DUNEDIN AMATEUR ATHLETIC CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 2428, 26 September 1900, Page 44

DUNEDIN AMATEUR ATHLETIC CLUB.

The fifteenth annual meeting of the Dunedin Amateur Athletic Club was held on Monday in the Provincial Hotel. Mr G. L. Denniston (vice-president) occupied the chair, and there were 14 members present. ANNUAL BEPOBT. Your committee have much pleas\ire in submitting the fifteenth, annual report and balance sheet. The finances of the club are in a very favourable condition. The season commenced with a balance of £43 15s lid, and ends with one of £2-1 6s 2d. This, in the face of the amount done during the year, must be considered very good. We voted towaids the New Zealand team to Australia £10, sent a team to Wellington, paying part expenses amounting to £16 17s 6d, .and, on account of "bad-weather, made a large loss on our annual sports. We held our annual sports on the 9th De"cember, 1899, which day "was unfortunately very wet, spoiling both sport and gate. The most successful competitors wore C. A. Cuff, who gained Dr Roberta's Cup for most points in events, excluding distance ones ; W. King, who- won Mr W. L. Hooper's Cup for the distance events ; and C. E. Aldridge, who won ihe club (250 yards) championship. Others who showed uy well are H. D. Thomson, W. J. Martin, A. E. Bragg, JR. Martin, W. Lockhead, W. F. Bennett, J. Kingston, A. D. Mitchell, and R. Brownlee. The following members represented the club at the annual Championship meeting in Wellington m Februarj : — J. B. Nichol, P. Buck, W. F. Bennett. C. A. Cuff, J. W. Price, and C. E. Aldridge. Buck seciired the long jump with 20ft ljm. None ol ihe others seemed firsts, but J. B. Nichol and J. W. Price ran very close seconds in the 120 hurdles and half-mile flat respectively. Mr W. A. Low acted as manager of the team. The Championship this year is to be held in Christchurch, and it behoves all member's to pay strict attention to training, and bring back the bannei once more. The club's thanks are due to the following gentlemen for donations towards prize fund: — Mr (1. L. Denniston, <£2 2s; Mr H. B. Courtis, £] Is ; Mr W. L. Hooper, challenge cup ; Mr W. H. Young, 10s 6d; and Mr S. Jacobs, officials' race ; and we hope that this will be bh incentive to others to do likewise this season. Messrs IST. L. Macbeth and P. T. Evans acted 9? our N.Z.A.A.A. delegates this year, and we thank them for their- good offices in 'this connection. The club's thanks are due to the Dunedin Cycling Club, Labour Day Committee, and Boys' High School for events on their programmes. Mr S. M. Park continues to audit the club's accounts, for which we desire to thank him. Mr W. A. Low again handicapped for us, giving every satisfaction, and he is to be thanked for doing this most arduous work. Tho committee take this opportunity to thank those gentlemen who acled as officials at our sports meeting. The Ohnirman, in moving the adoption of the annual report and balance sheet, which were taken as read, apologised for the unavoidable' absence 'of 'the president, Dr Roberts. He could not say, as Dr Roberts did at the la^t meeting, that the year had been the most successful they over had, became that wa« not the case. They did not carry such a good balance down as last year, but that was owing to circumstances beyond their control. That their balance wag £19

less than it was last year was due to the fact that th£ weather was bad at the sports meeting. The club lost £32 on that occasion. If that amount were eliminated, they would have been more than able to hold their own. However, they still had the very respectable balance of £24- 636 3 2d. With the challenge cups, their assets sto6d at £34- 16s 2d. Some of their members who had taken a very prominent part in athletics in the past were absent, fighting for their country and Queen in South Africa. — (Applause.) One member, Captain Harvey, had left his bones there. One who had been an active member — namely, Jack Maclean, had been slightly wounded. The next championship meeting would be held in Christclrurch, and those who would attend it would have the pleasure of participating in the exhibition festivities. The club had sent a team to Wellington, and one of the members woli the long jump with a very creditable distance indeed. Amongst the expenses of the club last j^ear was a donation of £10 to the Australian team, and that helped to lower their finances somewhat. In conclusion, Mr Denniston referred to the excellent services rendered by the secretary, Mr Kingston. He was unremitting in his energy, Slid the satisfactory position the club occupied was in a great measure due to his exertions. — (Applause.) The report complimented their handicapper, Mr Low- — -(applause) ,— and other officers. In conclusion, the Chairman hoped the incoming season would he a successful one. — (Applause.) Mr Low seconded the motion for the adoption of the report and balance sheet, which was carried. The following office-bearers were elected : -y President, Mr G. L. Denniston; vice-presi-dents — Dr "Roberts, Dr Batohelof, Messrs J. Sinclair Thomson, and K. 15. Courtis; delegales to the N.Z.A.A.A. — Messrs L. Macbeth and F. T. Evans ; committee — Moasrs O. H. Minims, C. A. Cuff, YV. A. Low, J. W. Price, W. E. H. Mackenzie, W. V. Kingston, and G. M'Millan; secretary, Mr V. S. Jacobs (Mr Kingston declining re-elec-tion) ; hon. handicapper, Air W. A. Low ; hon. auditor, Mr S. M. Park; hon. treasurer, Mr J. J. Kingston. Mr Hooper suggested that some of the loading citizens who v/eio interested in amateur athletics should be asked to kindly help the prize-list. Tn the event of their so doing, which ho had no doubt they would, the sports ahotild be made absolutely free. This would have the effect of attracting a big crowd, and consequently more interest would be taken in the actual events by competitors. Personally, he would bo prepared to donate a prize to the Half-mile. The Chairman was confident that there were a great many people in town who only required to bo asked and they would give their support to the club. It might be a matter for the committee to consider whether circulars should not be issued stating that the" recipients would be v/aited upon and their assistance solicited in the cause of athletic?. He was quite prepared to give his mite, and he was certain a dozen people at the least could be found who* were able to see that athletics should be supported. It was far better that young fellows should devote their time to physical development of this kind than to amusements from which they could not derive the same physical and s moral good.- — (Applause.) So far as an open mesting was concerned, that would have to depend on the amount of success that attended their efforts to obtain subscriptions. He thought the matter had better be left to the committee. The suggestion of the chairman was "acted upon. Mr Hooper remarked that the Harriers Club proposed to hold a sports meeting this year, and hoped that the members of the D.A.A.C. would lend their support, as the extra competition would be most beneficial to both clubs. A vote of thanks to the chair closed the meeting.