(PROFESSIONAL.)

NZ Truth, Issue 87, 16 February 1907, Page 3

(PROFESSIONAL.)

.oStunier Sports.

I% i is' popularly believed that Taranaki is' 1 the home of s,tumer : sport. It is alleged 'that if a man wants; to to . run -dirty with a racehorse lie goes to ■- Tarariaki.'; ' and it is further stated that a short time 'ago swimming snoots (which "are' generally supposed to be so' clean) were arranged absolutely.' 'for the: benefit of bookmakers. ■These" facts make it easy to realise a little sc£ne; which occurred at the sports held ':• . recently under • the auspices -of the* Inglewood/' Caledonian' Society. .-In. one race^two men had a ( chance fors*eooid placed' One man -says the' other crossed him somewhere at the. back of the course \ but nobody saw " it. •'. It " was m the straight that the real trouble happened. The two men trying for second place wore running one' behind the other, and the back man made an endeavor to run through ; but the front man had something to say to that, attd as the back man came along ■he let him &£ve; ; his elb'bW' in* his ribs pretty Strong;. ; Tms- : - r made; ( -|lie----lhiclc-.'inan aim" "'Rry rl aS9 Ai 'iie'" l put". ; "i?fs arm around the front man^vneck and* bo'tlr were out of t|e" rat?eJ The s great wonder - is -that tlieie #as not a scirap>; but the Athletic Apqciatipn, is to look into • the matter^,, and it. will be a good f&hemp ■■% :-."'-Iyxe oSending person i^ given^a'&ouh^ sentence. Thus .^ai^bler" ' m the Sydney "Sportsnia|i" l 'oi January 30 : > In the itislpty 'of athletic sports for ,the pa§t 25;; years m this State |(N.S.t7-vl ! '. .professional; , pedestrianism has never, -bejith at such' a,; low ebb as it is. iusi.#o% although it has been, bad for tile" p/lst few\ years. On a mtblic holiday such as last Saturday, there: Vf§re' rsporis meetings ' galore held .' all' overc the State, and every .township' h&nts ljtttle. annual meetings. I ani r ,!(juite satisfied the new 'may have something to do. Wi%' the, downfall, of professional pedest^iapism. But when it tomes, to i^Lcti"opoiitan and suburban meetings, the decay has been felt and .noticed for some tijnie, and I6ng : be- ':. fore the Act was hinted at- .'. The question of decay, is a matter . of . conjecture:: and consideration,, and .no doubt,! liaariy. reasons cah.be advanced, pro. and con.' jit is,, however, safe to say that those closely"associ,.'a.ted with thp 'ProfessicnaT., Athletijc League ox N';S.W / ...are more 'respqn- . sibla tor the degradation and 'downfall o.f r,unhing than the -poor' de:;,luded pejls v^lio have been conipelletf "' ."throu&h ; the domineering and : : drastic V tactiics' of the League officials, for ! '.'.their ' own bbnpfit, to become subfeer■Myient;'..'to'l tiic capricious doin£s; of ; .those .wha. ', constitute that august " ''body. """"," '_■...■ , ■'■ . ..-"■• : '":.-'' : ; ' '"" Now that"' the pro ped has to go to work or else put up with the 'Vag, :; ( \A.ct, it' is onjy reasonable $0 ask what '■■"the League are going to do with the "'money ih ha^nd ? I am m a position •■' 'i p state"' ilia^througli the disclosures ' Hf 'the "Sportsman" and the dubious '' doingtf of l ' : raie"' League, country clubs, -■* «!^%oti!§ arc hpia^s^ck,:^* , the' pafo^up 1 clu:b (i-50) and peds (2QQQ) registration fees are not what , tliey were represented' to be. !,.. G. O'MalLCy, no relation"t o Irish '„' of Austraiia,n King O'Malley, who ,!.says Ire: lids r been walking round ,'ttoe.. " "world since' lß97, turned up m Syd.V'.ney" last men.th m real good ttim.. "" Ke had then, : he said, covered 62ft2to' .rhiles. ECe is,: a genial soul, and treat-.' . ". cd . the boys to .beer' .aiid spirits. proposes .leading , Sydney for his lidme ,| m San . Francisco m a .month's time. 'I . He, parried his living bY the disposal of post cards and lecturing. * : "■':';• : i