ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2915, 26 January 1910, Page 62

ATHLETICS.

FIXTURES. February 26.—New Zealand Championships (Auckland).

NOTES BY- AMATEUE. The team to represent Otago at New Zealand .Championship meeting *w Auckland next month will bo selected by Mr W. M'Don.ald. One has not mucn hopes of Otago securing the shield a,s our athletes, with the exception! or Ksektell, are of only average quality. The team should be made up from the- following: Hurdles and jumps., Keddell; sprints andjumps, Mitchell, Pitta way; hammer throwing, Q' Grady; pole vault and hurdles, Etemey; distances, M'Knight or BeateonL shot putting, M'Farlane. For tho mioxko distances I am quite a* a loss to know who will be eelectedi, unless Bujrk, vyhom 1 understand is in training, can be mduceos to make the trip. The third annual sports meeting of the Civil Service Harrier and Amlateur Athletic Club will be held at the Caledonian Ground .next Saturday. The entries for the various events arc large, ana comprise all the best known of Otago's athletes. The first event will commence en> . 2.30 o'clock sharp, so as to enable the programme to be completed by fa o'clock.^ The centra has now given vip the idea of forming a running track on the North Caledonian Ground', principally owing to the opposition of the two cricket clubs. Anyhow the scheme had not much to commend itself, as the runners would be in. danger of getting hit with cricket balls. This danger is bad enough on the Caledonian Ground, which is much larger thlau the North Cale. A sub-committee of the centre has been formed to inspect a piece of ground iu the Wocdihaugh Gardens with a view of getting a running track 'aid down,, but I should think the centra would not be inclined to spend its funds in making a track on a public property. There is perhaps not such an urgent call for a track at the north end those at the head of the movement make out, and the csintro might do better to conserve its funds for other useful purposes. A further effort is to be made to reeusitate the Ganmru Amateur Athletic i Club, and the sub-committee hopes at next meeting to be able to miake a satisfactory report. It is presumed that the annual conference' of centres will be held during tho championship meeting at Auckland. So far as I can learn there is no business emanating from Otago. j Mr A. Chapman-Smith has been <apj pointed delegate for the • Tokomairiro Amateur Athletic Club on the Otaoo ] Centre. Mr Smith is a most enthusiastic < worker for amateur athletics. Mr S. Bass, i>.nd ex-Otaero champion, sprinter and member of the Otiago Centre, is now the secretary of the Auckland centre. : centre. rt j s stated on good authority that G. P. Keddell, the Australasian and New Zealand champion hurdler and broad* jumper, will be unable to make the trip to Auckland. This is indeed unfortunate, as the Civil Service man was about the only member of the team certain to secure first places. T. A. o'Grady, an. ex-New Zealand ! champion hammer thrower, is showing aood form with the hammer, and finds the fft circle much more to Iris liking than the old 9ft circle. He is prepared to make the j Auckland trip if selected. j It is said that Mr J. F. exI ?«??*■*» of *» New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association will be appoints ! delegate for the North End Harriers to tb«. j Otiago Centre. Mr A. Marryatt, president cf the N*-.v \ Zealand Amateur Athletic Association j writing privately to a friend in Dunedir^ ) states that Wellington will have a strong team for Auckland and hone to annex the championship shield, which *?hey los*- las 1" ( ye.i.r to Canterbury at Dunedin. | There appears to be some lifcfcls doubt. I ae to the boundaries of Ihe Wellington Centre. This matter was ventilated at the conference or centres last vear. The ! council should declare themselves on this j point now. \ Says a Wellington writer, referring to j the evening soaort meeting held there last

