NOTES BY AMATEUE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 62

NOTES BY AMA TEUE.

Not generally known outside those immediately; interested 1 that the New Zealand Intor-'varsity_ Athletic Tournament is- to tako place in Dunedin this- Faster. In addition to the Inter-varsity Cfaaimpionships-, the 440 Yards Championship of Otago, has been- allotted the gathering; The> Seventl Evening Meeting- of the D.A.A.O. will be Held at the- Caledonian Ground on. Frid'agr next, February 7, at T p.m.. the following, comprising the programmej- — 75 Tards Flat Handicap' (Open), 220r Yards- Flat Handicap (D.A.A.C.), Twa Mile. Mat Handicap (Open), Long Jump Handicap (Open);

Ti notice- lilat' at the' conference v.of centres tb» question of 'the - cost of caps, ami badges — lone air oft-debated question with, the" council— Hk to be charged upagainst the cquncil, and 1 not to tHe centres, and fchafTialf-oost of championsfiip, meetings should' bep borne by the- council. This is- only-- as it should be. . '

The energetic and. honorary secretary of" titter Dunedin Amateur Athletic Club", Mr J. T. Hamann, to wit, forwards the programme- of" the club's- annual- sports , meeting', to be held* on the Caledonian (Grounds, TDunedin, on Saturday, February 15. The programme comprises- 1118 1 altronnd events, including the ' 220 yds and One-mile ebamP iorr=ia E s of otago,, ana? tire gathering promise to be on© of the best* amateur' meetings held- in the South- Island 1 this- season. It is understood that the New Zealand champion team will be, in ©unedin ©a that date, en route toi Bbbarf; and this will doubtless prove- an* additional attraction. Entries dosed on Monday, February; 3. The- Eighth- Evening- Athletic Meeting of the Dunedin Amateur Athletic. Club will be held on the Caledonian: Ground' on February 21, whenr tKer foDowinar events will; be .decided :— loo* Yardsr Flat- Handicap, (OVen), 350 "Fards' Flat Handicap (8.A.A.C.), Long Jump Handicap (Open), 1£» Mile Flat Handicap; (Open). _, Quite- one. of the best- amateur meetings at which: it. has, been, xnjp good' fortune to ber present was the first meeting of the re> centlyiorgairised Amateur. Athletic Club, held on the picturesque Show Ground on Wednesday last. At the outset, let me. say, not having set out under snch happjf auspices, E trust the 'dub wilL continue to grow and prosper. ' There is no need to traverse the day's sport,, which was interesting- from the start, o£ the Maiden to the oo»clusion of the Relay? and the final wind-up, by the presentation of- prizes- to the successful" competitors. ... \ In IJr. Hislopi the- dub has an* enthusiastic who instils his" enthusiasm into others'. At Palnrerston he superintended the- meeting, and; kep# the events going well up to time. ' It is not. .generally known that Dr. Hislop is? an- old-time athlete- who has some good performance* to his- credit. . The- racing was good, thrauhgout; and: considering the circular track, the* times:put up were much above the average: The finishes were invariably closbf, oarticularly in the principal- events; and aIT the races drew capital entries. Although the 1 visitors were more successful, tbff local' men- showed a good! deal of Dronuse, aaid- the next meeting, afr which I hope to hasre Ifee* pleasure* of being present, the talent should" develop into reaching the- tape first": While at Rslmerston' t had' the pleasure of the services o£* m most up-to-date Biess steward, and, if- in no other respect, we might pick^ np a hanfe or two- fiom the Palmerston Amateur Meetinig- in - this> , same connection of assisting the Press. The gentleman, who acted: so satisfactorily at Palm-ersfoir.was- Mr: &. Glarfe; to whom T am. . indebted- for. his valuable 'aßsietfanee. The method* used by this gentleman isc simplicity itself. He uses &. letter-paid' on block with- perforated"- .sheets and' carbon-paper They Press steward! simply writes- down* the starters, ticks* off the placed;- men, and- adds , the- time; He does-tbis a* 'the post, and. wturns