AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19049, 20 December 1923, Page 6

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

NEW ZEALAND TEAM TO VISIT HOBART. (Peb United Pbess Association.) WELLINGTON, December 19. Advice has been received that the Australasian athletic championships will be held at Hobart on February 6 and 9, necessitating the New Zealand team leaving on January 25. This will upset the January 26 date suggested by Otago for the New Zealand championships, and as Auckland and Wellington are holding their provincial championships on January 19, the N.Z.A.A. has decided that the only way out is to postpone the New Zealand championships till after the Australasian meeting. Messrs Davies, Wilton, and Sievwright have been appointed selectors of the New Zealand team. AMERICAN ATHLETES’ VISIT.

Another of the disputes which seem to be a growing feature among' athletic bodies marked the meeting of the Now Zealand Athletic Association. Strong exception was taken to the extraordinarily generous treatment of centres which had not made success of the American athletes’ visit, and the association was accused of frittering away its funds, which were badly wanted for more legitimate purposes. Wanganui was mentioned as the last centre that should receive any help, because it did not put up its guarantee until the day before the meeting, and then only in the belief that there would be uo meeting unless it did so. New Plymouth was also quoted as another instance of unmerited generosity. These views found some support, though the chairman considered that Wanganui had bad luck with tho weather. He would, however, consent to reducing its refund from 50 per cent, of the loss to 25. After a long discussion nothing definite was arrived at, and tho matter will come up again. Suggestions were made at tho meeting that the Board of Control be asked to allocate one Australasian champion meeting to New Zealand every six years, the next to be in 1926. An alternative was put forward that there should be triennial contests between New Zealand and Australia" as a whole. Both were rejected in favour of maintaining the council’s present attitude. A proposal to select the manager and delegates from the members of the team visiting Hobart was deferred, the chairman opposing it on the ground that it interfered too much with the performers.