ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3698, 27 January 1925, Page 8

ATHLETICS.

By

Amateur.

COMING SPORTS MEETINGS. Evening meeting, Thursday, January 29, Caledonian Grounds; 75yds, 300yds, 1000yds, broad jump, two-mile cycle Handicaps. Otag-o Championship, Saturday, February 7, Caledonian Grounds. —ICOyds. 220yds, 880yds, on© mile, three miles, and sealed handicap, one-mile walk, three-mile walk, .and sealed handicap, 120yds hurdles, 440yds hurdles, high jump, broad jump, hop, stop, and jump, pole vault, putting 161 b shot, throwing hammer, javelin, discus, one-mile cycle, three-mile cycle. 100yds ladies’ relay (one mile) championships. Open Events Handicap.—22oyds under 18, 880yds under 18, half-mile cycle, primary schools relay, secondary schools relay, boys under 14 with motor tyres (one lap). Competitors to represent Otago at the New Zealand Championships at Auckland on February 13 and 14 will be selected on performance at this meeting. New Zealand Championships, Auckland, February 13 and 14.—Championship events : 100yds, 220yds, 440yds, 880yds one mile, three-mile, one-mile walk, three-mile walk, 120yds hurdles. 440yds hurdles, high jump, broad jump, hop, step, and jump, pole vault, putting 161 b shot, throwing 121 b hammer, javelin, discus, relay (one mile), one-mile cycle, two-mile cycle, three-mile cycle. Handicaps: 100yds, 440yds, onemile, half-mile cycle, one-mile cycle, threemile cycle.

The council, by a margin of one vote, decided against the inclusion of a hundred years ladies’ championship on the New Zealand programme, and notice of motion has be n given to frame a rule banning ladies’ events at all sports meetings. To be consistent, the council members who voted against the ladies must support this, and then we will see what some of the centres where ladies' clubs are flourishing have to say. The Auckland Centre, for a start, is losing what would have been a very excellent draw on the championship programme. . Tho Wellington Ladies’ Club was endeavouring to send a relay team of four to the championships, including the phenomental New Zealand champion, Miss Swinburne. Ladies would also have been competing from Christchurch and Masterton, and possibly from Dunedin. Will “Slip” Carr retire? asks “Delta” in the Sydney Sportsman. He then goes on to answer his own question in the negative. He writes; “ ‘Slip’ Carr has returned after his second trip abroad, during which he has visited most of the countries in the world, and his experiences should be of great help to his less fortunate friends of the running track. It • is becoming an understood thing for our Olympic represen fcatives to talk retirement on their return, so ‘Slip’ is quite in correct form in telling Sydney that he is sick of it, and will retire if his sun porters will allow him. It is to bo hoped that Carr’s supporters, if they have anything to do with it, will not let him retire. I. however, would go one better and ask his supporters to urgo ‘Slip’ to show Sydney people what he can do. In the past the champion has shown a complete disregard for the N.S.W.A.A., which has presented him with a trip or so, and when ho could help that body ho chose to bo unavailable. Therefore, ‘Slip’ Carr can well afford to wipe his slate clean and help tho head bodv in tho matter of State championship mootings, etc.” Parker and Grohan, tho Australasian sprint champions from Queensland, arc going to tour New Zealand as members of tiie Australian athletic team. The team will include two cyclists. The cyclists were included at the urgent holiest of a Canterbury delegate, who mentioned that he did not think Christchurch would welcome an Australian team which did not contain n couple of good cyclists. The desirability of encouraging tho amateur cycling branch of tho sport was mentioned, and it was agreed that the “gale” at the various meetings

would very much benefit by the inclusion of two first-class wheelmen. English athletics will be the poorer next season for the absence of both H. M. Abrahams and Eric Liddell, winners of the 100 and 400 meties respectively at the Paris Olympic Games last year, who have definitely announced their retirements from active athletics. Although there is a possibility of Abrahams turning his attention to tlie hop, step, and jump next season. Abrahams has been called to the Bar. and is now attached to the North-Eastern circuit. Liddell, who, apart from his Olympic suo cess, was a star performer at the British Empire-U.S.A. match at Stamford Bridge, is leaving for China early in the spring to teach in a Chinese missionary school.

At Cambridge in the middle of November, C. T. Van Gevzel won a naming high jump handicap from scratch at 6ft l£in. And this despite the take-off was soft from rain, and tho light so bad that the bar could be seen only with difficulty.

The Now Zealand Rhodes scholar, A. E. Porritt, was in fine form at Oxford on November 21. He-ran 220yds in 21 4-ssoo and 120yds hurdles in 15 l-ssec. A few days before, at Cambridge. Lord Burgh ley won the 120yds high hurdles, 220yds low hurdles, and the 440yds flat. OT 1 AGO CENTRE MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Otago Centre of the Now Zealand Amateur Athletic Association was heh! in the Y.M.C.A. Rooms on Thursday, the president (Mr E. L. Maeassey) Occupying the chair. Accounts amounting to £2 3s 3d were passed for payment. Mr L. F. Edmond wrote applying for a transfer from the Dunedin Anglican Harrier and Athletic Club to the Civil Service Club. ■—The application was granted subject to the usual conditions W. A. N. Allison, Wyndham, and E. Iluddleson, Omakau, wrote applying for reinstatement as amateurs. —The secretary was instructed to forward both applications to the New Zealand Council, with a favourable lecornmendation in each case. Mr N. Clarke, honorary secretary of the Leith Harrier and Amateur Athletic Club, wrote staling that his club had recently been formed in the Leith Valley, arid asking for affiliation with the Otago Centre. —The letter was received and affiliation granted, subject to the approval of the New Zealana Council.

The Secretary was instructed to forward £lO to the New Zealand Council as the centre’s contribution towards the cost of the G. P. Keddell Memorial Shield, which will be competed for in the 120 yards hurdles event at New Zealand championship meetings.

Mr J. Taylor, the centre’s representative on the New Zealand Council, wrote advising that ihe remit with regard to the increased capitation of clubs had not been adopted by the council.—The letter was received.

The secretary was instructed to write asking the centre’s delegate on the New Zealand Council to recommend that medals bo made in the centre where the New Zealand championship meeting was held.

Mr V. Hugo, secretary of the New Zea** land Council, Wellington, wrote stating that at the December meeting of the council the chairman (Mr A. T. Davis) said that the local branch of the British Medical Association had been requested to elaborate on its previous opinion, and the reply to thig request was that it was considered harmful for ladies to participate for competitive purposes in running, hurdling, jumping, shot putting, or swimming events. The various atheletic centres had been asked, continued Mr Hugo, in the face of the opinion first received, to express their opinion relative to the inclusion of the 100 yards ladies’ event in the New Zealand championship meetings. The Auckland and West Coast Centres were against the inclusion of the event. Wellington and Otago favoured ita inclusion, but Wellington did not wish points for the event lo count for the championship shield. The Otago Centre had also decided against points being counted. No reply had been received from Canterbury. After considerable discussion it had been finally decided that the 100 yards ladies’ championship would not be included in the list of New Zealand championship events.—* The letter was received.