NOTES BY AMATEUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2734, 8 August 1906, Page 57

NOTES BY AMATEUR.

Mr W. R. Ingram, honorary secretary of the Gore Harrier and" Amateur Athletic Club passed through town last- week on his way north. Mr Ingram, intends to spend a short holiday in Auckland and NapierIt is pleasing to note that as a result of the formation, of a centre for Southland a new olub has been formed in Winton. Th« Invercargilr clubs are giving every assistance to foster the organising moyemßnt, and the Southland Centre is determined to organise all the principal towns in the neac future. On August 22 the Gore Harrier Club intend holding an open flour-mile- race at Gore. The trophies will be valued at £3 3s, £2 2s, and £1 Is. Any visiting athlete who can make the trip oan depend on. a plea&ant time with our Southland friends. A prize will also be given for. fastest ±ime, which should encourage some of- the top* notchers to enter for the race. The Gore Club deserve every encouragement for their enterprise in establishing the race, which it is hoped will be held annually. The inter-club championship of Southland will be held on September 12 at Gore, when it is expected that all the clubs will be represented. Interest in the event is very keen, and a great struggle for winning honours is anticipated. The teamß will' consist of six men, with five to count, and the distance will be five miles. Some members of the Civil Service Club spent » day recently on the Taieri, when a suitable course for tho Ten-mile Crosscountry Handicap on August 25 was laid out. Some difficulty was experienced in selecting the trail, which should, however, provide an. excellent one. The course will be well flagged, and in addition about a doten stewards will be posted at various points. Interest is growing in this race, and inquiries have been received from both Southland and Canterbury from possible entrants. There is some talk of the Wellington Harriers being represented if the necessary leave can be obtained. The inter-club Tace is s»t down for decision next Saturday at Wingatui, when & larue field is sure to face Mr M'Do.na!d. Last year 10 clubs started, there being 60 manors in the field. This yeaar this number will be easily exceeded, and ifc would not be surprising to see over a nundred competitors. The presence of a strong team from South Canterbury will add great interest to the race, and- the visitors will not be grudged their win should they prove victorious. The trail will be laid on. tho day of the race, and plenty of flags and paper will be used. Speaking of the chances of the various clubs the Dunedin Harrier* will be again very hard to beat. _ It is understood that Murray and Burk will don the club colours on the day, white Arthur Bonnin has, fortunately for his dub, returned from the West Coast and will tak© part. The South Canterbury division includes men with very good performances this season and will' have a great chaitce. They will be slightly handicapped; by* lack of knowledge of the country, bufc their fitneas should more than make up for that" drawback. The Civil Service team have been hit very, hard by misfortune-. Reynolds, who was looked on as a,- tower of strength, has been removed to Wellintj+qn. as has Turvey, another first-class man, while Stephens has overtrained and is an- unlik«lystarter. Nevertheless, the Amber-and-white posses*, in Melville. Fersruson. and French, a good trio, who, if well backed up by the rest of the team, will make a good fight. The Caversham Club are a highly dangerous team. In addition to M'Kriight, who has shown splendid form over rho same country, they have Frew, and a dark horse from whom great things are expected. The V.M.C.A. have Sharp, by many regarded as a certainty for first man home, Dawson, \nd severaf very promising men. I <lo not think, however, that they ar« stroiicr enough to win. A club of which very litrle has been heard, but whose members, are quietly training, is the St. Joseph's. I hear great accounts of. the wearers of the greon, and expect them to perform creditably. Of Port, Southern Bible Class, and tho 'Varsity little has been said, but the former should put a pood team in the field. The St. Andrew Club are straining every nerve to be represented. Some difficulty has been experienced in obtaining the necessaiy leave for members of the team, but this has now been overcome, and the olub will be represented by its best team. It is possible that one of tho Invercargill clubs will put in an appearance on the day, but nothing definite is known on this point yet. To sum up, I take the Dunedin or the South Canterbury to win, with the Caversham close handy.

The meeting of the Otago Centre held last Wednesday was conducted with great despatch, the major part of the business being disposed of in quick time in or<i»r to enable the presentation of the mtcrclub banner to be made to last year's winners, the Dunedin Harriers- Although the banner has been a long time coming it was worth waiting for, as the centre- has obtained a very handsome article. Donations were asked from the various clubr and the Civil Service and Dunedin clubs both, contributed, but the major part of ttic ex« gense fell upon the centre.

