ATHLETICS. NOTES BY AMATEUR

Otago Witness, Issue 2666, 19 April 1905, Page 61

ATHLETICS.

NOTES BY AMATEUR

FIXTURE'S. April 22— Cromwell Athletic Society's Sports. April 22 and 24 — Inter-varsity Tournament, at

Wellington. April 24— Axemen's Carnival, Invercargill. April 24— Clyde Athletic Society's Sports. Apiil 21— Oamara Hibernian' Society's Spoits. April 24 — Pioneer Amateur Bicycle and Athletic Club's Sports, Chvistchurch. April 24 — Bruce Athletic Club's Sports, at Milton.

The Dunedin Amateur Athletic Club will present the trophies won during the season to the successful corm-etitois at a musical evening to be held on May 10. The programme of athletic events to take^ place at tbe intar-university tournament at Easter comprises tho university champij'iships, a 220 yds public schools' championship, and open handicaps of 100 yds, 4403 ds, and owe mile. Tho sports will take place* on the Basin Reserve, Wellington, on Easter Monday under the patronage of his Excellency the Governor. In connection with the invitation of tho Pioneer Bicyclo and Amateur Athletic Club to Hector Btirk to take part in the club's sports on Easter Monday, I have authority for s-tating that the Dunedin runner, having gene out of training, will not make the- trip. It is anticipated that wh«a all accounts are settle-d in connection with the recent meeting at which the- American. Arthur Duffey and the Axistralians Wheatley and Widmer competed there will be a small balance. A meeting of the Otago Centre is to be held' this week.

The following teams have been chosen to represent tho Otago University in the annual inter-v arsity tournament to be held in Wellington at Easter: — Athletics — O'Kane, sprints, hurdles, and high jump; Gilray, long and high jumps, and 120 yds and 440 yds hurdles ; Milroy, sprints ; Harrison, middle distance and field events ; Patrick, half-mile and mile ; Davie, mile and field events; Webb, mile walk and field events ; Parkinson, middle distance events. Tennis — Messrs Bundell, Friedlander, Park, inson, Borrie; Misses Dale and Ward. Debate — Messrs Burnard and Callan.

Now that the- season has commenced, harriers would be well advised to ponder on the following points: In getting through fences and hedges care must be taken not to break wires or to damage the hedges. The pack must on no account run through standing crops. * All members must follow the trail, and no short cuts should be taken. Each man should endeavour to wear the reoogni=cd club uniform. The newly-formed Caversham Harriers were the guests of the Dunedin Harriers o-i Saturday last, a kindness that was much appreciated by tho younger club. For an unofficial run the attendance was very gratifying to the promoters, and their efforts will, no doubt, be crowned with success^ The club will supply a long-felt want in the district, and will attract a number of young men that do not take part in Saturday sport. Judging by the young men that have up to the present joined' the club the officials have some good material to work on and with proper training some fair runners may be unearthed. With one exception the club is composed of maiden lunrcrs, so that they will hpve a long stiff climb before any honours come their way ; but if eiifchusia-im should be of any advantage to a club the Caversham Harriers have made a good start. The official opening run will take place on the 29th from the residence of the president (Mr T. K. Sidey, M.H.R.). when it is expected that there will be an attendance of at lea=t 25 runners.

The eo>nmittee of the Pioreer Amateur Bicycle and Athletic Club has decided to invite Messrs Burk (of Dunedin) and Prendeville and Goodbehere (of Wellington) to take part at its Easter meeting. At a meeting of the committee of tho Wellington -Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association the accounts showed a profit of nearly £80 on the recent Shrubb-Duffey meeting. Mr Larkin brought up the incident in connection with the ordering-off by the starter of Duffey and Widmer in the 75yds Handicap at that meeting. Mr Larkin contended that tho official's had no authority to replace these iwo athletes in the event after they had left their heat. Yario-is members present admitted that the rules had been transgressed, but they stated that if Duffey had not been allowed to compete the public would have been disappointed, and Duffey might have refused to compete in* later events. It was decided to write to Mr Watson, the starter, expressing the centre's l-egret at the incident, and expressing its confidence in him as starter. According to rumour, this centre had not been working ■> c-ry harmoniously of late, and at this meeting there was more thui one brisk passage-at-arms betwje.i members, some of whuin felt aggrived that they had not been consulted- in regard to certain arrangements for tliD Shrubb-Duffey meeting. During tho evening the secrata -y (Mr F. Ross) formalljresigned his position.

