AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6492, 11 April 1908, Page 7

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

WELLINGTON CENTRE.

A meeting of the Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association was held last evening. Present —Mr R. W. McVily (in the chair) and Messrs S. Robinson, \V. Coffey, Rees, Barnett, W. K. Pollock, J. H. Pollock, W. Larkin, Guise, Muir, Partou, Keenan, Bridge. Tho Canterbury Centro wrote skating that they had voted against the proposal to change tho headquarters of tho association from Christchurch.—Received, The Nelson Athletic Club forwarded an explanation of tho circumstances under which they held a sports meeting without tho sanction of tho association. —Explanation regarded as satisfactory. G. P, Anderson forwarded suggested amendments to rules in relation to ham-mer-throwing at sports, and requested that if they were considered practicable they bo forwarded to tho association with a view to adoption-—Held over for consideration until tho next conference of delegates of the various centres. Permission was granted Victoria College Club to pay the . expenses of an athletic team which was going to represent them at the University tournament at Dunedin at Easter. OLYMPIC GAMES.

The council of the association wrote stating that if the Dominion was to be represented at tho Olympic Games in London in July nest it would be necessary for tho men chosen to leave New Zealand not later than the end of the present month. If a sufficient sum was forthcoming to send representatives H. E Kerr, of Taranaki, and H. St. A. Murray, of Canterbury, would be nominated. The expenses of sending the two men would amount to! about .£2OO. The council hoped to secure the representation of Mr Guv Hankins, a New Zealander in tho United States, Amd one of the fastest men living over half a mile or a mile. My J. H. Pollock moved, "That the Wellington centre is of tho opinion that Messrs Murray and Kerr bo eont to represent New Zealand *at the • Olympic Games, and that the centre devise ways and means of raising, by public subscription, half of the expenses involved/* Ho thought enthusiasm was sufficiently strong on this side of Cook Stilxit to collect half the sum required if the collection was undertaken in a systematic manner. Ho did not think there would bo the slightest necessity to trespass on the funds of tho Wellington centre.

Mr Coffey thought the public was getting tired of "cadging" - for subscriptions, and he was of opinion that the response would not be so greUt as Mr Pollock thought. Outside Canterbury and "Wellington tho support would in all probability be very small, and at tho finish it would probably be found that Wellington and Canterbury would havo to clcfiliy tho greater portion of tho .£2OO.

Mr Boss said that although Murray was a very good man he only had one event, the. 440 yards hurdles, in which he was strong, and oven in thtit he sometimes fell. Kerr, also, did 1 not have anything especially noteworthy to nis credit in the events ho had won, and he doubted whether they would.be justified iu spending such a large sum as that mentioned in sending Murrtiy and Kerr Home. ,

Mr Heenan pointed ; out that at the Games the hurdles would be smaller than those used in Australasia, and this would also be to the disadvantage of "Murray. Tho motion was lost by 9 votes to 4. AMENDMENT OP RULES.

Mr J. R. Pollock moved a resolution to the effect that, in the opinion of the centre, the ruling of the president of the N.Z.A.A. Council on 9th January with respect to section 6, of rule 3, as revised to 1903, was opposed to and at variance with 1 tho clearly defined meaning of such clause; that the Wellington centre contends that tho rules, having been altered and now rules made without tho sanction of a two-thirds majority, auy such new or altered rules are ultra vires; that, the centre declines to recognise the Sot of so-called rules iaf sued by tho secretary of the council, and dated January. 1908, and that the rules as revised to May, 1903, with the ‘alterations and additions made up to the last annual meeting were tho only valid and properly framed rules now in existence for the control and guidance of amateur athletics in New Zealand., Mr Pollock said _ the alterations that were made were illegal, and tho centals could carry on their business under the old set of rules, until a set properly and legally revised, was issued. A legal opinion from Mr H. D. Bell, K.C., advised that in his opinion the •alterations had been illegally made. _ Mr Coffey said the council had evidently come to the conclusion that the matter required looking into, as a special meeting waa to be held to go into the question. Mr I by man pointed oat that tho amendment that hnd been made altered tho constitution of tho council. The centres had been advised of any movement in this connection previously, and tho same should have been done in the matter under discussion. Tho motion waa carried without dissent.

THE OLYMPIAN GAMES.

special to the "N.Z. Times.") CHRISTCHURCH, April 10. There appears to bo no doubt (says tonight’s “Truth”) that Christchurch will subscribe its share of the funds necessary to send Kerr and Murray to England, to represent the Dominion in the Olympic games. The Canterbury Centre of the Now Zealand Amateur Athletic Association him been encouraged by receiving donations amounting to something like thirty guineas before undertaking the canvass in real earnest. Included in that amount are subscriptions of .£lO Ids from the Licensed Victuallers’ Association and Jo from the Automobile Association.