ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2328, 13 October 1898, Page 36

ATHLETICS.

NOTES BY AMATEUR. There seems to me to be substantial cause for satisfaction in the decision of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association against the proposal to sanction the placing of cyclingraces for the cash riders under the League of Wheelmen upon the programmes of amateur athletic clubß in the colony. The idea that an amateur club should offer cash prizes at its sports meeting is so ridiculously anomalous that it would have been remarkable if the association had entertained it. A meeting of the committee of the Dunedin Amateur Athletic Club was held last week to consider the desirability of having cash races under the League of Wheelmen's rules on the programme as well as amateur cycling events. There were present — Messrs Denniston (chairman), Low, Mackay, Turnbull, Landell3, Kingston (2), Price, and Orbell. It was decided — "That this club is in favour of having cash events as well as amateur ones, and that our delegates be instructed to vote in this direction at the N.Z.A.A.A. Council meeting." A permit was received from the N.Z.A.A. Association for the Labour Day Sports Committee to hold amateur races on their programme. V. Boot, W. Olson, J. Matthewson, W. Morrison, and C. Sutton v/era elected members of the club. At a committee meeting- of the Canterbury Amateur Athletic Club Dr Jennings made a spirited appeal to members to • preserve amateurism in sport, so far as athletics were concerned. It would be a standing disgrace if the club were the first to hold out the hand of welcome j to cash cycling, which had throttled amateur cycling- in all parts. A resolution was passed striking out all cycling events at the spring meeting. The New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association at a special meeting on Thursday night last rejected a proposal which would have the effect of sanctioning cycling races for cash under the League of Wheelmen rules at centres where there are no Cyclists' Alliance clubs. The annual athletic sports meeting of the Wellington Football Club, held at Athletic Park on Saturday last, were poorly attended. J. J. M.' Hamilton (who is well known in athletic circles in Napier) won the Mile and Half-mile from scratch, cutting out the former against a very strong wind in smm 5 l-ssec, and the latter in 2min 15 l-ssec. lie ran with great judgment, and easily outclassed the other competitors. C. H. Manson, the well-known rep. forward, won the 100 Yards Club Handicap, with 4yds start, in 11 2-ssec, and the Ladies' Bracelet (220 yds), with 6yds, in 24sec. The "40 Yards fell lo H. G. Lewis (16yds), time, 52sec ; while F. S. Broome (syds) and-M v C Dodweil (13yds) ran a dead heat in the 250 Yards Handicap, time, 28 3-sse"c. A. H. Williamson secured the 100 Yards Open, Handicap from the syds mark in 10 2-ssec. The bicycle races, under alliance rules, were very /tame. The Half-mile fell to G. It. Bell (40yds) in lmin 7 3-ssec, the One Mile to P. B. Thomson (140 yds) in 2min Zb 2-ssec, and the Three Miles to P. G. Jeffries (190 yds) in Bmin Bsec. The Auckland Amateur Athletic Club is protesting against the decision of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association to grant permission to. associated clubs to place cycling events under the League of Wheelmen's rules on their programmes as a breach of faith.