A -private letter received in Melbourne from the American sprinter Arthur Duffey conveyed the informsitioa that ho was feeiing very fit. and had qui+e recovered form. Duffey reckoned he would get the 100 down to 9 4-ssec before he left Australia for good, j The workVs championships will be decided j this year at Antwerp — on Sunday, July 16, j the 100 kilometres for amateurs ; on Friday. July 21, the amateur and professional sprint championships ; and on Sunday, Juiy 23, the long- distance professional championship. The cabled Jesuits of the athletic meetings held in New Zealand at which the world's champions Shr'ibb and Duffey competed have been sadly mutilated on the wire or by the Australian press. Shrubb is credited with having won the Mile at Auckland by 200 yard's, and the time given 4.23. At the same meeting W. (? George) Smith is reported to have won the. 50yds Dash off 10i yaids. The^ gem of the lot is probably that in a Melbourne paper: The visiting athletes all competed in the 220 yds final. Duffey finished a good third, but could not catch Todd, who had 13 yards start ! t The most notable performance of the indoor meeting of the Boston Athletic Astoria tion wa« the lowering of the 40yds world's record by J. D. Eaton to 4 2-seec. There were nearly 200 athletes entered for the- several events at this meeting, at which » Ralph Rose put the shot 47ft 9in. ''Pat" Webster, the ex-New Zealand : sprinter now jn Sydney, ran into a place in ' th© fifth heat >. f the 100 yds Handicap, c)scided at a sports carnival in Sydney the other day, but failed to get a place in the j final, won by L. Glasaon off Biyds in