to the Press table with hi* sheet,, which ha tears- off and- hands to. the Press, keeping the duplicate: copy: himself, Chore is no cDnfusion, no .running: about to find out who started and' who- did: not, no- hunting for the iimC'keepers to; ascertain, the times of the -rocesj But, everything' runs on smoothly asf.elockworic, and", moreover, the result* are officially correct- Phe- a-verage fPress steward cannot- remember who started and who were scratched I ' or whatthetime-of fthe race was "run I 'm. His chief ' concern, :s ;to give- the bare results, and 1 unless he has a wonderfully good memory, breaks down rafter giviifg the 'first' and second-; then he ,'has to run back to ascertain the. third man, -and probably forgets the time- in doing so. Altogether the method adopted' at Palmer- ; storr was the best T have ever seen. It has- ; been explained to. the secretary of the Duntedin Amateur 7 Athletic Club-, wno wall, I ■sincerely trust, adopt it at the meeting on. Saturday,, February 15. The Tuapeka Amateur Athletic Club held their third evening meeting, on Friday, Januaey 22; "at- Glasgow PaarJi^ The was favourable}, amd* them waa- a ;good attendance of the- public, the; ladies I being"welL represented- Tfoer< result* of- tfee places are -as follaws:.— 100 Yard* (©pen). — , First Heat; E. B. Fraser (scratch) 1, L. Taylor (4ydsy 2.' Ateer sfaßrtedh A. F. .KPMuEbria (fflElton-; 7jds)t and* R. Norrie J(Bv.ds). Time* llsee. Second Bfeat: W. Sta- . spnson' (4yds) 1 - B. St Walker (4yds)~ and J. { Russell (syd^ 2. B>. Mbore (Byds) also started) Won' easrlv. • Time, lil&ec: Fmai: Sar.ginson 1, S. Wsdhsc 2). E* - Taylea? 3. Also started.: Fraßer and: HwsseflL Won easily. Time> llsec. One 1 " Mile.- and: afhalf- Bicyclet.— sl. 'Jones* (ccx); 1». 41. Uren :(20yd«Jif 2."A1a0 startedlr R. K. KaamU ;(60yds)i'"E: A% Qoxoar CZ^ydsJ.s Time^ 4aiin. j'TPhe winner -eaughrb up* on- the -liaaib men ■ at the endr of the first' lap. atid> fiad> matters «all hiKown. way. .In ther.second lap* he shot ito &«• front ands maontainedt his Mead.. w in- ;- .ning by ahout . 200yda . from ' TJxsa.. Putting 'the SSott.-W-.SaiTKinson. (lftK 2SEt 6dn, 1 ; 'JT. Roscow- (sor), *25ft 9m s 2: Also cohi]peted:W. Sm^h-fscrVand E. A. €e*en (lft ,4tn). BKgh Jump: W. Sarginson (ecr), sft, flj J. Tl Gregant (3in), 4ft ttia* 2; W. 'Walker.- (2Sn) ; 4ft Iflire, 3: Also- oonroeted-: ,& Waiker (3in), Xv TJaylor («n)i M.. Walkeir ; (4fn)». and' R. CI Moore (Sin)'. This proved? *,an inteuestingi event, most oh the- cempeti'faws iunroin* well »nd : fch» Karoficaps prov=-

dng a daae» finish.- Swapinaon, a- new* cent—' petitor, proved himself a good all-round athlete, an<s besides ■wanning' the 100 Yardsa* he liked, annexed the Shot and High Jump events ' He jumps very cleanly and' almost from a standing position. Of the others W. Walker, and S. Walker had the prettiest styles of jumping. The latter might jump better if he did not stand so far back. The best performance at the Palmerston meeting was the running of Hector Burkin. the Quarter won by Ongley, of Oamaru, by; about 4ft. in. 52 3-ssec. Burk was conceding fche Oamaru youth, who is pretty speedy. 22yds, and got to within 4ft of him off scratch in 52* 5-ssec. The time was soj good, considering the track and the- mg field he had to get round, that I was inclined to doubt it, but was assured that the track was quite correct and" that three watches ticked toff the time to the fraction ot : a second. On that run Burk is getting back hia ferm> and- Trembath will have to hvirry to keep in front of the Dunedm runner on thelotb inst. By- the way, speaking; of this, I; understand: Buik is undergoing a 6pecial preparation for the Test "Had Coir Saturdayweek, and will be as fit as hands can make.' him when he measures strides with .the speedy youth: from' Gore. Urembath, to- the writer's mindj- has the pace, bti* it there! is Roing to be a struggle, and therewill fee, park's determination will do mtfch for him at the finish. • Congratulations to. young . Trembath on his first appeairanaeu at a New- Zealand chamcionshiD meeting and on his success thereat. New Zealand championship honours sit well upon the Southland repre-, sentative, who, on his performances, well deserves the achieved; To wan. New Zealand championships and at the some time to be chosen to represent the Dominion at the more classical gathering, the Australasian char^ionsMas. falls *« «*« lot of few athletes. But Trembath, m hie first year of championship running, has, achieved this. I quite expect to hear oF hikn winning" at least two events, at the Australasian gathering, in Hobaarfr at the end of the present- month. Speaking of Trembath- I team that he. is in. the pink' of condition and has'- Been? undergoing a very special preparation for the New Zealand and- Australasian* championships. Trembath is. *» sounds miler in. addition to his middle distance, perforamnces, and EUinour has reached me that only the other- daajr he* put up- a> jMurtieulasriy sound •performance which would' make spme New Zealand^ championship, efforts loot poor m comparison. '/ .... The New Zealand championships of 1908, are now an incident of the past. Looking" back, over the events it cannot Toe said that the colony, has produced anything specially' sensational during: the past year. Wehaye moved 12 months farther 0n,./but our athletics- do not seem to^have advanced, with anv,~ rapidity of stride insofar as actaiad- performances are concerned. The most promising of the runners at the meeting, was Trembath, of: Gore,, and' he fully- justified the title of champion. The field events, 'were generally of; poor quality as regards performances; and' it Has this yean been* dri,yen more" forcibly home to- us that in this* particular * branch- of athletics we are gome backwards. ■ One Tiae only to take the Weight-putting or the Jump to realise the? position. The Weight Vas won ' with 36ft 3in, or 4ft 'below the standard-, while the- Broad- Jump. Chazmjionship of. New Zealand was won with 19ft 3m. * I hasre seen this* perfpimanoe eclipsed, at an. out-back meeting, jus* as I have seen a pole vault of 10£f* and approaching, lift, done, by some hands at a bush sawmill after i>he day'-s work was over. It wa* generally expected that Tirembatn would win the- Half, and,^ that Burge, of. Wellington, woulds be- his- pearest opponent at the finish. The- time, 2min- 2. l'-ssec, sugf gests; that, the young- Gor-e athlete was not extended* foo the previous. Saturday ha- had to put up- 2min on the- Caledonian Ground For; the distance. Tram-bath made a good win. of the Quarter, winning- easily; ut 53? 3tSeec. This- also suggests- that Trembaih was no* aIL oufe and that hadfhe. been, pushed he- might have dipued- the- tima by a second or two. I« regretted" to- noticet that Trembam. re- ■ caivedi *v "bad- passage?' in- the 220, Yards, otherwise he might: have, eanulated-the feat of Pat Webster ore Carisferoak' Ground three arc four years ago, when, the speedy- NewFly*noutih runner won' three olasaic. races in ' the- after/iooik-iafi Ya*d% 220, Yards-, and ! Quarter. The- triple crown, winner- was at the top of his- farm then, asnd, look at the tuner: 106 Yards-, lOseei 220 Ysads, 2SLS-st)Ba; atnd Qj»<rteri 5.0 2.-sseo! Who have •we now wfao oould; accomplish suoh ». perfornrance:? , „ , L -db not purpose- traversing, alb *ne e-vents at th© chjampidhship- meeting, but will content myself with a few eammanta ion evenis at special interest at tihie* end. The little party «F Qliago Eepresentatives did. licit boaet a chaorxpion. amongst them, buir, &at was- generally rejeognised when the^ team' was sent. "Ofcago isj however, to be congxa.tul«uted on sending- a» team to help along: the championship gathering,, and other provirwesr placed in a> similaar gosi.tion. might remember, this when it 1 comes,to. theix -t!UiaiIn the High Jump Otaigo had, one i& 'presentative m. Mitchell; wio failed after, doing sfi? liin. Th& winner,. Orjjatl, oF ', Canterbury, may be aaidt to- haver accomplished a* good performance, by clearing; sfir 7m and. getting, a. New? Ziealand standard.. Wellington had; clearly ft m»Etgsge orwerthe- 100- Yards-,, m tiha* noifclieson. pjsov-inoej had'- over fa majozdty. off ewente afe tne; big: meetingi. Both ©aafcerliuiigF saS Ot»go are^ Tjadl^- aft fbrr sgrinters-- thiff y^c,' theugh the former, has > gpood one in ML^Whirteß; wha perioTined' sa* well afe the- ©Lvil Bvß>na& on t&a eatedoniaro GSioundF a ' coupler of Sfcteirdaysi sg&. 