CASH ATHLETICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14439, 4 February 1909, Page 10

CASH ATHLETICS

Hi Sl'utvr, FIXTURES. March 12th.—AithleUe bpctrts, Madakaiiui. March 17.—Athletic Sporta, InverciLrjji!]. April lu.-Ciletlouian Sports, Cromwell. April i'J. —Athletic Spcils, Clyde. April Jlilh.—Oalertoiiluu Spoils, Waitatl.

1 urn pleased to lx> able to inform iny roudwa, particularly the cash action of paltatria'iis, lliat tiio Kaikorai Band, on being approaohed by the president of tho t>entre, Union, has readily fallen iu with tllo idea suggested in these notes ladt week, believing that it will help to a great extent to increase the interest in the concerts givon weekly at Carisbrook iindcr tho band's auspices. Although at time of writing the matter had liot teen quite fixed up, it is pretty certain liiat a handicap over 135 yards will be run on Wednesday next, tho 10th inal., the priz<w boing £2, 15s, sa, with entry tee pruWbly la 6d. Bliould this event— practically an experiment— prove tho attraction is should to bulJi competitors a*K? the publie, the band intends running a weekly event, the distances of whicJi will vary according' to what may bo the most ai tractive item. Tho date of clmjitg of mitries will bo advertised, and la.ni mire that a large number of pedestrians will not only enter, but compete, and do their share in making the innovation a sucects. The public will do the rest.

Mr D. J. Corcoran, secretary of the New Zealand Athlotiu Union, ' has received official intimation of tho dcairo of the Auckland Athletic Association to affiliate with the New Zealand Uuion, imk! he has no doubt this will be complied with. In fact, as the outcomc of a resolution passed at the rccent conference held here a representative of the union, Mr Thos, Duncan (Wellington), accompanied by the well-known North Island hundicappcr, Mr Ulie Shannon, was on the point of visiting Auckland province to form a centre there. This, of courss, will not now be ncccssary, liy the affiliation of the Auckland ajsociit--t ion the whole of the Dominion is embraced under the union's jurisdiction, a hapix'tiing tlie latter's executive have long desired. With such a strong addition to its ranks t.he union in the North Jslaiid should liave little difficulty in inducing tho Wangauui Caledonian Society at its annua! meeting- in March to throw in its lot with the union, and should they do so it can be reasonably expected that the union and the Southland Caledonian Society will sink their differences and complete the cbaiir of athlctio control iu this Dominion.

The balance sheet 0 f the South Canterbury Caledonian Society's annual New Year gathering makes good reading. The total receipts were £869 Is lOd, and the expenditure £499 19s, leaving a credit balance of £369 2s lOd. Much of the success of the gathering 1 was credited to the appearance of tie Kilties' Baud on the second day.

It M'Kcchnie, of Dunedin, was very successful at the recent Wanganui sports, considering he was competing against such a performer at J. A. Center. M'Kechnie was first in Grand lteels, second in both Sword Dance anil Soaunirous, third in Iteej o' Ttilloch, and second to Confer in the most points prize.

For tho Awahuri sports, to have boon held «n the 27th nit., C. W. Merted was scratch in all pedestrian events, eivintt away 6uch starts as 11 in 100, 12 ijj 120, 22 in 220, 14 in 150, and 55 in HO ya.r,fe Judging by their times at Wangajiui and! Mapgawcka, gespeotjsejy torn 58§ao gnd

lmin 57scc, L. 0. M'Lachlan even now would prove a good match over that distance for A. Campbell. The latter's 4min 27 l-ssec for a mile at Ma.uga.wcka shows what a performer Campbell irutst he.