10 l-ssec Webster got third in the 220 yds, won by Furnese in 23 l-sscc. It is going away from home for news to read in a Sjdney paper that "in the 75yds Handicap at the Auckland meeting Duffey won his heat in 7 2-sscc, which equals tho world's record. Duffey did the Game in Dunedin, but it was not alloyed, as the American boat the pistol." There now. As there was no 75yds Handicap put on at the Dunedin meeting. Duffey could not very well have beaten the pistol in that race. The world's runners Shrubb and Duffey were appointed judges for an athletic meeting m Sydney, held on Saturday, April 8. when a team from Brisbane competed! against a teum of East Sydney in several champion events. L. B. Webster, the exNew Zealander, lan for East Sydney in the 100 yds and the 440 yds. In order to keep its members together during the winter months, the Pioneer Athletic Club in Christchurch is endeavouring, to organise football, hockey, -md harrier teams in connection wit'i the club. A gocce harrier team would be an excellent means of keepinsr the club's members together, and. in addition, would foster distance running amongst the members. "It is «impiy impoesible to reconcile these New Zealand sprint times," is the comment of "Harrier" of the Australasian on the meetings, in New Zealand at wn:oh fenrubo and Duffey competed. \ 4. Cameron, the famous beottisli athlete* -leaves for England in a few days to represent Scotland in the international games at the Crystal jfalace in June next Tim means that the proposed all-round match with Forde, the Southland athlete, will have to bo abandoned. Prior to his departure from Auckland for Sydney last week ((says our Auckland correspondent). I had an interesting chafe with the English distance champion, Alfred E. Shrubb, touching his colonial tour. The South London Harrier was on the whole satisfied with his doings in the various races — One-mile New Zealand Championship excepted — in which he iiad figured, and' more than delighted with his treatment; both on and off the track, the enthusiasm, shown by the public whenever he was responsible for a o-ocd performance exceeding anything he experienced under similar circumstances in the Old Country- But for his illness in Melbourne. Shrubb is confident that he would have shown the people of New Zealand something better, as the tracks in this colony were found to be above the. average, particularly that on the Auckland Domain, which he regarded as the fastest grass track he had run on, and second only to the Ibrox Park track (cinder) at Glasgow, the best he has ever competed on, and on which he established several o£ his world's records. Arriving at Christchurch from Melbourne the night before the New Zealand championship meeting commenced (March 17), still suffering somewhat urom (/he effecte of the attack of gastric influenza that delayed his . departure from Australia, he found that his running on the opening day threw him back rather than improved him, leaving him weak on the second day, when asked to tackle Burk over tho mile course. Rather than disappoint the public he, however, decided to meet the young Dunedin champion, w^a the result " that he was beaten in 4min' 2/' 2-ssec. Believing that he would, with? a little training, be capable of doing something better, he endeavoured to prevail upou Burk to give him. another chance, either at Wellington oi Auckland. - 7 ie latter centre for prefereaice, and was twhat disappointed to find that tho Dunedinite was unable to accede to the request. Had Burk come on to Wellington Shrubb thought the Dunedin runner would probably have sucoeded in again defeating him. as the Christchurch running had left h'u^. very weak; he started quit© unfit, an^ 1 ran a long way below his true- form. tt-e-' arriving in Auckland he picked up rapidh . and was quite confident of improving on a1!a 1 ! previous times in the colony for the mile, though not expecting to quite eqxial 1m best of 4-min 22sec. as tiirned out to bo t.h& case. Speaking of this, the little Englishman said he would be with the first to cc gratulate Burk should the jJunedinite at any time equal or improve upon it, but seemec 1 inclined to the opinion that the task would prove beyond him, because of the fact; that he ha 3 too much weight to carry to make an out-and-out champion over a mile. He regards Burk as a plucky and deter* mined runner, but adheres to his previouslyexpiessed opinion that his best distance wilb be over the half-mile course. Fit and well, and trained specially for the distance, Shrubb does not hesitate to say that -he thinks Burk would be one of the finesfc amateur 880 yds runners in the worlcL and! I capable of winning an English championship in the best company. "Say, I guess we have struck it all rig-hfc this time !" The speaker was Arthur F. Duffey. the famous American eorint runner, and he addressed his even more famous travelling companion, Alfred E. Shrubb, the great English long-distance performer. Both athletes arrived from New Zealand , (cays the Sydney Daily Telegraph of April 1 8) yesterday morning, and Duffey's remark was prompted by the impression the Sydney Cricket Ground made upon him, as. together with a party of gentlemen, he made h;s way along- the path between the o-raml stand and the members' pavilion. "My," continued Duffev, standing with hands on hips, "this beats anything we'veI got in America. You see. you people build! j for all time. Our grounds are right, but I the structures are usually for some particular occasion only." Shrubb, too, expressed surprise, and said tk&re was nothing in the Old Country to be compared with Sydney's great athletic convincing nlace. Shrubb nnd Duffey visited the Cricket Ground for the purpose of having a '"breather," as both were very stiff after the trip. and. while they stripped and donned their training costumes, a representative of the DailyTelegraph had an interesting chat with' lhe.m. The visitors are so far delighted! with their visit to Australia, and speak I highly of the hospitality extended thorn in i Victoria and New Zealand. Neither has. up to date, struck his best form. They hardly expected to do as well as they hava done after coming 'from th© English to | the Australian climate, and finding such \ unusually hot weather for this time- of the j year. Shrubb said that after his illness I in Melbourne he was afraid he would nor ! be able to compete again in this part of | the world, but his health had improved i every day since, and Sydney might ses him better than at any time since he arrived iin Australia. The two champions were closely watched when they out on the grass. Shrubb's work i<= all behind litdoesn't throw his legs forward as do most I runners we are accustomed to see. 2 He traversed two separate "quarters," and then

:an a mile at a nice swinging gait, hie movements being regular and even always, runners we are accustomed to see. He bind Lynch, the great record-breaker travelled for half a mile, and then he sprinted right away from the crack Sydney iniler, who couldn't hold him at all. iWbeatley, the Victorian champion, accompanied fchrubb once round, and retired to the members' pavilion fence, stating he found himself trying to copy Shrubb's style, ,which would not do at all, as it upset his form.

