LAND AND WATER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3662, 20 May 1924, Page 50

LAND AND WATER.

Among those who were successful with the gun during the opening of the shooting season was Mr A. J. White, who, with a party, got close on 90 ducks at the Manorburn Dam. It was reported that ducks in this neighbourhood were very plentiful early in the season, but it does hot follow that they are there now. An old sportsman, who has shot over a good deal of land and water for a number of Sears, makes the suggestion that in most localities the birds have now 7 been so much disturbed that most of them have retired to the back country, where they are likely to remain for some time. OLYMPIC GAMES. Mr A. E. Porritt, who is at present a Rhodes soholar in England, will be manager of the New Zealand Olympic team, as well as a competitor on behalf of the dominion. The other members of the team will be Miss G. S'hand and E. S. Herd (swimming! and C. Purdy (boxing). Miss Shand will compete in the 100 and 400 metres in particular. It is expected that- the members of the team will compete at the Empire Games in London. BOXING. C A E p ENT IE It IN AMERICA. NEW YORK, May 13. C.v. cutler and Descamps have arrived for Cc...e.’.t.er's fight with Tommy Gibbous at Michigan City on May 31. They were greeted by a small crowd. An attempt to block the Carpentier-Gibbons fight and compel the Frenchman to abide by an alleged agreement to make his first American lir.g appearance against Gene Tunney was frustrated when Carpentier’s party evaded Tunr.ey's manager and the latter’s legal forces. GRIFFITHS DEFEATS CARROLL ASHBURTON, May 15. T. Griffiths, of Dunedin, the New Zealand bantam-weight champion, and M. Carroll, of Wellington, the North Island champion, met at Ashburton last night in a sixround special match. The bout was scientific and fast, and in the opinion of Tim Tracey, of Wellington. was the finest seen in his experience. Griffiths won after a close battle, his superior left-hanci work in (he last round being the deciding factor. HEENEY LEAVES FOR ENGLAND. Tom Heeney, of Gisborne, Heavy-weight professional boxing champion of New Zealand, left by the Ruahine on Tuesday en route for England, where ho will try conclusions with the best men in Great Britain. Heeney recently visited Australia, where he did well in the ring, and acquired added experience. Since his return to the dominion, he has established undisputed right to the title of heavy-weight champion. He is a resolute fighter, possessing weight, physique, stamina, and fighting spirit, and Ihould do well in the Old Land. NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL RESIGNS. CHRISTCHURCH, May 17. At a meeting ol the New Zealand Boxing Council telegrams were received from the Northern and Wellington Associations in connection with the announcement that the eouncil had resigned. They asked that the rouncil should remain in the office until the tnnual conference in August The iollow-

ing resolution was passed:—“The council reports that in view of the impossibility oi administering the sport properly under the new rules (as already indicated by circular) and the disloyal attitude adopted towards it by some associations and their representatives, it cannot see its way to accede to the request of the Auckland and Wellington Associations to continue in office.” FEATHER-WEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP. NAPIER, May 18. George Curran, Wellington, won the feather-weight championship of New Zealand last night, defeating Bert Brown, Hamilton, on jrointe in a, 15-round contest. The margin in Curran’s favour was very . small. Lin Robinson (Gisborne) defeated Freddie Smith (Wellington), on points, in a 10-round professional contest. Smith was outclassed ail the way. COLLINS DEFEATS BRADLEY. . SYDNEY, May 18. At the Stadium, Harry Collins defeated Archie Bradley in 15 rounds for the Australian welter-weight title, Bradley’s towel being skied. The contest, the best seen in recent years, was desperately fought. Collins had the worst oi the first five rounds, but after this he outboxed Bradley, and m the fifteenth, after flooring him once, punished him so severely that he was unable to continue. BASKET BALL. A Grade. —College 111 14, University 11; First 18, College II 12; Blue Triangle 23, Mornington 6. B Grade. —Cargill Road Methodist 14, Anderson’s Bay I 14 —a draw; South Dunedin 28, L’niversity I 0; Albany Street 57, University II 7; Blue Triangle II 27, Defiance 0; Rata 39, Globe 10; Toi Toi 2, St. Andrews 2—a draw; College II beat Technical by default. C Grade. —South Dunedin 8, Mornington 6; College II 18, Hard to Beat 12; Standard 30, Kowhai 1; First- 39, Star 0; Knox 6, College I 6—a draw; Lenamhor 14, Torch 10. BILLIARDS. NEWMAN BEATS REECE. LONDON, May 11. The final of the professional billiards championship is as follows: —Newman, 16,000; Reece, 14,843.HOCKEY. MEETING OF LADIES’ ASSOCIATION. The weekly meeting of the Otago Ladies’ Hockey Association was held on the 12th. Mrs Nelson was in the chair. A letter was received from the Girls’ High School stating that it’s team would be unable to play for three weeks owing to the vacation. —It was decided to play the matches drawn against the Otago Girls’ High School during the vacation later on, if necessary It was also decided to ask the team which would thus have a bye to assist the association by supplying referees for the matches, as requested by the referees’ secretary. Transfers were granted to Misses M. and O. Hope from RavenSbourne to Green Is'and. A letter was received from the secretary of the Referees’ Association with regard to the goal posts on the grounds other than the Oval, and rings for measuring sticks.—lt was decided to hold a conference with the referees on Monday next, when various rules, eto could be discussed. It was decided to hold the usual seven-a side tourney on June 3, entries to close on Monday, May 26, the secretary to apply fox the use of the Caledonian Ground. SWIMMING. MISS GWITHA SHAND. (Feom Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, May 13. Before leaving for Auckland Miss Gwitha Shand, one of the New Zealand competitors for the Olympic Games, was entertained by members of the New Zealand Olympic Council. Badges and silver ferns were handed to Miss Shand for members of the team. The silk New Zealand banner, which bears the inscription “ Antwerp, 1920,” has been despatched to Paris. At this morning’s send-off to Miss Shand the chairman of the New Zealand Council

