(AMATEUR.)

NZ Truth, Issue 83, 19 January 1907, Page 3

(AMATEUR.)

(By Centraj)

Some members of the Wellington Centre evinced a disposition at last week's meeting to launch out thoroughly m the matter of prize money, quite oblivious to the fact that the New Year's meeting was engineered for the express purpose of replenishing the Centre's treasury m ord'sr that the Capital City might be fully represented at the championship meeting m Christchurch next month. The funds of the Centre have been at the lowest possible ebb since it came into operation, and it was hardly fair to expect its executive officers to be saddled with the burdensome responsibility of directing the alTairs of a practically bankrupt institution. When Ihe Centre has a chance of raking m thirty or forty golden "quids" two or three delegates, if you please, want to bring the "scatter cash" policy into prominence. Their troubles on conserving the interests of the Centre so lcn<r, as contestants' wants are calrefullv attended to.

It is, however, pleasing to note that a strong speech from Mr Jack Pollock, backed up by Billie Coftey, had the -effect of reconciling the majority to the necessity for economy m the matter of prize money, and the would-be "squanderers" were very wiseb' s-ouekhed.

Of the Wellington team which competed m .the first Civil Service championship mee-tinp; m" Christchurch re'cenfclv. a Dunedin writer says :—Wellinsrtbn had a solid team, and excell|ed m x tlie . distances. Will-on is a good runner, and should l>e m ewd'-nre at the championship meeting mi n February. To- the Empire City belongs the credit of ujiParihiri'- •Hub-bard, who : looks like the winner of the New j 'Zealand' Champion- h ; n Lonr Jump. Itbis year. Fub'bard is a "V -londid jumper, 1 takes the loan? faultlessly, •and will, it is certain, clpar well over ■i. 2iit. . •■'..•.•

It has been ,<leTnHely decid- d that the, next Ohinnian Games shall ta'^e m London Ui Juh\ li; (!■.;. j his set- of Ohiiijijp.n C-.'aines are those decided >by the mi* maiicm^T committee, the president of v..h>ch is Baron Ejf'rre de Couboi.tin.

I .Mr .-V... Marryatt. iuesuknt of the : Otago Centre pf..ihß N.Z.A.A.A., who j was ;n-ej,en'i • at: -the, Civil Service I chain pi otiship : meeting ' held' m Christ--1 church, was greatly impressed .with { Hubbaid. the: Wellington athlete," who \ per formed J Jos o creditably m ihe Long I Jump Mr/ Marryatt states ihat riub- , bard, who'' is- quite a youth, is a : natural juniper, and is certain to i add inches to;' ills laieaU eiiort. 5 "Arria|4eur" (Otago '-'Witness",) thinks that I sliquld Keddell be unable to take part •m the- chain p'ionainp \meet>insr at ; Christchurch, liubbard is the athlete ; most likely to annexe the New Zealand ion?:. Jump Championship for J1907. ■'.-.•■

With regard to Percy Champion lowering the Australian record for 120 yds over luudles by covering the distance m 15 ]>s«cc. *\ hich is said to be equal to the' world's best, Eastern critics look • askance afc Buhbury records after-; Da^'s reported 300 yds m 29secs. Every thine: depends on\ the number of 'flights and their height. If there were' ten fli.'hts 3ft 6in high, then i 5 l.{>sec. equals A. C. Krarn/.lfin's world's record.

The proofs' n k insl t'hampicn-' ship meeting of the South African A A. A., held "a1 Johannesburg, was £207.

The number of athletes registered by ihe Amateur Athletic Union of the United States is 13,727. During the year 288 were^ suspended, 130 reinstated/ 280 open games were sanctioned and 152 athletes were declared professionals.

At the annual convention of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States, held on Nov. 19 last, considerable time was occupied by the repart of the record committee and the testimony- and ' affidavits furnished showing that Dan H.. Kelly, of the Multnom'ah A.C., of Portland, Ore., ran 100 yds in' 9 3-ssec and 220 yds m 21 l-ssec at Spokane, Wash., on June 23 last.' . Official documents were there by the ton to show that everything was correct— timing, judging, starting, wind and weather. Kelly's records were accepted, and he will figure alone as the holder of the world's amateur mark for the iOOyds, and joint holder with B. J. Wefers for' the 22dyds. Great interest ■. is being manifested m the Wairarapa Amateur Athletic Club's Sports, to be held on the Masterton Park Oval on Anniversary Day, m view of the fact' that the selectors for the Wellington Provincial team to visit Christchurch will be watching the running of competitors. It is probable that two members at least of the Wairarapa Club will be included m the Wellington rep. combination. According to Mr F. J. ("Curly") Ohlsbn, of Auckland, the revival m athletics m that city is, likely to be permanent, and will m all probability spread to the country districts where at present no organisation of any kind exists. It will be necessary. however, for an agent to undertake the work of forming clubs m the larger towns, such as Hamilton, Cambridge, Thames and Waihi. "Sprinter" of tr^e Canterbury "Times" has had occasion to refer once or twice lately to the wan/b of life and enthusiasm m the Canterbury Centre, N.Z.A.A.A. It was thought that a change' of delegates at the beginning of the season would have improved matters, but, unfortunately, he says, the affairs o f the Centre have gone from bad to worse, until it has now become difficult to even get a quorum at the meetings.