CASH ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2805, 18 December 1907, Page 58

CASH ATHLETICS.

FIXTURES. December 25— Athletic Sports, Kaitangata. ' December 26 — Caledonian Sports, Arrowtown. December 26 r -Caledonian Sports, Duntroon. December 2fr— Caledonian Sport*, Dunback. December 26— C»ledoni»n Sports, Waikouaiti. December 96 — Caledonian Sports, Balcluthn. December 26 — Caledonian Sports, Lawrence. December 26— Athletic Sports, Enfield. December 26— Athletic Sports, Roxburgh. December 26 — Athletic Sports, Waipiata. December 26— Athletic Sports, Ida Valley. December 27— Athletic Sports, Miller's Flat. December 27 — Caledonian Sports, Owakt. December 28 — Athletic Sports, Ratanui. January 1 and 2 — Caledonian Sports, Oamaru. January 1 and 2 — Caledonian Sports, Dunedin. January I—Caledonian1 — Caledonian Sports, Berwick. January I—Caledonian1 — Caledonian Sports, Queenstown. January I—Caledonian1 — Caledonian Sport's, Clinton. January I—Caledonian1 — Caledonian Sports, Port Molyneux. January I—Caledonian1 — Caledonian Sports. Middlemarch. January I—Caledonian1 — Caledonian Sports, Naseby. January I—Athletic1 — Athletic Sports, Waitahuna. January I—Athletic1 — Athletic Sports, Beaumont. January I—Cycling1 — Cycling Sports, Roxburgh. January 2— Athletic Sports, Rae's Junction.

By Spobt. Owing to the wet weather on the night fixed for the combined evening meeting under Ihe auspices of |he Otago Centrea N.Z. Athletic Union and the League of N.Z. Wheelmen, the sports had perforce to be postponed. Every promise was given of a good evening's sports, and it ie unfortunate that tho first gathering of this kind in Dunedin should meet with