In presenting the Dunedin Harriers with their •well-aron trophy, the president of the Otago Centre (Mr" S. Jacobs) made a ■very apt speech congratulating the winners, and expressing ±he irope that success would smile x>n *hona again this year. Mr W. H. Johnson (yicß-president of -the Dunedin Harriers), who =was present to receive the banner, ueplied, thanking the chairman, and -expressing tho hope that the race woMld again ihis year be 'keenly contested, and ihat ihe best club would win. Mr Johnson paid a well-deserved compliment to the Otago Centre when iie spoke of the very forward .policy initiated and successfully carried out "by that body. Organising the country districts is being steadily -pushed ahead. The sub-oonrmittee has held several meetings, and is in communication with gentlemen in all places where clubs -can be formed. At least two new clubs should be beard of at an early date. , The -question of leaving gates open after harrier -runs was brought up at the last meeting of- tbe Otago Centre, when the case was mentioned of a farmer who suffered *» two occasions through carelessness- in "this direction. Of course, as was pointed oat, -the harriers might not be at fault,- but the fact of a. puck running over the- -country is sitffieient for the blame, rigktlr Or wFongly, "being laid on ±beir shoniders. Tie President of the centre spoke no uncertain voice on the point. Mr Jacobs cpomted out 4he serious consequences "that might follow such foolish neglect, -and restituted an inquiry to ascertain club was responsible. It is a very •sorieHS matter, and one that -everyone be "pleased to see the centre take up. But Tor €he kindly permission of property -owners chib runs would be impossible. Tbe governing body, fully alive to *hiß {act, is determined to bring the offenders <to book. The annual presentation of prizes of the Duaedin Amateur Athletic Club was held at the W-aratah Tea Rooms on the Ist inst. The f onotien toclc the form of a progressive euchre parby. The lady friends of tbe club mustered is great force. Mr A. Melville was the -lucky -winner of the handsome prize for- most -games, while Miss Viva Jacobs won the lady's prize. After tiards a short toast list was gone through. In the absence -of Mt P. B. Macassey (president) Mr S, Jacobs occupied the chair, a position whidi he fifiod ,m his usual bonhomie style. Several speakers congratulated the club on its artaimnent of the twenty-first birthday, -and, in reply, Mr Jacobs spoke of the struggles and vicissitudes of fortune that had 'been experienced during- the club's history. He «aid that up to about three or four years ago it was a common thing for members of the committee to put their hands in their packets to clear off liabilities. Fortunately, this state of affairs had, with new and vigorous management, disappeared, and at present the D.A.A.C. had a handsome credit balance. It is a. matter of importance to every- lover of -fcl*e trport in Oiaffo that the senior club should be prosperous, and the' coming 1 .years should witness an even greater -development of strength in matters both' athletic and financia iin the D.A-A.-C. To the hon. secretary (Mr J T. H&mann) the oresent enviable position of the club is largely due. Mr Hamann fa not a man who wraps himself up in the affairs of his own club entirely. He -has slwayp riroe to do good work on the centre, his assistance, always forthcoming, is eagerly welcomed by any sister club. The following will represent the Southern B.C. Harriers in the inter-club contest on Saturday next : — Croker (2), Lambie, Edgar, Gibson, and Rosevcar. The club is unfortunate in losing the services of its captain OSr A. Tough), who is prevented from again running this season owing to an injured knee. Mr Tough has proved himself a painstaking and energetic officer, and it .is largely due to him that the club has had a successful season. The los 6is all the more felt in view of the approaching inter-club race. j'he following js a brief summary of the history of the Dunedin Amateur Athletic Club, which eelobrated its coming of ago this year:— Preliminary mcotifcjg held October 3,. 1685, when it was resolved to form an athletic ckfb. to be called the Dunedin Amateur Athletic Club. The first general meeting was -held on October I' 4, about 35 members being present. The first 6ports meeting was held at fhe Caledonian Grounds on Monday (Prince of Walefe'-s Birthday), 'November 9, 1885. In 1890 the first New Zealand Championship meeting was held^ and was allotted to Dunedin chiefly on account of the New Zealand and South Seaf Exhibition. The meeting: was a great success. The same year a crosscountry.race was held. 40 runners competing in the cveiit. In 1834 the club for the first time awarded standard badges at it-, sports meetings. In 1899 the New Zealand Amateur Champlonfchip meeting was held at Dunedin nnder the management of the D.A.A.C- and was admitrediv one of the best sport* gatherings ever held in New Zealand. From 1900 to 1902 the club's annual sports meetings took place, and although at times were not a financial success, from an athletic point of view were successful. In 1903 the club inaugurated evening meetings, and the success of the evening sports from that time has been very marked. The season of 1905-6, which marks the coming of age of the club, was the most successful in the history of the club, and the prospects for next season are exceedingly bright. At a recent meeting of the N-Z.A.A.A. a letter was read from the Wellington Centre objecting to the proposal of the council to take the circular course for the 220 yds ©vent at the Championship meeting. Mr Batcbelor stated that many athletes were opposed to the proposal to run the event in tapes, on tbe ground that there ■would be very great difficulty in negotiating the corners, and the men who got the inside running would have the benefit of pacing frotn oth«r competitor". It was agreed that the proposal to run the race in impee should be abandoned. The Wellington Centre hae notified the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Council that no trace can be found of the standard cap irtneii was sent to Mr A. H. Shrubb while he was iil New Zealand. It was agreed that another cap should be sent. "Mr Ray, captain of the Hobart Harriers, passed through Dunedin on a holiday trip on "the Moeraki, and while here renewed acquaintanceship with Mr Stan. Sharp, the V.M.C.A. long-distance champion, who is himself a Tasmanian. Mr Ray, who was accompanied by two friende from Melbourne <aleo harriers), took part in the V.M.C.A. Club's paper-chase, where The Hobart representative showed excellent form. On two occasions Mr Ray has re-

