NOTES BY AMATEUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2674, 14 June 1905, Page 58

NOTES BY AMATEUR.

The secretaries of the Civil Service, the V.M.C.A., and the St. Andrew's Harriers have responded to the invitation issued last week to furnish the syllabus of their respective clubs. The Otago Centre is anxious that the New Zealand cross-country championship held in Christchurch a. couple of seasons ago should not be allowed to lapse as last year, and in this connection has written the New Zealand Council for permision to hold the championship in Dunedin, asking at the same time what assistance the council is prepared to grant towards the expenses of the race. „ . The newly-formed Caversham Harriers Club, with an active membership of 25, has been affiliated to the Otago Centre. The statement of receipts and expenditure in connection with the Duffey meeting held by the Otago Centre shows takings at the gate, £141 8s 9d; entry fees, £14 16s; tickets sold, £32 14s. These, together with some small amounts, bring the receipts xxp to £203. The expenditure showed advertising, £22 9s 6d: printing, £5 13s 6d; prizes, £56 4s 6d; Carisbrook Ground Compan3% £34 14s; and with smaller amounts the total is £204 ss; showing a loss of £1 5s 3d.

Some athletes are peculiar in their methods and time of training, but it is surely "training mad" to start out as the clt>ck is striking the mid-night hour for the daily, or, rather, to be more correct in this instance nightly run. Approaching 12 o'clock on Sunday night two youths clad in the regulation harrier costume were seen running all out through the quiet streets of a well-known hill suburb. A respectable citizen who had been out posting a letter was startled by the apparitions, who vanished like spectres in the gloom. "Amateur" is curious to know who these athletes are who chose such an uncanny hour for training — "dark horses," truly, in more senses than one, for the approaching big crose-country race. Local amateur athletes generally and the members of the Dunedin Amateur Athletic Club particularly will regret the accident which befell young M'Leod whereby his collarbone was broken while playing for Alhambra against Pirates at Bishopscourt on Saturday. The sufferer has the best wishes of his comrades on field and track for a speedy recovery. The Otago Centre has decided to hold an inter-club cross-country team race, open to all affiliated clubs, at an early date. It is anticipated that with the number of harrier clubs in our midst the entries will total nearly 100. . . . "Sprinter" understands that a requisition was sent in to the president of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Council, Mr J. F. Grierson, asking him to call a meeting on Friday of last week, but the request was not complied with. One w<»ld _ like to know why it was necessary to requisition the president of the N.Z.A.A.A. to call a meeting of the council; also, when he was requisitioned, why the meeting was not called. There has been a mighty slump in athletics in the Cathedral City since the ShrubbDuffey meeting, and no attempt is being made to revive matters. The athletic legislators fell over each other in their efforts to embrace Alfred Shrubb, and tell him what a wonderful distance runner he was; but what are these self-same admirers of distance running and distance runners doing to improve the standard of that particular branch of athletics in New Zealand? If the N.Z.A.A.A. does not soon awaken from its long sleep, the New Zealand crosscountry championship, which fell through last year owing to the casualness of the council, ■will lapse again this season. Yet let no one have the temerity to suggest the removal of the headquarters from Christchuroh. A tetter has been received in Chrisichurch (says the Canterbury Times) from Mr O. Jennings, who left recently to jom Mr Eugen Sandow on his tour of the world. Mr Jennings will represent New Zealand, having been selected from a number of splendidly-developed young men in the colony. Mr Sandow is touring the worid with * a small and cosmopolitan army of athletes, giving exhibitions on the lines of tbe ancient Greek games He has an Englishman, an American, a Frenchman, Swiss, an Armenian, a Persian, a Scotenman, a Russian, a Japanese, an Italian, an Ind'an, a Chinaman, and representatives of other nationalities, and they compete m boxing, swimming, wrestling, javelin-throw-jno- chariot-racing, and other athletic exereisp New Zealand will bs visited in due course. The English sprinter J. W. Morton, who wa? to have accompanied Shrubb and Duffey to tL- colonies, won the 120 yds handicap at the London County Clubs sports, held just before the mail left, in 12 l-sseo. The intcr-'varsity sports meeting between Sydney and Melbourne Universities, won by tin* former lw five events to two, produced several first-class performances. Prior to the meeting Sfvdney held only one record —viz., H. B. Rowland's high jump, sft in. The others were held by H. H. Hunter 100 yards, in 10 MOsec; G. A. Moir, 440 yards in 52 3-Ssec ; H. Sutton, half mile, m 2min'ssec; E. E. W ebst vu T ' °™ 1 , 1 J! lle ' ? *mm 39sec; L. M. Macpherson, 120 yards hurdles, in 16 4-s=ec; and D. J. D. Bevan, lono jump, 22ft 3m. And no fewer than three of these records were lowered at the recent meeting. C. P. Stewart reduced the hurdle figures to 16 3-ssec; Barker, after just failing to tie the sprint record, cut down the quarter-mile time to the fine lime of 50 4-ssec (a grass record for NewSouth Wales) ; and N. W. Barratt reduced the half mile to 2min 2 4-sseo. The championships resulted: 100 yds (record 10 1-10, holder for 1904. H. Hunter, Melbourne), N. C. Barker, Sydney, won easily; time, 10 l-s?ec. Beoyclsß e oycls (record 2min 6 4-ssee;> holder for 1904, N. Barrett, Melbourne)— N. Barrett, Melbourne; won by 10 yards; time, 2min 2 4 sseo. 120 yds Hurdles— C. P. Stewart. Sj l^»y ; won by six yards; time-, 16 3 sseo. J}roa.d Jun?p— H. Gr. Allen.