1 prefer' him te> Bass; wfiar- got second' i» thetJGQ YJaards'ta* Hsrrjr Henderson at Wellingfeir om Saturday. By the way; the ex-Sydney^ sprinter must hawe- come- well? at tite finish in the 103? Yards, for- he was- behind/ 13ydff from the tape-, when he ' made his- run and' landed? a winner: in* tne goo* time of 10 r-saße--Btaadard. 1B»' walk* seem to ha.ye been- somethingo£ a fares, for in= the- Mile two o£; the competitors^ were/ disqualified? for lifting, and in the Three-mile the; N.Z*, champioti Karr.waß. ordered of£. Evidently «l rap«titioa of the incident at Chnstehurch lasf yi £a the" aosence- «f, Hector Burk it wae generally conceded 1 that, tte.- Wie would go to Burg«, there being no one elee> to foav it with tb> Wellington toHwantxtoye. The-. t tim» was- slow, and Burk could.' ewaiy-- B*va wort- this ev«nt, ew on>>msv »n» J* * JfbrtraKSt agoi Burlfc informe* me= tnwfr tnef timer would b> aßoui- «3tT,. aod B» w««-

' ' afraid h© was not equal to it But 12 2-ssec makes a difference- even at tine end of a mile. Otago had a representative in the Mile, in young. Mace^ but h« did not get a place. Throughout I rather fancied Leu M 'Kay's chances in- the- Pole- Vault, and the- ex-Otago athlete . justified public opinion by winning with' IQft 3in. Otago was well represented in the Threemile Flat with Frew and Beateon, but it was left to an ex-Otago representative in. Sharpe to win the event. The sting o£ defeat is- dulled by the fact that Frew ran, into a place, and Beatson, though hopelessly outr of: it, ran to the finish of the* long distance, * The Hurdles proauced good racing and excellent times. * Cook, of Wellington, won, the 120 Yards 1 in the standard* time of" 16 l-ssec, and the 440 Yards was won by H. St. Murray ir 59 4-ssec, which is 1 l-ssec inside the -standard. > The method- of" acoring.' ton th» all-round championship seems to nave, met with disfayour, as it waa- certain to do without .bringing out the qualities which would .. 'furnish the merits- of the beet all-round athlete at the meeting. Thfe meeting just^over has again exemplified, the necessity, of amending ths> . methods o§ scoring- for iba\ shield. It Has all along been the writer's opinion tHat on% firsts should count, and the New Zealand Championship of -1908 further strengthens this belief. The home team will always -hswev th« advaniage, but: in the case of Wellington, tihat province could win anyr where this, yeac In conneotioii .with the Broad Jump ' Championahdp, in which M'Kay (Wellington), and MitehelL (OtofipJ tiedrat 19ft 35n, if will probably have been, noticed that the judge has- awarded the jump to the Wellington man. ' At . this ''distance it is iinpO39l*ble bo &&y .on wH«.£ — g^r<»azcds« " Tfte team seTe^ed' to represent New Zeag land — «>>t the Australasian Championship* -";d_t Hobwct is a good one, the only exception that might be taken being the exclusion o£- Ksia-, of Wellington*, fiat possibly in selecting- Siubberfield &»• selectors had the r idea of cbooainig * representative whose 'style wa& bayond reproach, and did not care to risk sending an athlete wlio, though- perhaps a. better man, stocd tlie chance of being called up> on style by tiie iudgas. The; pnovinca wuL be well represented in the sprint events- wiib Henderaon and' Trem bath. The farmep will ne doubt take part in the 100 and 220, while, t&e " GoTe arth'leto wilT turn out in the 220; 440, and"~Half. Murray, of Canterbury,, haa justified his- inclusion, for tb« huxdles, whilfe Orßell- will also take part in the 120 Yards Hurdles and the. High. Jump. ' M.'3Eay, of* Wellington-, is. the- field event, man, and shouQi worthily represent, the-. Domanion in the Pole Vault, Broad- Jump, and idle Weight; though IE d» not fancy ' him for- tire lfcfcteK Now tHat tiSe New- Zealand championship meeting is concTuid'ed r and we are between, the Dunedin- Amsteuif Athletic meeting, at wfiieh the. New 2Sa»land' champions will be competing, and tne Amstraliu»ian oßamp ionship meeting, it may be- interesting- to publish- the following Ivat of : ' NEW ZEAEAB3> AM&EE3IR. ATHT.KHC KECOKD'SI 100' yards — W. T. Maonkerson, St-tßaec, F.eU, 7th, 1891, Auckland. 