' Questioned regarding his method of training* Shrubb said : " One thing I do not " believe in is the dieting fad. I believe that )b man should eat and drink exactly what lie -feels like taking. I think beer is a great " °aid-in training, taken, of course, in moderation and an athlete should drink it as he he wants it. During all the time I Shave been racing I have found it a great '■help. Look here, it's no use a man trying jfcD Tun races on tea and soft stuff. It does Shimjmore harm than good. You must have 'something solid and muscle-giving in you. jOf- course, a man who is going to compete W bi^ races must not gorge himself. It's -'a-ight "enough to have a good meal when you want it, but it's no -game to tuck into chops and steaks, at midnight. What you /want, when you want it, and how you it, is my idea of. the thing. "When .-training I -run aboat three miles a day. Of iccursc, I take light exercise in other ways, Jbut-I find a good run and a shower, fclIk.wed by a solid rub down, is the finest ?ihing. I never overtax myself. I think it ftesfc to train oneself up to a point just /under one's best, the.i there is always room ifor an extra burst. -For a man training for short races I would recommend short .*nd regular sprints. In his case he has certainly •more need to watch himself as far as <?atang and drinking go. He is always at a /v+ry fine point, and must keep there. Still, Jhere again, I say that he. should suit himself a-5 to what he eats and drinks. Mr JDuffey, who is with me, is a great sprinter, land he will tell you that he has never stinted himself in any way. Beer as a Idrink, and any solid food that takes his fancy is what he sticks to, and he is always 'as fit as a fiddle. During 1904 I was first in Sfch-o Birehfield Harriers' 10-mil« «v«nt in S&nin 0 Z-Ssec. la the International CrossChampionship, won by England, I Was first, in 46min 22 3-ssec. I won the 8.0-mile Amateur Championship at Nottingham h> 57min 55 4-ssec, and on May 21, at gtamford Bridge, I beat the record for three jniles, doing the distance in 14min 17 3-ssec. % hold all the world's records from 2000 yds lap- to the hour. In Scotland last year I Established five world's records during the iuyurse of a 10-mile Tace. I was feeling ,very fit that day, and did the 10 miles in 50min 40see. Among my records are the following: — Two miles, 9min 9 l-ssec ; three oriiles, _14min 17sec ; four miles, 19min 43sec ; ifive miles, 34min In an hour's run the ttongest distance I did was 11 miles 1137 yds. ,On this occasion I beat the previous record of W. Gk George by 122 yds. I have been xunning since 1889, but at first had no idea ©f-rgoing in for the thing thoroughly, till after -a little training and experience I "found I had a better turn of speed than I thought." The- brightest feature at the Ota go Boys' Sigh . School sports on Saturday was the splendid Tunning- of that youthful athlete Sifi.lCa.vr. To win four events off scratch in one -afternoon is indeed an achievement of •which the High School boy may well feel proud. In. addition to the events won on Saturday, M'Caw also won the High Jump and Broad Jump decided on the previous Bay. When it is remembered that M'Caw won all six events in which he competed, putting up splendid performances in each, it will •be readily seen what a promising athlete he is. Considering the heavy state of the track, 3iis~ 100 yds in 10 4~ssee, beating the previous school's record of llsec. established by Polnon as far back as 1886, the 220 yds in 24, 3-ssec, and the 440 yds in 55sec, stand out as "being nothing short of remarkable for a school boy. M'Caw is a. pretty runner ito watch, with an easy action, and a fine, .telling stride. I had almost forgotten to mention that after winning all the events named, M'Caw came out in the Relay Race, and, running a fast 240 yds. won with a lot *to spare, bringing victory to his side. The following sets out the Challenge Cup winders' performances : —

Last year M'Caw and Scott were equal In. points for the Challenge Cup until the Jast Taee was decided, the present holder of the cup just beating Scott in the 120 yds Hurdles. This year M'Caw improved so £nuch that he scored 24 points to Scott's 14 for the Gup.

Scott is more of a middle-distance and toile runner than a sprinter, and he would do well in future to confine himself to the quarter, the half, and mile. The half seems to be his best distance, albeit he can jrun a-, good mile. In the 880 yds on Saturday Scott won without being pushed in 2min 3.osec, and had the track been at all fast he iwould have reduced! that time by a couple ,of seconds.

In addition to M'Caw and Scott, the Boys' High School has several other very promising athletes who only require looking -after to bring them into prominence. Those Wvho come into mind at time of writing are 38. G. Smith, Mayhew, Bannerman, and

G/ilray does not make a feature of track 'events, yet on Saturday he proved himself ix> be a very useful half-miler. In the 220 yds (open) the University footballer kthlete also ran a good race, being just J>eaten on the tape ; so close, indeed, was the finish that it appeared to be a deadbeat.