Bydney, 20ft B£in. 440 yds (holder, L. Maenherson, Melbourne)— N. C. Barker, Sydney; won by 17 yards; time, 50 4-ssec— a New South Wales record for grass. Mile (record, 4min 38sec; holder, L. Arnold, Melbourne)— R. G. Waddy, Sfydney; won l>y 20 yards; time, 4min 43 3-ssec. High Jump— N. Barrett (Melbourne) and J. T. liawton (Melbourne), dead heat, sft 4|in.

An effort is to be made this year to induce the long-distanoe men of Oxford and Cambridge to visit America with the idea of meeting the best men over country in the American Intercollegiate Cross-country Association,.

This is how the Field (London) reports the meeting of the English Amateur Athletic Association in reference to Shrubb's proposed visit to South Africa: — An application from the South African A.A.A. for A. Shrubb to be allowed to compete at the Wanderers Club, Johannesburg, on "Whit-Monday next, the invitation to include J. W. Morton, the S. A.A.A. or Wanderers Club paying all expenses of tho visit, was considered. Although the association last December ga\e permission for Shrubb to Tisit New Zealand under similar conditions, the meeting last Saturday held that the rule as to amateurs not receiving expenses precluded the request of the South African A.A.A. being agreed to, and refused the required permission. The St. Andrew Harriers had a very pleasant day's outing on Monday, June b, when they journeyed to Balclutha to hold. * run at the invitation of the Balclutha Harriers. Mr Bremner had charge of the team, which r«turned to town by the express thoroughly satisfied with the days outing No praise is too great for the way the members of the Balclutha Club waited on the men, and for the trouble taken in 6howing them all the interesting spots round about' the place. Although the day was very cold, the run was thoroughly enjoyed. It is in the interest of the sport that club? should have visiting runs with each other. The T.M.C.A. Harriers on Saturday ran from the Anderson's Bay Presbyterian Sunday School, when there was a good must!£ of* members. The hares (Hamblett and Yeoman) made the most of the open country to be found in this district, and laid a fine- trail, which was much appreciated by the pack. The ground, except for the shady corners, where it was very slippery, was in good condition. The trail led over the hills towards Highcliff, where it merged on to-the road and turned for home. From this point the pace was rather warm, several new members being hard pushed to keep with the pack. In the sprint home it was noticeable that several young members were well to the fore. Ti.3 run next Saturday takes place from Mr Hugh Milla-r's residence at St. Leonards, the club leaving town by the 2.30 p.m. train

To "Amateur," Otago Witness. — Dear Sir, — Much interest attaches to the two pictures reproduced in last week's Otago Witness of the two champions, Shrubb and Duffey, competing at Sydney. In the picture of the former running in the three mile race, the great runner's left foot is soine^ distance inside the chalk mark which denotes the track, and from his position Shrubb, at 'the time the photo was taken. y was running entirely inside the track, and was, therefore, covering lees than the- correct distance. Naturally the time recorded would hardly be correct. The same point was noticed in the champion's running in this oolonv. particularly. I am told, in Auckland. — Yours truly, Spobt. — [A record bo established would not be accepted by the English Amateur Athletic Association, but the authorities in the colonies are apparently not so particular. — Amateur.!.

The question of removing the headquarters of the Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association from Christchurch, so long mooted, has at last received definite shape. The Otago Centre has written asking the opinion of the Auckland and Wellington Centres as 'to the •wisdom of a change— the local centre's proposition being fhat the headauarters of the sport should be alternately three years in each of the chief centres. There has been widespread dissat"'sfact : on with tho presenT management of the council for some time. In Wellington and Otago the feeling is perhaDs stronger, but from late issues of some of the Oanterburv riapers I surmise that the same fee-ling exists there. The recent championship meeting showed that amateur athletics are at a very low ebb in Christchurch, and as there seems no indication of any effort to recuscitate the sport in that city, it is as well that the headquarters should be removed to a centre vher© more activity is being displayed. Great vigour is being at- present shown hy both Wellington and Dunedin, and the sport could not but benefit- by having similar activity infused into the governing body. If the council were removed there would l>e a chance of the management of the Canterb'irv Centre faTliner into the hands of more aefcive supporters of the sport and amateur athletics would again flourish in the Cathedral City. In Auckland I believe new vigour is being sEown. and a boom is ahead in the sport. Regarding the transfer every three years. I am of opinion that the project would prove workable and in the best interests of athletics. In any town where there exists both a centre and a council, one or other is almost certain to be weak — perhaps both. If, however, the governins body is removed every three year 3, the centres would continually be receiving the strength that the government of the cport in tho whole colony would be certain to impart while the council would fce> benefiting by having the infusion of new blood and new ideas.