presented his club in the grea tinter-club crops-country championsh at Caulfield. Having failed to produce his form in England, it is unlikely that Nigel Barker, the New South Wales sprinter, will visit , the United States for the championships to be held there. The Scottish mile champion, J. M'Gough, put up a fine performance at a sports meeting in fjootland a 'few days before the mail left, whan he covered a ! mile in 4tnin 23 2-ssec. M'Gough had his | field well in hand with a lap to go, and, I maintaining a consistent pace, won by 35 i yards. The Scottish Inter-university Champion- • fihip meeting, decided a few days before j the mail left, wae won by Edinburgh with 40 championship points. Aberdeen being second with 14^ and -Glasgow third with 13. [ Owing to the wet weather the meeting was not the success anticipated. Wieller (Glas- • gow) won the 100 Yards in 1G 3-ssec, J. B. ! Milne (Edinburgh) the High Jump with sft 6in, Twort (Aberdeen) the Half m 2mm lOsec, Breiman (Aberdeen) the Hammer with 96ft lin, R. C. Stewart (Edinburgh) the Hurdles in 17 2-ssec, W. H. Welsh (Edinburgh) the 220 Yards in 24 4-saec I Mac Donald {Glasgow) the Weight with 39ft i lin. Cookson (Edinburgh) the Broad Jump I with 19ft 7in, Welsh (Edinburgh) the 440 Yards in 563 ec, and Matthews (Edinburgh) the Mile in 4min 55 l-ssec Nigel Barker, the Australian sprinter, at present in England, competing in a 220yde race at the Bellahouston Harriers sports, was easily beaten in his heat, being well to the rear of the field at the finish in the alow thne of 23 l-ssec. Competing at another meeting a few days later. Barker •gain failed to produce form. The Australian could only get third in his heat m the lOOvds, won in 10 2-ssec, and occupied a similar position in the 220 yds, m 23 l-ssec. The feature of the Scottish Amateur Athletic Championship meeting, held at Edinburgh a few days before the mail left, was the running of W. Halswell, the British quarter-mile cnammon, Who accomplished the feat of winning four ahampionships in one afternoon. Halswell won the "100" in 10 2-ssec, the Half in 2min 1 2-ssec, fche 220vds in 23 l-seec, and the Quarter in 51 2-ssec. The Hurdles was won by R. S. Stronach in 16J.sec, the Mile by M'Gough in 4min 32 3-ssec, Kuhwood won the Weight with 45ft 2in, T. J. Nicholson the Hammer with 153 ft lOin, K. G. M'Leod (of Cambridge University) secured the Broad Jump with 20ft 2in, the High Jump was won by J. B. Milne with sft oin, S. Srevenson won the Fourmile Flat in 20min 41 2-ssec. In the account of the London University Athletic meeting I notice that one A. C. Palmer, of London Hospital, was second in the 220 yds final, won by H. E. Annett by three yards in 23 3-ssec. Can this be our old friend of the Ota^o University A.C., wbo*went Home a oouple of seasons ago? Palmer was aT fairly speedy youth, and was a promising broad jumper. A. ~"il»r»thon" raaJ TSMX3 from IpSvricL to Brisbane is being -promoted by the Queensland Athletic Association to be run on September 8. The Queensland Amateur Athletic Association held their championship meeting at Brisbane recently The principal events resulted as follow : —100 Yauds Championship of Queensland— G. Kirk 1, Burton 2, Montefiore 3; time, 10 3-ssec. Throwing 161b Hammer Ghampionship — J. Kearney (118 ft 3in) 1, Donovan (109 ft sin) 2, Carroll (106 ft 3in) 3. Three Miles Championship—J. O'Brien 1, Green 2, Watts 3; won after an exciting raoe by a yard; time, 15m in 54sec — a record tfer the distance in Queensland, the best time hitherto being 16min 28 2-ssee. Lynch (N.S.W.) started, but dropped out. 440 Yards Championship — C. Campbell 1. Jillett 2, Kirk 3; thne, 52 3-Ssec. This is another Queensland record, the previous best figures being 53 4-s*ee. 880 Yards Championship — C. Campbell 1, Orr 2, Johnson 3. Lynch (N.S.W.) started, but dropped out. Time, 2min 5 2-ssec. There has this season been more racing in the clubs -fchan ever before, and it is now quite usual to find about half the clubs each Saturday having -a, race. Tbe good old sport of pa™er^cha&mg (says " Harrier," in the Australasian) is getting pushed 'back rather too much, and this is especially so in tbe natuse of the runs. The hares fcimply take their six minutes' start to lay a connected, more or less, circular course of about seven miles, in which easy running oountry sooms to be the chief objective. A while ago it was variety that was mostly sought, stiff hedges, watercourses, thick timber, and tbe ingenuity of hares was taxed to lay false trails to mislead the pack. The art of laying a good f;il-e trail is not so 6i*nple as it seems. You must not choose open 'country, and •a laj ing trail tiio true one is more scanty than the false. The true rtrail should Tilso take an unexpected direction — even if by winding round tho other direction is worked back *to. The false trail should be the continuation of the line already taken or a dtvorsion in a direction that an unthinking pack will think naiura.l. One rarclv or never hears of this sort of thing nowadays, y-ert it is the sadt of the spoil of paper-chasing. There is talk of holding, in America., an international road race, a suggestion of the Marathon event. The distance will be fixed at 25 miles, and the idea is to give J. J. Daly a chance of showing what a 'fine road man he is. He is in America at this moment, and a match between Sherring and he will settle their differences for ever. Daly, who did so well in the Marathon race until a series of accidents stepped his career, is a capital man on the road, and those who remember Iris performance a few years back from Athlono to Moate and back — a d(gtance of over 22 miles— will (sav^ Athletic Ttfews) readily concede tliat at this branch he is a iong way cthead of any man in Ireland. At the time it was stated that iis Athlone to Moato race w-as a long way inside any existing- record for the 22 -miles, but arrangements for a record were not made, and this loat of Ins is without official sanction. The Civil Service Harriers held thoir annual Three-mile Railway Cup Handicap at Forbury Park on Saturday, with the following result:— A. Melville (scratch) 1, A. French (25yds) 2, G. Fercrusson (90yds) 3. Also started— Campbell (100 yds), Smith (120 yds), PitUway (120 yds), Titchener (150 yds), Hunt (200 yds), Munn (230rds), Mace (300 yds). Time, lomin ; a record for the course. At the end of a. mile Mace wa3 Btill leading, but Melville and French ! had made up a lot of ground, and on entering the final mile assumed the lead, closely I followed by Fergusson and Smith, with ' Munn leading a. fast &tra££linjr field. Qn