. The management of the meeting was splenpid, all the events being got off eharp to $ime, while the results were posted accu- ; ately and with precision. The only cause [or regret was the poor attendance of the general public. Those who were present, aowever, were rewarded by seeing a good afternoon's sport. It might be well if future sports meetings of the school were held much earlier in the season.

It will be seen from the arrangement of the programme that the two competitors for the Challenge Cup had a busy day. At & p.m. "all out for the Half," at 2.30 bounded the starter's whistle for the Quarter,

' at 3.10 final for the 100 yds, at 3.45 final of the 220 yds, 15 minutes later Scott was out for a punishing mile, at 4.15 Scott and M'Caw rode in the Mile Bicycle Race, at 4.25 the pair were out for the 120 yds Hurdles, and at 4.35 the Challenge Cup competitors were out in the Relay Race. Now, while this shows what excellent form the two athletes were in, it was manifestly unfair that they should have had to run in events following each other in such rapid succession, and in this respect the programme of events was not well arranged. For example, between 3.45 and 4.35, a matter of 50 minutes only, Scott competed in five events (including a hard mile flat and a mile bicycle race), and M'Caw in four ! In a recent issue 1 commented upon the poor attendance at the New Zealand Championship meeting in Christchurch, keeping in view the fact that in addition to the champion athletes of the colony. Christchurch had the benefit of the two world's champions, Shrubb and Duffey, and the two Australians. Commenting on my remarks, "Sprinter," while throwing a whole brick at Canterbury, incidentally throws a half -brick at Otago : "Christchurch, like Dunedin, is suffering from the lack of enterprise, not to say intelligence, in past years of those who have been in charge of amateur athletics in the two centres. It is scarcely a couple of seasons since the introduction of the centre system aroused the Dunedin athletic people from a long and deep slumber ; fortunately, they gjot over rubbing their eyes in time to make proper preparations for the recent meeting. One centre is as good as another in patronising sport. It is simply a question of understanding the public's requirements and catering for them. The Christchurch authorities deserve 'Amateur's' rebuke, but so do those in Dunedin. As a rule there is no originality in the programmes., all the work of 'booming' a meeting is left in the hands of two or three, and the others growl after at the 'lack of public interest.' " I cannot quite see that the foregoing explains away the paucity of public patronage at the meeting in question, which to my mind was well "boomed" by the New Zealand Council, not to mention a prize of £10 for a guessing competition, and that children were admitted for 4d. "Sprinter" states, that one centre is as good as another in patronising sport," and that "it is simply a question of understanding the public's requirements end catering for them." The Christchurch public must indeed be hard to cater for when world's champions together with the pick of New Zealand' and Auustralian athletes will not draw them. What do they want? The centre system of government has aroused Dunedin athletic people, but what is the matter with it in Christchurch, where it has been longer established? The. membership of the St. Andrew Harriers is increasing, there being 27 members present at the last run. As there will be no run for a couple of weeks owing to the Easter holidays the club purposes holding its usual weekly run on Wednesday evening. In view of the forthcoming race at Forbury. all members should avail themselves of th's opportunity. Th 9 first appearance of Shrubb and Duffey in Sydney, according to the cables, does not appear to have been as satisfactory as could have been wished. The ground is said to have been spongy and against fast times. Nigel Barker, the footballer-sprinter, was looked upon as a possible rival of the speedy American over the 100 yds, while it was also thought that Stanley Rowley would also push the Georgetown flyer. In the 100 yds sprint in Sydney on Saturday last Barker is reported to have beaten Duffey by six inches in 10 l-ssec. The American was leading 20yds from the tape, when Barker spurted and passed him. It was noticed in New Zealand that Duffey finished with greater "determination in the 50yds and 75yds dashes than in the 100 yds. Barker's run on a track said to be against fast timee is a particularly fine one. Shrubb's win in the Mile Championship in 4min 26 3-ssec shows up the difference between the fast track at Auckland and that at Sydney. Wheatley ran a good race to finish 20yds behind the Englishman in the mile, but the surprise to most is the. Victorian running in and winning the Quarter, beating the ex-New Zealand champion "Pat" Webster by several yards in the fast time of 51 3-ssec. The 75yds Dash was won by Barker. The cable does not state that Duffey was in this race, but presuming he was the American could not have been running up to his New Zealand form, allowing for the difference in the tracks, to be beaten in Bsec. The result of the Fivemile Race could not have been very pleasing to Shrubb, for the cable states that he retired just before completing "our miles, being 1 unable, owing to the semi-darkness, to ascertain his position in the race, and protested. From the cabled information the position of things is not quite clear, but presuming that the race was run in semidarkness and that Shrubb was unable to ascertain his position, it does not seem sufficient grounds for protest by the Englishman.

