PEDESTRIANISM

NZ Truth, Issue 96, 20 April 1907, Page 3

PEDESTRIANISM

(By Centr«.O

"Sprinter,!' the Canterbury Times writer has been dealing out inky "stoush" to "Spike," the Dunedin. Star writer whose fetish worship oi 1 that muph advertised personage, Marryatt has been the laughing stock of New Zealand athletes. "Sprinter" has "spiked" the Duwedin writer to such purpose as to leave him comparatively harmless for future effective' service. The Marryatt-cum-Paape-cum Mclntosh crowd has been doing its level 'best for the past 'year or two to raise antagonism to the Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association and to undermine its influence m every possible way, and at the same time to kill the sport to suit its own selfish ends. In this, however, Marryatt and his associates' have signally failed, and it is clear that their present stock of ammunition will have to be replaced by better brands if they wish to accomplish their low-down mission. What does the rest of the colony care what views the Oteugo deity and his worshippers may hold m regard to the reciprocal treaty between the amateur and cash governing bodies ? Not a ''tinker's cuss !" Their influence counts for naught . outside the inner circle m Dunedin. It is about time Marryatt gave up this " boom ins;" . business of himself and ihe small ooterW he bosses and allowed the Dunedin press to discourse on matters that would be of material interest to its' Athletic readers. The columns every ( %eek is enough! to eternal deification^ of Marryatt m its send one on the "razzle" for a month at a stretch. "Spa? inter" deserves the wannest thanks of all well-wish-ers of the sport for Ms showing up oi the clique which: has too long hoodwinked the good people of. the SaUbyterian City. If "Spike" is really Marryatt as is commonly reported it is up to the Star Proprietary to replace him by somebody whose views would . carry weight m the New Zealand amateur athletic world but then vit is a darned hard job to convince Ota-eons that brains do exist other .. than m their own territory. They imagine that all the wisdom of this universe is centred m their own narrow-minded bigoted top-pieces. /An-* Marryatt isa lovely sample of the clannish brigade.

A harrier club m Victoria has broken out m .a fresh place m sport and^purposes, and ' encourages amateur boxino; and wrestling.. At a recent meeting it was moved and seconded' that amateur boxing. and wrestling contests &c held' during the wwvter months under the rules of the V.A.A. A.' . ■ :■' •■ - ••■

The rcMmg Melbourne athlete, G. A Whcatley to wit, -who toured New . Zealand with Sh-rub-b and 'Duffy, has taken up his residence m Sydney, and will be available for the New .South Wales, team' for" the Australasian championships, to be held at Hobait. There was some talk .about Wheatley coming, this way and I am given tb- ; . understand that he may do so before the year is out.

Mr J. E. Sullivan's emphatic announcement that that American Athletic Union would' not accept the ; judgment of England or any other country upon the status of the.American athletes^ sent to compete at the coming Olympian Games m London, has . been followed .up by a similar pronouncement by the President of the Amateur Athletic Association of Australasia -who states that it must be distinctly understood before he proceeded Jurlitoer that tJiere snail be no- attiamipt at scrutiny or review of the Australasian entries by the English A.iA.A. or any other body. If any -entries. -were "forwarded from Australia and New Zealand the entra/nts would be athletes, approved 'by the American Athletic Union of Aus-s tralasia before they left -these 1 shores/ and also. 'by the direct representative of the International Committee, and ,m the circumstances there must be* no thought, of any body m England discussing tiheir amateur status.

Marryatt the ' Dunedin ! "boomsfcer" (of Marryatt) has taken unto himself a wife «,nfl the < honeymoon is to foe spent m Sydney where no doubt he will impress upon Dick Coomfoes that he, (Marryatt) is alone qualified to speak with authority on matters appertaining to amateur athletics m New Zeaiand'. The writer, will await with interest the next few issue's of the Sydney Referee. What a tale,Marxyatt is likely, to pitch- to Dick concerning that reciprocity question..

Harry Henderson is making a trip to Sydney -next mtonth for holiday purposes. Harry claims N.S.W as his foirtih state and after a long absence from relatives and friends over there he 'tMnks it is up to him to renew their acquaintance. A r downright popular fellow- and the' cleanest of sports the crack sprinter will have the best wishes of this scribe for a tip-top time' while on the other side.

The more one' hears of the DaYPostle ttTaiteh, the more fish-like it .smells. ''Tattler" of " the Sydney Sportsman had a talk with a friend who came over for a holiday and looked ham. up. It is the general opinion m the West that the match was a fiasco. You just drop a line, to Paddy Burns, the hotelkeeperyj where Day was staying, and ask his opinion of the race, what he lost, and why Day failed to turn up at night and occupy his soft bed, and be jabers, Paddy will flare up. Poor old ''Irish Pat," and all the. other ' Irishmen who dropped their hard-earned dollars. He sympathises with them.

According to the Sydney ' -Daily Telegraph" another world's record has 'been established, this time, however, not m a long jump or weightputting, but a hop, step, and jump. P. Kiearns, who won first prize, is credited with covering 39£ yards, with M. Nolan second* «Bi. , Hogan'a phost 'I What mighty steps the boy< Reams must take, and be jabers, Nolan must also be the broth of a boy ; why they beat ,' • all', the Irish "Uppers" out; of. sight entirely. Of course, it is 39ft 6in.