(Mr A. T. Davies) wished the lady swimmer a pleasant voyage to Paris and success at the games. He felt assured that she would worthily uphold the traditions of her native ccmnrtlry, both in France, and in Great Britain. She would meet the world’s champions, and, if defeated, New Zealanders would at least know that she had done her best. Miss Shand returned thanks for all that had been done on her behalf, and stated tnat if she lost it would be through no fault of her own. She was out to win, not so much for herself, but to do credit for New Zealand. Miss Shand is accompanied by the Misses A. and G. Thomson, of Christchurch, who are paying a visit to England and the Continent. SWIMMING RECORD. OTTAWA, May 11. At E’aloalto, Arne Borg broke the swimming record oi half a mile, which he covered in lOmin 38 3-ssec. SCULLINC. THE AUSTRALASIAN TITLE. BLENHEIM, May 12. Replying to M'Devitt’s statement regarding the Australasian soulling championship, J. P. Hannan, the holder of the title, repeats that he refused to row M'Devitt again because he took exception to hi s conduct as being unsportsmanlike and inconsistent, but, apart from that, he had already provisionally accepted a challenge from Arnst, and, according to the rules, he was bound to reserve himself for that. As for the proposed competition at Dargaville, such a contest was all right in the Way of bringing the best sculling talent to the top, but it would be quite wrong for him or anyone else to allow the title to be turned Into a prize for a kind of general scramble. If he had consented to that plan he would have failed in his duty to the title. KEEN CONTEST ANTICIPATED DARGAVILLE, May .id. Tile Australasian championship sculling race is definitely fixed for June 7, over a course of three miles and a-quarter on the Northern Wairoa River. The stake of £SOO will be subscribed locally. The present entrants are W. M'Devitt, George Oeruti (Australia), W. Mason (Whangarei), and D’Arcv Hadfield (Auckland). Inquiries have been made by prominent Australian scullers, and it is expected that at least seven competitors will start. M'Devitt, Ceruti, and Mason are already training on the river, and Hadfield is expected this week. PIGEON FLYINC. THE NEW ZEALAND DERBY. The first New Zealand Derby, which took place on Saturday, created a great deal of interest throughout the dominion. Unfortunately bad weather in the North Island spoilt owners’ chances in the race, Wanganui being the only centre to report having homed their birds in race time. Wellington reported that no birds had returned to their lofts. Manawatu, Palmerston North, and Hastings have so far sent in no results, but. those to hand show that Timaru is in a winning position for the first three places, North Dunedin being very close to the winners. Mr Arthur Barnett has presented the blue riband for the Derby winner. The official result will not be known for a few days. The Timaru Club flew its section of the Derby from Parnassus in fine weather, the first bird doing the distance in Shr 23min. Results: E. Cuthbertson (velocity 1317yds per minute), 1; L. Fountain (velocity 1301yds pe r minute), 2; J. Fulton (velocity 1276yds per minute), 3. The North Dunedin Club flew its section from Riakaia, an airline distance o£ 163 miles. Mr M'Dougall liberated 34 birds in good weather, the first bird covering the distance in 3hr 46min. Results: W. Trewern’s Ngeire - (1272yds per minute), 1; Messrs Powell Bros.’ Red Prince (1269yds per minute), 2; L. West’s El Dorado (1266yds per minute), 3. Birds from the lofts of the following also flew:—Duncan M'Donald, G. Thomson, J. Hay, S. Hutchison, O. Conley, H. Brown, A. Brown, L. Tonks, and W. Wateon, and Dr M'Killop.

The Dunedin Homing Pigeon Club flew its section irom Ashburton, an airline distance of 150 miles. Mr W. Greer liberated 32 birds, representing 12 lofts, in fine weather, tile first bird covering the distance in three hours and a-half. Results: G. Coutts’ Ballymena (velocity 1266yds per minute), 1; F. Jones’ Unison (velocity 1265yd3 per minute), 2; T. Yietchs’ Blue Chequer hen (velocity 1263yds per minute), 3. Birds from the tofts of the following also flew:—S. Lynn, H. Lambeth, W. Bond, Miss Gibson, Stevenson and Hargreaves, J. Still, A. Fraser, J. Goodman, and E. Diehl. Tho Marlborough Chib's birds flew ti-oni Christchurch, an airline distance of 155 miles. Results: Martin end Sons’ bird, 4hr 52mm, 1; C. Martin, 4hr 52min, 2; J. Gibson, 4br 53min, 3. The Wanganui Club flew from Hamilton in bad weather. The following ar,e the fastest times: —3hr 45min, 3hr 46min, 3hr 47mm.