ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2240, 4 February 1897, Page 37

ATHLETICS.

NOTES BY AMATEUR.

* . * Nelson is to have a representative at the New Zealand championship meeting, H. Milner having been seleoted by the club to do duty for it in the 100 yds, 250 yds, and 440 yds events.

• . • T. B. O'Connor has gone to Gisborne, but will be back in Auokland to compete in the weight-putting and hammer-throwing competitions at the championship meeting. As far as can be seen at present his opponents will be Kallender (Auckland) and Rhodes (Wellington), the latter being a well-known ex-Auok-lander. __ * . •At a test meeting of the Wanganui Amateur Athletic Cycling Club for the purpose of selecting a team for the championship meeting H. L. Kiugsley broke the previous New Zealand record for the pole jump, and put up the Australasian record of 10ft Bin. ' . ' The death has occurred at Ohristohuroh of H. 8. Cocks, who in the season of 1891-92 put up a record for the three-mile walking championship, his time being 23min 16 2-sseo. Mr Cooks, who was 31 years of age, took part in the chess tourney in the Christmas holidays, and secured the position of equal second with Mr J. W. Mellor. of duneditt.

* . * After quotiog the paragraph which appeared in the Witness a week or two bnok, in which it was stated that the most prominent of the Dunediu amateur athletes would nob attend the New Zealand champiomhip meeting, us it is their dosiro fco particJuato in tho Aujlf*l»si*u meeting at Sjducy iv October, " Lynx, 1 ' in the New Zealand Hsr*i<3, ears :: — •• It would not bo out of place to remind cur Dunediu friends thst it is hardly keeping faith with Auckland by not sending at leant a representative or two to this championship meeting. Tho Auokland Club has always sent men to Dunediu, although they were nut certain of returning y/ith ohampionships. I hope to see the Dunedin Club make an effort to be represented next month. Duuedin would bo disappointed if Auckland was not represented at Danedin next year. No doubt the nieu mentioned above kaow their o*n business best, and may not be able to obtain leave for two meetings in one year, but they should baar in mind that the form displayed at the New Zealand ohampionship meeting will go a long way towards securing a man his place in the next Ne<r Zealand team for Auitralia. Tho Dunediu men can hardly expect to have the performances of this year's New Zealand champions overlooked, unless, of course, inferior to their own, and they would be doubtless disappointed if they were not chosen Bennett, I think, is safe, but Low and Kingston cannot look upou themselves at certainties. Low is a,hon«st and consistent little runner, but not quits a phenomenon, while Kingston, although capable of considerable improvement on his Chrisbehurch form,, showed us nothing out of tbe common. M'Cormaok is not the only W6ight-putter aud hammer-thrower in New Zetland. Of course any of these men can visit Sydney and comppta at their own expense if nob selected, but the honour of being selected to represent New Zetland io something after all. At tha Jast championship meeting held iv Auokland in February 1891 Dunedin was the only club not represented."

* . * How it can be suggested that the Danedin A.A.C. will not keep faith with the Auckland Club if it is not represented at the meeting this month I cannot understand. There is no undertaking on tho part of tho Dunediu Club or any other club to send representative* to tbe gathering. That the Auckland people will be disappointed at the absence of Low, Bennett, Kingston, and others from the New Zealand meeting, just as Dunedin will be disappointed if there are no Auckland competitors at tun next champ: oußhip meeting here, I can readily believe, although, if "Lynx" raally means wbab ho h»e written about- the Dunedin men, tbe disappointment he will personally feel will not be very keen. Low he admit* to bo an honest and consistent little runner, but not quite & phenomenon. Nobody in Dunedin ever claimed that Low was a phenomenon. It is only Auckland that produces athletic phenomena in this colony — men who achieve remarkable performances in their own city, but somehow or other generally fail to repeat them when they arc away from home. ' Bub though Low is dot; «. phenomenon, he has won two New Zealand championships for three years in succession, and that is what no other athlete iv the colony has come near accomplishing. Gladly do I observe that "Lvdx" credit* Low with being an honest runner, and pleased am I to ba able to assure him that to far it is not in Otago dishonest runners have been, produced.

* . * Kingston, we are informed on the authority of my Auckland confrere, " although capable of considerable improvement on his Christ- 1 church form, showed us nobbing out of the j common." No doubt it is the case that he (honed nothing out of the common at Christ- j churcb, but he won a championship there, and tho Auckland representative at the distance did cob gain a place in a preliminary heat. And, as "Lynx" says, Kingston may improve, and ; he has already improved. As for Bennettwell, " Lynx " regards him as safe for a place in the New Zealand team for the Australasian meeting. What ! without, competing at Auckland ? Then why not Low also ? It ia quite true that M'Cormack is not the only weightputter and hammer-thrower in the colony, bub it is also true that he holds not only the New Zealand but the Australasian record for throwing the hammer, and it is certain that if he had b.-on able to compete at the last New Zealand championship meeting he would have won Doth the weight events. It is, however, early to speculate upon the representation of the colony at the Australasian meeting. What Low, Ben- j nett, and Kingtton are anxious about is that they will not, by going to Auckland and winning in inferior company, deprive themselves of the chance of obtaining leave of absence to go to Sydney and win in superior company. " Lynx " is wrong in saying that the D.A.A.C. was the only club not represented at the ohampior>ships in Auckland in 1891. . It was represented. - i