ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1956, 20 August 1891, Page 28

ATHLETICS.

NOTES BY SPRINTER.

Locally there is nothing to chronicle since my last notes. The annual meeting of the N.Z.A. A. Association was held at Christchurch last week, and tho report and balance sheet submitted. I shall content myself with a few brief extracts in order to show the position of the association. The report Btates that from a financial point tbo past season has been an undoubted success. SSarfcing wish a credit of £29 14a lid at the commencement of the year, the balance sheet shows tbo (satisfactory cash oredit of £6D 63 7d, while the total assets amount to £86 Is 7d, This is principally due

to the Championship meeting at Auckland, as £41 Us 3d was netted over the meeting by the association. Tba finances are, consequently, in a Bound condition, and the association is ia a position to tide over any bad season. A reduction in the club affiliation fees for the enBuing year is recommended by the com nittoe. The number of cluba affiliated to the association has been reduced during the past season, owing to the Southland A. A. O. becoming defunct, and now stands at seven. A club has, however, been formed in Wanganui with the intention of affiliation, while there 19 a prospect of others being started about the country at an early date. In view of tha succeaß of the Auckland Championship meeting the committee recommend that the arrangement entered into with the N.Z. Oyolists' Allianoe to hold a joint Championship meeting be continued for the coming season. During the past season a correspondence has been going on between this association and the N.S.W. A.A.A. with reference to establishing Australasian Championship meetings, but co far without any result. An attempt was made to get together a New Zealand athletic team to compete at the last English Champion&hip meeting, but owing to the shortness of time and want of support in some quarters the idea was abandoned for tbe time being, and it waa resolved to endeavour to send a team to compete at the Championship meeting of 1892, Your committee are in the meantime working to obtain funds in aid of the project, and a benefit sports meeting will be held in Ohristchurch next month for this purpose. The Auckland Olub, always well to the fore, is also holding a benefit meeting for the same object. Mr G. F. Olulee, of South Canterbury, who left New Zealand for England some short time back, was appointed by your committee aB thia association's official representative while at Home, and he has undertaken to interview the English Amateur Athletic Association and endeavour to obtain an invitation for a New Zealand team to visit England in 1892, The past season has been' an unusually heavy one, no less than 220 official letters and 43 telegrams having been despatched during tba year, besides a quantity of semi-official correspondence, while the number of tetters and telegrams reoeived has been almost as numerous. Thia tends to show the increasing importance of the association. The report and balanoe sheet were adopted unanimously. The election of officers resulted aa under : — President, Mr F. Wilding ; vice-presidents— Mr J, H. B. Coates (Auckland), F. N. Robinson (Napier), G. L. Denniston (Dunedin), H. I). Bell (Wellington), J. F. Grierson (Timarn), Dr De Latour (Oamaru) ; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr L A, Cuff. It was decided to hold the next Championship meeting in Christchurch. Messrs L. A. Guff and T. D. Harman the sub-committee appointed to compare tha N.Z.A.A.A. rules with those of the English Association, submitted their report of suggested additions and alterations. These were taken clause by olause, and ultimately adopted, Mr Cuff explained that the object ia framing these alterations was, in the first plaoe, to make the rules of this association as much as possible like the English Amateur Athletic Association's ruleß, as the [asßooiation here should work as closely aB possible on the lines laid down at Homo. Secondly, the objeot was with the |idea of improving the management and providing a proper constitution, also eettrag forth [the objects for which the aesociation was formed, and practically the duties of the managing bodies in connection with the association.

A committee meeting of the Dunedin Cycling Club was held at the club room (Mr W. Melville's, Octagon) on Saturday evening. Present : Messrs A. G. Melville (in the chair), W. Matthews, J. M'Donald, R. Ewing, G. Crow, E. H. Reid, and W. Inglis (secretary). Letters were received from Dr Fulton and Mr Henry Rose accepting office as vice-presidents of the club. The rules of the club were discussed and several alterations suggested. A report on the club rules, the holding of the club ball, and on the opening run of the season was drawn up for presentation to members at a meeting to beheld on 22nd insfc. One new member was proposed for election.