such execrable weather. The .leeHng 1 , weather permitting, will be got off to-night, and it is to be hoped that it will prove a success from every point of view. Saturday March 21, has been set aside as the day for holding the Grand Athletic Cycling Gala in connection with the^Napier carnival week.' The total prise ~noney set' aside is £90. and pedestrians are veil provided for with a '440 Yards Handicap, £5> £2, £1,- nomination 2s, acceptance 2s ; 880 Yards Handicap, £5, £2, £i; aomination -2s, acceptance 2s;* -120 Yards Napier Car* nival Sheffield Handicap^ £ZO, £7, £3, nomination 2& 6d,' acceptance 2s 6d r. One-mi' a Handicap £8, £5, -ill, nomination 3s, acceptance 2s. Entries" close on February 70, 1908, with Alex. E. Eagletbn, Napi«r. Atb> letic events, arc -under, N.Z.'A.U. rules, A regrettable feature \n connection witj» the postponement of the evening meeting; on Wednesday last was that three runners came from a distance They were J.^Parfc (Flag Swamp), F. Wright (Outram)r and D. L. Hatton (Miltbnj. However, the runners named are good sporta, and they recognised that it w*s anything but a good night on which to try to Jiake the venture a success. y There is every probability of all three being present to-mjrht. and" it would indeed ■be well earned, if either of the trio succeeded in winning the _*cc. Already the closing down of the Auekianr* gaslight sports has resulted in a general exodus of sprinters to fields and pastures new. The N.Z.A.U. authorities in tho North Island are on^ the alert for these intruders, for the Feilding Centre has been instrumental in blocking two entries from these disqualified peds. for the Feilding sports on Boxing Day. Three more endeavoured to enter at Taihape, but their entries were refused. It certainly seems as if the union will have trouble in defeating these performers, more especially as some will endeavour to :un under assumed names. W. Trembath, the well-known amateur performer, is, so it J3 commonly reported (says " Onlooker" in the Southland News}, about to join the ranks of the professionals', and will compete in his first professional / race at the Mataura sports on Boxing Day If this proves correct, Trembath has bright prospects before him if he should decide to contest the N.Z.A.U. championships, ?hich. are to be held at New Plymouth next : month. [ At 'the annual meetin; of the Wonganui Caledonian Society the balance sheet peesented a credit of £11 14s Id. It was decided to affiliate with the N.Z. Athletio Union, Forty new members were elected, bringing the total to well over 200, an ipcrease of over 100 on last /ear's total- . In connection with this decision, it would he well to state that there .?aa friction between the N.Z.A.U. and ;he Wanganui i Caledonians, with the result that the union's hold in the Wanganui province was not as, stron? as it should have been. This decision of the society referred 1 to should finally settle any question of & North Island Athletic *U*on being 'ormed. It •spill also mean that the union will again, be permanently established in that quarter. W. Fitsffersld. New Zealand champion pole vaulter. recently met with an unfortunate accident- while practising in :h« Ashburton Domain. Fitzgerald wm prao- ! tising with one of Jthe recently imported) ! bamboo polos, when the nole broke, with the result that Ftagerald fell heavily, fracturing a collar bone. It is £o he hoped that -the accident is not serious. / Large entries have been received »or the Feilding Athletio sports on Boxing- Day. The Sheffield, ovor 120vds, has 28: tha ■ 220 yds, 25; the Half-mile, 30; and the Mile 22. . , . _ Mr Jas. MTJregor, drum-major of tne Southland Pipe Band, gave some interesting reminiscences of his recent trip Home. Speaking of Caledonian gatherings' ne visited, he *iid that entries for wrestling, piping, and dancinjr generally averaged 40 competitors, and that separate had to he erected for each class. Thirty bands competed in a pipe band contest, whilst afterwards 500 pipers ranged around 1 the rinjr. At the gathering to which he referred the xunninv events also drew- I«JJ® entries, the 100 yds being contested By ;60 competitors. All events wore got off with clofk-like regularity, and in this respect could teach New Zealand societies. There will be no - registered sports Fathering at Waihola on Christmas Day this year, the committee havinsr decided to hold a local rucnic on Boxing Day instead. Grraid entries have been received tor the different runninar events «et down for ; decision at the Pleasant Point sports on the 17th. The Sheffield has 24 entries, while for every other running race there are not less than 20. m The programme for the championship athletic meeting under tho auspicus of-*ha N.Z.A. Union, to he held at New Plymouth on February 26 next, is expected to be out during the -course of a^ fnw days. A Droaramme is to hand for the Takapau Caledonian sports, to be run on February 12. iust a week prior to the Hawke's Bay Highland sports, and two weeks before the championship meeting on the 26th. Over £100 i» giv*n away in prize money. The 100, 200, 440, and PBO yards handicaps are each endowed with prizes of £4 10s, £1 10s' find 10s. Entries close on January 25. 1908. . Mr J. Oliver has been appointed secretary of the Kaitangata Athletio Club, vice Mr Hy. Bennefc, who has , left the district. , I understand application has been *nade • to the N.Z.A.U. for permission to bold t.he exhibitions to be sriven by charaoion A. B. Postle and J. Todd in Maoriland under, the ausnicee of the unionr * f ' Intending oonnjetitors are reminded tnafc entries close on Friday next for the different running events in connection with the Otago Caledonian sports on January 1 ana 2. Mr W. M'Donald has been asked id handicap the various running handicap events at the championship meeting at New Plymouth. Mr Ulic Shannon, of Wellington, will adjust the North Island performers, while Mr M'Donald will look after the southerners. • , . In reply to a correspondent: Dunedin w the only place holding sports 3iat caters for walkers, at least es far as this island is concerned. At the last Caledonian sports the Mile was won in 7m in lifted from acralch, co you would iced to oo" | able to do at least 7.30 to have a ohanoe. Of course it all depends on the quality of the competition. POSTLE'S VISIT POSTPONED. NAPIER, December 16. Cable advice has been received in Napier that Poatle has postponed his trip to the Dominion indefinitely, owing to a «traib . [sustained in a recent jumping match.