week:—"A new figure was that of S. Thompson, a walker with a good style, •who represented Otago in the last New Zealand championship meeting at Duneclin." Thompson finished third in the race under notice—a mile event. v Mr W. A. Woodger, of Pefcone railways, holder of Australasian and New .Zealand 100 and 220 yards championships, is undergoing a course of hard training in view of the Wellington championships, and the New "Zealand championship meeting at Auckland next month. At a meeting of the New Zealand Council, held la«-t week, one of the speakers brought up the matter of rules. The position at present is that the rule-books printed in Christchurch in 1908 are useless, as since the Wellington Council has been in office numerous alterations stretching right through the book have been made, jo that one never knows, in quoting a rule, whether or not it may have been revised. The council should do something at, once to rectify this matter. The latest alterations were made at the meeting under notice, when it was decided to reduce the standard time for the three miles to 15min iOsec, and the standard for the pole vault was mads 10ft 6in. A proposition to alter the mile standard to 4:28 was not carried. The Ranelauh Harriers' Three-mile-and-B-half Race for the "Thomas' Challenge,, Cup, decided at Putney Heath, attracted 63 entrants, of whom 46 started and ,60 finished. F. B. Thompson ran magnificently from scratch, and, although only finishing third, took nearly a quarter of a minute off Sid Thomas's record, for the cup race, of 20min 49scc, made 19 years ago. Thompson's time was returned as 20mi» 34 2-ssec. The annual cross-country race between the harrier clubs connected with Dublin and Edinburgh Universities took place from the Edinburgh Club Ground at Craiglockhart. The course was one of 6even miles, and included some heavy country. The Irish team was much too strong for the home men, but Arundel made a spirited effort to hold Craig, the best of the Irishmen, in the run home. Craig, however, put in- a very • strong finish, and won by b 0 yards. In the result, Dublin .won by 13 points to 26. The winner's time was 36min 30sec. The annual meeting of the American 'Amsteur Athletic Union passed off very nicely indeed The retiring president, Mr James E. Sullivan, spoke very highly or the union and its condition, both from an. amateur and a financial standpoint. ' The threatened fight with the powerful athletic bodies connected with the Young Men's Christian Association failed tc materialise, and harmony is apparently prevalent. Mr Everett C. Brown, of the Chicago A.A., was eleoted president, and Mr Sullivan secretary and treasurer. As secretary Mr Sullivan will occupy a "much more Buitablo position than that of head of affairs and really will have more opportunities of carrying out ideas he is known to possess for the good of amateur athletics. I notice in a Timaru exchange that the old Otago representative footballer, Tom Lynch, hit up 39 runs for a Timaru eleven plpying against Temuka. At Melbourne Laver said Noble's captaincy of the Australian cricketers in England was splendid. The placing of the field was a revelation. Old ideas were upset, and such positions as slip and point did jiot exist on many occasions. _ A curious cricket incident ocurred jn one of the Auckland matches, between Grafton and North Shore last week. One of the batsmen (D. Hay), *ho had as many lives as a cat when making his total of 11, got off oh one occasion in a very extraordinary manner. He played a _ ball straight back to Hadden, who was waiting to catch it. The ball never reached the 'bowler, for it was caught while in the air fcy a ball hit by a batsman playing in a. Fourth Grade match, the pitch of which ■ran parallel to the senior wickets. Hadden's face was a study when he straightened up, tor the ball was almost in his hands. It •was a remarkable occurrence that two balls travelling in the air at right angles, should •happen, to meet in this manner, and even the oldest cricketers on the ground could not recall a similar incident. Don Hamilton, the crack Southland batsman, was approached with a view to his inolusion in the Otago cricket team for Auckland, but he found that business engagements would prevent his coming to town for practice in order that the selectors might ascertain his form. Some surprise has been expressed at the 'cVterrnination shown by Wellington in un against the "pooling system In connection with the expenses to be incurred as a result of the Australian team -s-------tour of New Zealand. The reason for this £iot^rmi""t ; f-n was explained at a meeting of the Wellington Cricket Association held Jest Thv.reday, when Mr D. M'Kenzie rmoted figures in connection with the 1906-7 vWt of the Marylebone Cricket Club's <te~m. Auckland, Otago, Canterburv, and Wellington had each guaranteed £SOO. The r-"t taking had been: Auckland, £298 V ■ 2d: Ota-sro, £7O 10s 3d: Canterbury, S n ?s4 10s 6d; Wellington, £464 14b lid. The amounts that would hav.