CASH ATHLETICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14357, 29 October 1908, Page 10

CASH ATHLETICS.

By SvoitT,

FIXTURES. November !).—Caledonian Sports, Alexandra. November 9.—Caledonian Sports, Palmerston. November 9.—Athletic Sports, 'l'iniaru. Tho Games and Grounds Committee of the Otago Caledonian .Society has finally acccpted the championships offered by the Otago Cent,re, N.Z.A. Union, to ho held on January 1 and 2. 1909, and a meeting will he held this week to draw up tho programme to be submitted to th-s cvmrc's meeting on the 3rd prox. for approval. It is expoeled that tho programme will be in print in ample t.ime to tatoh the eye of competitors at the principal athletic gatherings to be held in the Dominion on the 2th prox.

(1. W. Collie, for a long time one of our most prominent sprinters, dcos not in.ted "entering the arena" during the current c-e-asou, be-in# too much takai up with his business as traveller for a well-known city hardware firm. While "on the road" Collie hopes to meet many of his sporting friends, and, as a nicmlxsr of the executive of the Otago Centre, N.Z.A.U., will be only tco pleased to advanoa their claims in his official capacity.

A general [nesting of the Southland Centre, N.Z. Athletic Union, was lielcl in Invercarill c-n the 30th ult., and was well attended. Tho status of the Pipers and Danosrs' Association was discussal at some length, ami the result of the conference between delegates from the Otago Caledonian Society. Athletic Union, and Pipers and Lancers' Society, held m Duincdin recently, was made known to tho meeting. Ultimately it was dec.ded to adjourn further discussion of tho relation between tho Pipers and Danccrs' Association and the N.Z.A. Union till the next general meeting ot the centre, to be hold about two weeks prior to the Union Conference in Dur.edin. It was made clear that. if pipers and dancers performed at a meeting not- registered by the Athletic Union they would be subject to disqualification, even if the unregistered meeting; was affiliated to tho Pipers and Dancers' Association. A remit to the effect that, registration fee for non-handicap field events be reduced to Is, while the fee for handicap events he 2fi 6d, was agreed to. Ir. was decided that it be a suggestion to the N.Z.A. Union to miblish an official calendar which would contain the dates of sports meeting and a. list cf disqualifications. Tho system worked well in AcsMill. Tho Teniuka Caledonian Society, lias drawn up its usual attractive programme of events lor the annual gathering on Boxing Day. Running claims iO events, 1 cycling 6, piping and dancing 11, whiio "other ovenls," such as wrestling, hammer, -ball, and jumping, claim 12. The programme, as well as the principal ones for gatherings in this island, may bo seen at Mr M'Kay's place of business, Jetty street. Seventy-three competitors liavo already l>oen registered with.the Otago Centre, tho centre officials securing 35 of that liumbor, while Mr Stringer registered 38 at tlio Otepopo sport's on Labour Day,

The Southland Centre, N.Z. Athletic Union, has granted daws for tho following sports meltings:— Dumber 25, Edeaidalo"; December 26, Malauva.and Clifton; December 28, EaTOrton,; December 30, Winton. It was nianticncd that the Makarcwa meeting would bo held at tho end of January or tho bsgimiing of February. ■ The Mount Ida Caledonian Society ha 6 applied for permission, to hold their annual sports on January 1, 1909.

Frank Fordo, Southland's champioirficM exponent. lias already commenced training, with the N.Z.A.U. championships in Duned.in in view. If in anything like his old form, Fordo should aiun?x a few of the hammer and wrestling championships.