CASH ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 63

CASH ATHLETICS.

■ By Spoht. FIXTURES. Dec. 25. — Afrhletip Sports, Ksitang*t». Dec. 26. — Caledonian Sports. Waikouaifl. - Dec. 26. — Caledonian Sports, Balclutha. Dec. 26. — Caledonian Sports, Duntroon. Dec. 26. — Caledonian Sports, Dim back. Dec. 26.— Athletic Sports, Roxburgh. Dec. 26.— Athletic Sports, Enfield. Dec. 26.— Athletic Sports, Waipiata-, Dec. 30.-^Athletdc Sports, Miller's Fit*. Jan. 1. — Caledonian Sports, Hiddlemarch, Jan. 1. — Caledonian Sports, Berwick. Jan. 1. — Caledonian Sports. Naseby. Jan. 1. — Caledonian Sports, Clinton. Jan. 1. — Caledonian Sports, Kelso. Jan. 1. — Caledonian. Sports, Port Molyneux. Jan. 1. — Athletic Sports, Beaumont. Jan. I.— Athletic and Cycling Sports, Roxburgh. Jan. 1 and 2. — Caledonian Sports, Oamaru. Jan. 1 and 2. — Championship Sports, Dunedin. The championship programme drawn up by the Otago Caledonian Society vis not so attractive, as one would expect for a gathering -so important. It could have been reasonably expected to see a SheffieldHandicap similar to last year's event on the programme, as a -"bait" , for competitors from a distance. Sprinters ia particular are not catered fo>* any extent, 1 fox there are only two races — 100 Yards Championship and 220 Yards Handicap — open to such runners. Middle-distance runners seem to have taken the programme Jjy storm, for there are no less-^than seven races (the two days) from a quarter up to a miie. However, what may be lacking id this direction is>made up in the dancing^ wrestling, piping and other branches of sport, so it may be reasonably expected that the 1909 championship gathering will be a memorable one. At a meeting of the West Coast Centre N.Z. Athletic Union, held on the 2nd inst., it was decided to send the following' remits to the annual meeting in Dunedin: — <1) That the N.Z. Athletic T7nion should in all cases participate in the profit or loss made at every championship meeting to the extent of 50 per cent -(2) To amend rule 27 so as rb make a trainer equally liable with the competitor to be fined or otherwise dealt with by the club.. The centre also decided to apply for the next championship gathering, towards which the sum of £50 had been already guaranteed by the Trotting Club. The Oamaru Caledonian Society are out with their usual attractive programme of events for competition on January 1 and! 2, 1909. Besides the usual wresting, cycling, piping, dancing, etc., events, pedestrians are catered for by the folium ing:— First day: 100 Yards Handicap, £5, £2. £1: 440 Yards Handicap. £4, £2, £!;• Half-mile Handicap, £5, £2 10s, £1 10s;. Mile Handicap. £7, £3, £2. Second day: 1 Oamaru HandJcan. 120yda. £20, £10, £5: 100 Yard* Handicap. £3. £2. 1; Halfmile Handican, £5.. £2 IDs, £1 10s; Mile Handicap. £7. £3. £2. Enjtries close* on December 26. Since last gathering the. track has been "banked" so as to make' cycling races comparatively safe, and as the convenience of the public, has also been considered in the track formation, the society should, meet with deserved support' from ' competitors and the public. A copy of the annual report and balance' sheet of the N.Z. Athletic Union to band for the period from F-rsbruary 1 to November 30, 1908, shows that during- the past sea«=on 1690 competitors and 175 athletic bodies were registered by the different centres as follows: — Southland. 241 and 18: Otago. 496 and 40: South Canterbury. 165 and 16; North Canterbury. 133 and 16: West Coast. 104 and IS; Wairarapa, 145 and 14: Hawko's Bay. 147 and 18; Feildinsr. 133 and 19; Taranaki, 126 and* 21. These, with the returns from the Ma rlbo rough Centre to come in, will makp- a substantial increase on the number for the previous year. The balancer sheet shows the receipts to have amounted to £179 11* 6d. «nd the oxosnditnw £121 63 6d, leaving a credit balance of £58 st, tM» balanc* of assets over liabilities being £8* 15s sd. The programme for the Mataura athletic sports on Boxing Dnv is. to hand. Ife is a pedestrians' patherine pure and simple, tho chipf events beine-: — Sheffield, 120 yds. £10. £3. £2: 75 Yards Handicap, £5. £2; 220 Yards Handicap, £3 10s. £1 10s. 10s; 440 Yards Handicap. £4. £1 10s. 10s: Ha'f-mile Handicap, £4, £1 10*. 10s: Mile Handicap. £4. £1 JOs. 10s. Entries for all running events close on Monday. December 14. Mr D. F. M'Kay, Jetty street.^ has been appointed to receive entries for Kaitangata. Sheffield. £10. £3. £1, over 130vds, up to 8 D.m. on Monday next, the 14th insfc. I understand that Mt G. -W. Collie has been appointed handicaooer for the Waikouaiti Caledonia/n Sftfietv'p sports on. BoxtHff Day. owine to W. M'Donald being unable to say definitely if he will be able to attend the gathering. The Kaitangata Athletic Club sports on Christina* Day nromi?** to b« a sreafc success, the committee not leavincr a stone unturned to that end. The prize money again this year has been increased on some of the eventa. The nedestriann are well catered for with a Sheffield Handicap, of £10. £3. and £1, 440 Yards. One Mile. 200 Yards Hurdles, and Hish Jump. Tho wrestlers aw better provided for than in. nast years, the prize money for these events b*>ing increased. Other events are: — Pinping-, dancing. nuttin«r stone, football kick, etc.. and are all well provided for as far as prize money is concerned. The programme altogether is very attractive, and 1 should be the means of drawing large entries, and the committee anticipate one of the best years they have bad for, a jrood while. Pedestrians are reminded* that entries for the Sheffield Handicap* close with thp secretary (Mr H. Bennett) and Mr D. F. M'Kay fTVunedin) on Mobday, December 14. Handicaps appear December 22.

A boy named Gracie fell on a garden, fori? (writes the New Zealand Herald's Waihi correspondent), the prongs entering 1 , one of his leap close to the knee. Inflammation set in, end symptoms of blood poisoning followed, but the child, who was removed to the hospital for treatment, » now progressing favourably. la a garden at the Hntt there is «. lustu naturae in the shaoe of a foxglove which throws out tiie fully-developed flower of a Canterbury bell at the terminal of each branch. The foxglove is of the same colour as the bell, but as the latter is not due to appear for a mon£h h<»nne the combination is the more remarkable. A similar thin? was noticed in Dunedin some throa weeks ac«-