<* had to be made un by the assomations if the pooling fr>h<*m-' 1 ,Jwd net b°en in vogue were : Auckland " £S>Ol 14* Jod; Otigo £429 9s 9d: Canterburv £245 9s M; Wellington £35 Bs Id. Under the nooline- svstem. Wellma--ten had to lose £lB6 out of the £SOO deposited, instead of £35 a difference of £l5O. He Mt that, Wellington did not want a second experience of the "noolinsr" svstem. In the matoh between Camhridse Uni->-nn=!itv and the London Athletic Club, at Fenner's Ground. r 'ambridre. on December 1. the Lisht Blues won bv 5 c"~"ts to A. It was verv wet, so much so that the rimninsr hieh jump could not be brought TV- sumrise of *he day was defeat of Lieut. Akn Patterson (L.A.C.) in the "half" bv P. J. Baker fC.U.A.C.) bv ten yards in lmin running Jump S. Abrahams (L.A.C.) won at 21ft 10-Ain, whilst, although ouite out of practice-, and on a 'teaek. K. Powell (LAC) won the 120yds huHles easily in 17see. Mr M. v. Adams, the welbknown Victorian middle and long distance runner. 5s with Georsro Hackcnschmidt on hie Nev Zealand tour. Common* in ?<: on the cross-country v-nce between Oxford and Cambridge, "Veteran," the well-known writer in the London Sportsman, :—"Clemes, the Tasjnwnian, co-'ikl undoubtedlv have bsaten T'niqrht fond he the best of his way from dart to finish. He preferred, howevat, to hane back and pace the ultimate

winner, who thus, in his fourth year, gets his full Blue." Messrs Sime and Wood will represent j N.S.W. in the Marathon race this year at Athens, all going well. # I Although nothing is yet definitely known • (says Tasmanian Courier), the following are likely to compete- at the Tourists' Carnival'at Hobart: From New-Zealand —Woodger (sprinter), M'Kay (pole vaulter) Kerr (walker), Dickson (three-mile disance runner). From Victoria —Ellis (sprinter), Suffren (distance runner), Fairley (high jumper), Walker (pole vaulter). From Queensland—Mali or ana Frawley. .-.,«, The Wellington Provincial Championship Meeting takes place on Saturday, January 29. Twelve championships are to be decided. ._,'.. , H. V. L. Ross, the Tooting crack walker who secured the London to Brighton road record- completed in the great; international road walk in Italy in November, which was promoted by "'La Gazette Dello Sport," under the direction of the Italian Amateur Federation. The distance was 100 kilometres (62mls 241yds) and this Ross covered in llhr smin, winning with a certain amount of ease, although the course was a severe one, and beating the nearest competitor by well - over a mile. Some time sgo the Riverton Harrier ' Club made' .application to the_ New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association through the- Southland Centre for the next N.Z. Championship (decided (annually over five miles) to be held at Riverton. At a meeting of the Otago Centre last week, it was agreed to fall in with the council's suggestion that the next cross-country championship be under the- control of the Riverton Harriers, so there is every likelihood' of the local club gaining their desire. A very fine finish was seen at Roehampton on Saturday, December 4 (says the London Sportsman;, where Oxford beat Cambridge in the thirtieth cross-country race by 20 points to 35. The victory, it is true, was rather easily achieved, for the winning side occupied the first foui positions, but the struggle for premier place was eo keen that only about five yards divided the first two "men,. The going, despite the heavy rain of _ the morning, proved better than was anticipated. Over the plough of course, many difficulties had i to be overcome. The dark blues appeared j to be better served by the course than I their a fact that was proved by the positions at the finish as follows: •M. S. Pas. E. E. Knight (Gloucester and Pembroke), Oxford 44 57 .. ' 1 A. W. Clemes (Tasmania and Magdalen), Oxford 44 58 .. 2 F. G. Taylor (Durham and Pembroke), Oxford 45 33 .. 8 J. F. Worsley (Winchester and Magdalen), Oxford 45 45 .. 4 Mr W. Macalister, whose candidature for the position of the first elected Mayor of Greater Invercargill is desired by a large I section of the community, has put an end to all speculation upon the matter. In ! conversation with a Southland Times rej porter he said that he had never had any i intention of being a candidate for the | mayoral chair. j At Thursday's meeting of the Otago i Centre N.Z.A.A.A., a sub-committee conI 6isting of the president (Mr L. Sanderson), Messrs H. Divers, and 0. C. Mazengarb was set tip to go into the matter of ob-i | taining the use of the ground in the Woodhaugh Reserve for the formation of a running track. The sub-committee was invested with very full powers, and was I authorised to have a survey of the ground | made and to wait upon the City Council, ! which has control of the ground, in the j matter, OTAGO CENTRE N.Z.A.A. ASSOCIATION. The Otago Centre N.Z.A.A.A. met as usual last evening. Mr L. Sanderson , (president) occupied the chair, and there was a fair attendance of delegates. The Tokomairiro H. and' A.A. Club lad-vised that Mr'-A. C. Smith had been i appointed to act as its delegate.