TTrom the correspondence recently published it would appear that Shrubb would have been willing to have landed in Sydney on the Friday and competed there on the following Saturday. This in order that he irnohf jorjmov to South Africa +-o compete there. When approached in Christchurch about a return vfsit to Dunedin to meet Buvk. the En dish chamoion flatly declined to wen consider leaving his arrival in SydXi 0 - 1 - n fay lnfAr than scb""^!!^ time.

The syllabus for the T.M.C.A. Harriers till July 15 is ns follows: — On June 17 thn club run, ,by invitation, from Mr Hugh Millar's residence at St. Leonards, members leavinsr town by the 2.30 pm. train. *"<" .Tttp" *?4 tbf> run tal-ps olficf from thp George Street School Gymnasium, members leaving PO. by the 2.30 rj.m. car. On Saturday followins; the club will run from the residence of Mr C. Darling, Mornington, leavins by the High street car at 2.30 p.m. On July R the run takes nlace from Ravensliourne Boat Shed, members leaving town by tlip 2.30 T). m. train. Saturday following", tho 15th -Tulv-, the club's run takes place from the WaTcari Drill Hall, lnembor* meetIng at the Stuart street car at half-past 2. As will be seen 3 some good runs arc ar-

ranged for. It is hoped members will turn out in as large numbers as they have been doing in the past.

The following is the syllabus for the season of 1905 of the Civil Service Harrier and Amateur Athletic Club: — June 17, North Dunedin Drill Hall; June 24, Wingatui Racecourse, leaving town by 2.10 p.m. train; July 1, North-East Valley School; July 8, Littlebourne road, at invitation of Mr Clothier; July 15, One-mile Postal Cup Handicap, to be run at Forbury Park ; July 22, Mr J. Wilson's residence, Belleknowes; July 29, St. Clair Baths ; August 5, Wingatui Racecourse, leaving town by 2.10 p.m. train; August 12, Mr W. Fisher's residence, Belltknowes; August 19. Three-mile Railway Cup Handicap, to 'be run at Forbury ; August 26, Green Island School, leaving town by 2.10 p-m. train ; September 2, Tahuna Park; September 9, Wakari School; September 16, St. Clair Baths; September 23, North Dunedin Drill Shed; September 30, Civil Service Cross-country Championship, a distance of five miles, to be held at Wingatui Racecourse over such country as the committee may select. A sealed handicap will be held in connection with this race. Train leaves town at 2.10 p.m. A sprint championship of the club for a, cup and medal presented by the officers of the Telegraph Department will be held during the track season. All cups are held by the winners for one year. If funds permit a sports meeting, open to all amateurs, will be held during the summer season. Members will please note that all harrier runs commence at 3 p.m. sharp.

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

A meeting of the Otago Centre, N.Z,A.A.A., was held on Friday, when there were prosent Messrs W Lang (president, in the chair), A. Marryatt, H. B. Courtis, and R. W. Brickell (vice-presidents), J. Mooney (D.A.8.), D. Melville \.V.H.), R. J. Morrin (North Otago), K. G-. Anderson (Gore), and H. Mackintosh (C.S., secretary).

An application for affiliation to the N.Z.A.A.A. was received frcaii the Caversham Harriers Club, which enclosed rules, and stated that the active membership was 25. — It was decided on the motion of Mr Courtis, seconded by Mr Morrin, that the. Caversham Club be affiliated to the Otago Centre, N.Z. A. A. A.

Applications for reinstatement were received fiom J. W. Turnbull and G. W. Taylor (Gore). The applications were forwarded to Christchurch.

The treasurer submitted the balance sheet of tho Shrubb-Duffey meeting, which showed: Takings at the gate, £141 8s 9d; entry fees, £14 16s; tickets sold, £32 14s. These, together with seme small amounts, brought the receipts up to £203 13s. Ine expenditure showed: Advertising £22 9s 6d; printing, £5 13s 6d; prizes, £56 4s 6d; Carisbrook Ground Company, £3i 14s; and with smaller amounts, the total was £204 5s 6d, showing a less of £1 5s 3d. It was decided to hold an inter-club cross-cc-unlry teams' race, open to all affiliated to the centre, at an early date.