATEUR ATHLETICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21919, 1 October 1934, Page 14

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

SOUTH AUCKLAND AREA NEW ASSOCIATION FORMED [prom our own correspondent] T . PUKEKOHE, Saturday Bports meetings are becoming increasingly popular in the South Auckland district, and new clubs are coming into being each year in localities which previously did not hold" a sports gathering, the residents having beecn content with visiting neighbouring sports. In programmes to-day, mounted events are being given a growing place and, while the Northern Athletic Union's rules form a well-defined basis of uniformity for running events, a code in regard to tho horsemen has not yet received the imprimatur of any governing body. With a view to obtaining a greater degree of uniformity in the district south of the city, a meeting of delegates from sports bodies in that territory was held at Pukekohe last evening. The president of the Franklin Agricultural and Pastoral Society, Mr. A. Best, was chairman, the society, which holds a sports gathering at Pukekohe annually, having convened the meeting. Mr. F. Basham, secretary of the society, acted as secretary of the meeting. Mr. W. E. Johns represented the Northern Athletic Union, and sports clubs represented were Mauku, Pukeoware, Ramaraxna, Glenmiirray and Bombay. The meeting formed the South Auckland Sports Bodies' Association. Rules agreed on were:—That where a competitor spends 3s or more in entry fees, his gate money be refunded to him; that vehicles be admitted to sports grounds free of charge; and that where a competitor omits to pay his entry fees, his name be forwarded to the secretary of the Northern Athletic Union. It was decided to recommend to clubs that all fences and hurdles for mounted events bo firmly erected, the tipping type of hurdle to be abandoned, and that brush fences be not less than 4ft high and other hurdles not less than 3ft 6in or mora than 3ft 9in. It was agreed that nomination fees for mounted events should be 5 per cent of the total prize money. Mr. Johns was asked to obtain from the Northern Athletio Union & legal opinion as to the liabilities of sports bodies in respect to accidents to competitors or spectators at sports meetings, and the benefits of a public risk insurance policy. It ww resolved to suggest to the union that it compile a list of approved starters of events, the clubs to make nominations.