reaching the half-mile post, the leaders were out by themselves, and raced together to within 60yds of the tape, where Fi-ench was done with, leaving Melville a somewhat easy w inner at the finish. French walked in 50 yards ahead of Fergusson. who was followed by Smith, Munn, and Titchener. A Feiiding message states that at a meet- * ing of delegates of athletic clubs in fkat district it was decided to join the centre and to affiliate with the New Zealand Athletic Union. This completes Mr G-. W. Woods's . organising tour in the North Island.

Maori Hill J... .. 13' Sorfhein A .. .. 12. Uornington C ... 13," Southern- A. ..18 EUncer* .. .. 13 ?ort&ern C .. .. 12 EUvensßourae ... 13 !7ortitein B .. .. 13 Jreen Island ... 12' tfornington D .. 13 Soaljni 12 nTaluffii .. .. 12 tfbrnington B ..12 Southern. B .. .. 13 ia. — — «wo za « 1 2 64 25 19 9 1 3 39 16 19 S 1 3 3ft- 18- 19 S 2 3 26 12 18 8 I 3 45 14 17 52 6 45 46 12 5. 2 6 28 24 12 4 1 7 39 40- 9 4 1 S 27 34 9 3 1 8 21 34 T 3 1 9 22 68 5 1 1 W 7 68 3 0 1 12: 5 75 1

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