10ff x«rdo^-J". H. Hempton, 9, 4-ffsec; Eeb. 6th, 1892, ChristcHurcb. 220< yards— L. B. Webster, 22, a-Saec, March 6th, TSBS, Dunediiu 2SO- yards— W. T". Miacpherson, 2A- 3-Ssec, Ffeb.6th, 1891', Aucklandv 1 440 yards— W. T. Macplierson, 50 S>sßec, Feb. 7th, 1891; Auckland. ■ 440' -yard*-L. Bi Webster, 50^ a-ssee, ifaick '6th, 19M, Dunedin. 88D yftrdß— Bj. Qk Burk> lmin sft h-Seec, Marca 11th, 190S-, Dunedin^ 1009- yards— EL Wood, 2min 24. 2tsaeo r Dec. 26t£, 189&, Ghriatchucdi. 1 mile- fl*tr-A. K. Sluaifcb^. 4min 22oeq Afiril - . 10th, 1905, Auckland. 2 milea^flat— TC. FT. Simpson* ffmn 42 l-s«ec, Nov. Bthj 1901, Gnxistchnsott. 3 milea fla*— W. F. Simßwm;. Item 49«rci Dec. 21st, 1901, AncklHidC 1-mir© wfclkT— W. BI Oeamss; ennn 27. 2,-eseci i ; Nov. W&l, 189T, AucHand. 2 anile* walk— A. Biady; 14nrin-- 1% 3-ss«r, April 15tB> 1898,, Anokland: 3 miles wjdk— Di WilaoB; 21min 37se<r, fflovi mm, 18BT, AucKliad; ' 128- yards hurdles— G-. W. Smifli, 15- 1-Seee, March. B*h, 1902, Aucklitndt r44o>r 440> yaids hurdles— A. Bi B3old«? 66 4-osec, Feb. 13th; IBSBTi- AucHaudj . ' Jjcmg Xumn--®- X- KaddWL 23% 3ur, Starch. 5-fchv 190ff, Dunediis. • High Jump— Bl Browidee,, sffc 9^ni, F«Jb. *tj, 1 1899, Dunedin. t Poiei Vault— Hoii Bru6ra> U4t Ofan, FeKlßtß, [ 1597, Aueklmad, • " s Vi^ulting— F. J. Hamilton^ 6ft Sin,. Mas 2na, 1888>' Timaru. _ . : Putting 161b shot— X G». Bains, 40ft 3m, Feb. 12th, 1906, Christchittcbi . . Throwing the Cricfcettßall— A. L. Allaa, 113 yd« Ik, April 16th, 1898^ Napier . ' Throwing the 161b. Hatmmafc-W. H. Madill, 136ft^ 4#a. Feh. 17ft, 198fl, Wellingtoni. 1 Ten mike fla*— H. C. Murray, 56nun ISsec. ,' Oct. 31st, 1903, Dunedin. At, a recent meeting- of the New/ Zealand 'council' letters- w«re read, from the Southland Centre protesting against the • csun.ch's alterations in the /ules. which prevented the secretary of & centre from act"ing as secretary of .* bedy g°™"»*s f**r feMional spoxfe The Chaarmm stated' thafc .n^otest until after tfcey J^. I *^ JS*SS the walking- eyenta at th» TSe,n_Zedwd ,ChanSanslp Meeting the i"o£ walking: TaefiniMon andT st^tej^., asr laid. Idow? S the A.A. TTniott of- Auateaiaai^ are interesting: — DEFINITION".— Walking U »• auceeamnn. <rf ' <■+««* and- in caniiradwfancfaon.. to^ running ■fhrf^Kme. time). in: walking tß»i».mu*fe«Uw«Bl . rbe^wrttact with 't£e gwundl witbamae poE- ■ code- o£ rules gov«aungr waJSLa* .mjp*. ba a«•JheEftff to, oirelse disqi»M(^nwwJl .«wrte.^-- sm There shall »lw»y» be aoni»ct .wd4t ma groundt wi«i som« portion oC.one of tfcff ' (233 The W£Eb «f th» f otetnitol fiMf, nout I touch the ground before, the TOE of the other foot leaves the/ spaund: (3) Aa the heel of th* focaxaMft leg touches • the. grouu* ««*• **s MJBOT BKJT BE BENT. ! . (ftTJie Body must b& Ifaapl strictly "UP- ' BlffißTF. Nott-oomplbsffc©' with iSiis- rtrite- will' only: be cllowedT if, ia Jtet <qpnioir- at tfc*.

ju4ge ox judges, such non-compliance arises, - from some cause beyond the control of the competitor. , It migh' be a good move to make it com- l pubrory ior all bodies balding sports 4 to ia-ve the Above printed in a conspicuous, place in any programme -which -contains -a walking race. By so doing (says "Prodigal") the ptfb'Ec -would e v £geated* wifih -regard to -what is required, Tind <wien • the mubhe knssr iwhart ifi inecessary they! would y make campetitois -extra careful, -and, keep officials alive to tiieir duties.