A record for the University was created by K. Cornwalhs in the Half-mile at the Oxford LTniversity sports a few days ago, when the distance was traversed) in lmin 56sec.

Tho National Ten-mile Cross-country Championship in England brought out 124 runners, representing 12 harrier clnbs. With the exception of 11 all ran the full distance. The winning clxib was the Highgate Harriers, A. Aldridge, one of its representatives, being an easy first honie in 56min 586ec. Alfred Shrubb has been first man home in 1901-2-3-4. An English appreciation : After persevering with praiseworthy pluck and gameness in various cross-coiuntry races, and playing on several occasions second fiddle to his great rival Shrubb, A. Aldridge has at last reached the height of a harrier's ambition by proving successful in the National Cross-country Championship. At Lingfield, Aldridge, when opposed to the cream of 'chasers — barring, of course, the champion, Shrubb — showed his heels in gallant style to 124 competitors, and, running right up to his form, he gained a highly popular victory, and in doing so proved himself to be out-and-out the best cross-country runner at present in the country.

For cspcising the cause of the young Dunedin runner Burk over his detractors, "Amateur" has raised a heap of trouble, and is kept more than usually busy answering his critics. The latest is "Harrier," who in this week's Australasian just- to hand, states that "Amateur" in the Otago Witness is a very ardent admirer of the local champion, Burk, and in that paper for March 29 has half a column to prove Bxirk as good as Shrubb at a mile. He also states "it, is qxiite on the cards, in view of his recent performances, that had he raced in the 440 yds Championship at Christchurch,

won by Widmer, of New South Wales and the Half-mile Championship, won by Whoatley, of Victoria, Burk would hiw-e accounted for both of these evonts." Ho eA ideiitly has a rather poor opinion of Wheatlpy, and talked inch absurdities a« that he was "outdated" by Burk at the half-mile, because the Victorian, ju^t off the boat, and, as I happen to know, a bit stale fioni over-work, was beaten by several yards in lmin 58 l-ssc c. In the Mile the same day Burk was first to retire. He returns to the charge again as follows ■ —"Before the New Zealand tour of the> world's champions and the Australian aHilctes commenced w» were told that it would be a great race between Burk and Whpatley over the mile, but that Shrubb wjxtlrl easily defeat both. What has bren proved is that not only is Wheatley no match for the Dunedin runner ovei the mile, but that over the half he is also overshadowed by the local champion. Moreover, there is in Otago at the present time a half-mile runner who was not even asked to represent Otago ut the championship meeting, who would furnish a good lace off scratch with the Victorian." Don't you think, friend "Amateur," you are gushing a little too mucb about Burk. and belittling Wheatley too much also? Since the race at Dunedin the Victorian has, at .Christchurch, won the New Zealand Halfmile Championship in 2min 4sec by 10 yards, and third in Half-mile Handicap, his time being 2min 2 l-sseo. At Wellington he was second in Milo Handicap, in time equal to about 4min 34scc, s'nd only 40min later ea.me out and won the Half-mile Handicap with great ease in 2min 3sec. (Wheatley himself thinks he could have beaten 2niin if ne^es?ary.) At Auckland -the Victorian gets third from scratch in the Mile, beating 4min 30sec, and shortly after wins the Half again with great ease in lmin 59sec. Good as he is, Burk will have to win a few more races in "hot" time- before it can be said that Wheatley is no match for him. In a private note from Wellington, Wheatley says: — "I am just beginning to get well, but we have no chance. Just as we strike form we have to leave for the next port. I can tell j'ou travelling knocks it out of you. At the time I'm writing I only go 10.2 i." Perhaps "Amateur" will modify his ve-rdict. The only lime Wheatley and Burk appear i-o have met at a mile the former headed Burk. though both retired ["Harrier"' has forgotten the Mile Championship in Christchurch, where Wheatley retired after going half a mile] yet it has already "been proved he is no match for Burk over a mile:" that "he is overshadowed at the half-mile," and that even an Otago "unknown" would give him a good race from scratch. Patriotism is running away with discretion.