—Received. The Hon. Seoretiad-y N.Z.A.A.A. advised that the proposed Wheatley-Davis i ! tour would not take place owing to Wheat- . I ley being Tunable to get away simul- : taneously with Davis. —Received. , j In reply to a letter from the Council of i j the N.Z.A.A.A. is was resolved that the j Otago Centre has no objection to the next i crater-country championships being held ' | under the control of the Riverton Harriers. With reference to the suggestion that individual members of clubs be placed under a capitation fee of, say, 3d per ' annum, to provide for the financing of ; competitors at Olympic gatherings, it was resolved that the centre wa s not in favour i of the proposal, but would, if called upon, ; | do all in its power to raise any amount j which it might be called upon to provide ; I for the purpose named. Mr W. M'Donald appointed sole : selector for the Otago team to_ compete at the New Zealand championships. D.A.A.C. EVENING SPORTS MEETING. The fourth evening sports meeting, held under the auspices of the Dunedin Amateur Athletic Club, was got off on Friday evening on- the Caledonian Ground before a fair number of spectators. Four events wgre set down for decision, and were run off with the despatch associated with these ' evening meetings. Owing to the paucity of entries, the Mile Walk was postponed till a later date. The following officials ' were in charsre of the meeting:—Judsres, Messrs P. Doull and J. T. Hamann; starter. Mr Rudkin; hand.icapper, Mr W. M'Donald; timekeepers. Messrs J. B. ' Nelson %n& W. J. Burke; clerk of the course, Mr J. R. Dreaver, marksman, Mr A. C. Smith: hon. secretary, Mr J. R. Wilson. Results: — 100 Yabds Handicap. First heat: L Tansov. 4£vds, 1; E. Carey, ' 44yds, 2. Time, 10 4-ssee. Also started: i J. Maodougall 2vd«, W. M'Kay 61yds, Donaldson bivds. Donaldson led till 20 . yards' from the tap©, when Tansey came through and won easily. Second heat: B H. Barron, Bvds, 1; A. Sheridan, 4vds. 2. Time. 10 4-ssec. Also . started:.. W. Falconer 4-Ayds, T. Murray . syds, J. W. Price Biyds. Barron at once . went to the front, and Avon without being . pressed. i Final r Barron - ... 1 . i Tansey ... 2 > I Carey >.. 3

Time, 10 3-ssec. Barron was out by himself all the way ; Tansey a fair second, j Oxe Mile Flat Handicap. F. Whyte, 80yds 1 " J. Beatson, scratch 2 F. Redd, 35yds 3 Also started: G. M'Knight scratch, A. Foster 30yds, J. M'Laughlin 46yds, C Frye 65yds, F. Fryc 70yds. At the end of the first lap the field was in the order of the handicaps, with Beatson making up ground. Shortly afterwards MfKnight dropped back, and Beatson further improved his position. At the end of the second lap Whyte was still in front, with F. Frye second, and Beatson threading his way through. When the bell went Whyte clapped on pace, and cleared out from the field, winning with ease by about 50 yards from Beatson, who finished 10 yards in front of Reid, the latter runner coming fast- at the finish. Whyte put up a most meritorious oerformance, and should be heard of again. Beatson was timed to do the distance in about 4min 50sec. M'Knight ran rather disappointingly, and finished nowhere. Time, 4min 45sec. Bhoad Jump Handicap. A. T. Pittaway (9in handicap), 20ft sin 1 W. M'Kay (Ift handicap), 19ft B£in ... 2 Also competed: R. F. Mitchell scratch and E. A. Shand Ift. ' All of th'Q competitors had a_ difficulty in finding the " board." Mitchell especially handicapped himself by thus failing, otherwise he must have won easily, he taking oft" 2ft 7in behind the board and" then leaping 13ft 7in. 220 Yards Flat Handicap. (Civil Service Cluli.) G. P. Keddell, scratch ... ... 1 H. M'Corkindale, syds 2 R. F. Mitchell, scratch 3 Also started: A. T. Pittaway scratch, J. Leslie 6yds, E. Williams-10yds, A. P. J. Campbell 10yds. Of the 13 entrants six failed to face the starter. Leslie was loading at the entrance to the straight from a bunched field. Fifty yards from the. tape Keddell shot out, and won easily by four yards. Mitchell, with a determined etfort. just secured third place. Keddell, Mitchell, Pittaway, Leslie, and Campbell were each penalised a yard for "breaking." Time, 24 2-ssec.