Let me inform "Harrier" at theoutset that the only reason for the cause of the young Dunedin runner being taken up so strongly by this paper is owing to so many attempts having been made to detract from his recent performances, and it was only when certain statements were made concerning the said performances that "Amateur" took up the role of defender. The Australasian writer does not stick very closely to facts when he states that the half column was written to prove Burk as good as Shrubb over a mile. It was written to prove that the local man is capable of much better time than his run in the Mile Championship in Christchurch. indicated. In this connection "Harrier" may not© that the Sydney Referee writer, - who, amongst others, thought at one time that Burk would be easily defeated by Shrubb over the mile, now (after Shrubb'* 4.22 in Auckland) is of the opinion tbat "very little has been proved so far as to the relative merits of the pair over a mile," and has no doubt that "had Hector Burk gone to Auckland, even better time would have been put up by the marvellous South London Harrier," and the Sydney writer " would have expected to have seen Burk close to him at the finish." In the face of that, how can "Harrier" make out that Wheatley, whose best performance- is 4.30, is a "match" over the mile for the New Zcalander? And if he isn't a match, isn't he over-matched? While the young "Victorian is a very fine runner, I still maintain that he is not a match for the New Zealander on equal terms, and by "match" I mean that the Victorian would be beaten, not that he would be "outclassed," as "Harrier" alleges I stated, though I have failed to find any trace of the word used in connection with the subject under discussion: If I did use the word it was inadvisedly, and not with the intention of creating the meaning which appears to have been attached to it. It is significant that albeit in a previous issxie "Harrier" refers to the Auckland track as being "proverbially fast," and, moreover, discredits the times on the Auckland Domain (to quote his own vrcrds: "Onfl has an uneasy feeling; about New Zealand times," etc.). no mention is made of the fast track in the paragraph reproduced above, and by that the Australian writer therein fails to be convincing in his argument. What the Australasian writer thought of Wheatley as a miler before the Auckland meeting may be judged from his comments on the cabled reports of that meeting. "The mile result is a bit mixed.

. . . I do not fancy Wheatley ran from scratch, as he had 45yds from Shrubb in the Wellington mile." I can assure "Harrier" that when I wrote, it was with no intention of belittling Wheatley. On the contrary, I think he is a very fine runner — a better half-miler than a miler, perhaps. After seeing Wheatley race at Dunedin, I commented upon the young Essendon runner as follows : "That Wheatley was not seen at his best must be admitted, and he may reasonably be expected to run better the further north he 1 goes." Elsewhere I also wrote __after the Otago meeting : "Wheatley is a slim youth, who does not look as if he could stand much training; I anticipate him to be a very warm member of a hdlf-mile." Surely, "Harrier," that can uever be construed into belittling the young "Victorian runner? "Good as he is," says "Harrier," "Burk will have to win a few more races in 'hot' time before it can be said that Wheatley is no match for him." The Australasian writer should know that when one man is spoken of as being a "match" for another it means that they are quite on an equality. That Burk and Wheatley are on an equality over the halfmile and mile oannofc be contended, yet not to &ay that Wheatley is not a very fine runner. Much more might be written in answer to^the above, but as I replied to a similar criticism by the Canterbury Times' writer only as recently as last week, enough has- now been set fol'th in explanation. As the views expressed by "Harrier," quoted above, are somewhat similar to those recently given prominence to by "Sprinter," I presume that the Canterbury writer will reprint them in the next issue of his papei". Anticipating this. I want it to be distinotly understood that having now replied to both critics, it Is not my intention to afiflin r_e-

opp-n the subject, and so far as this paper I and "Amateur" are concerned, it is closed.

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