ATHLETICS

Otago Witness, Issue 3769, 8 June 1926, Page 59

ATHLETICS

OTAGO UNION CENTRE. The annual meeting of the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Unions was held on Thursday evening, when the president, Mr T. Read, presided over a large and representative gathering. A satisfactory report of the past successful year was presented. The annual report was as follows: During the year we registered 30 societies, eight at £2 2s and 22 at £1 Is. This number is exactly the same as for the previous year, despite the fact of the big counter attraction to sports meetings in the form of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition being under way. This decided the Central Otago societies, who hold their gatherings during Easter holidays,' against carrying on their usual meetings. The number of competitors registered is slightly in excess of the previous year, numbering 407 against 394. The executive desired to thank the various societies for their assistance in registering competitors. The annual conference of the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union was held at Dunedin in December. The centre was represented at the conference by Messrs T. Read, J. Matheson, and J. D. Forbes. It was desired to congratulate Messrs D. F M‘Kay and R. B. Meek upon their re-elec-tion to the executive of its headquarters, and to those who knew the time and work which these gentlemen had given in fostering the interests of the union, it was feit that the honour was well deserved. In conjunction with the annual conference. the New Zealand Athletic Championships were held in Dunedin under the control of the Otago Athletic and Cycling Club. Due, without a doubt to the Exhibition being held, the gathering was poorly patronised by the public, and the club suffered a heavy loss. In this connection the centre desire to thank a number of country societies and individuals for the sporting spirit shown in assisting to finance the gathering by providing guarantees against loss. The financial position was sound. The year was commenced with a credit of £43 4s, and ended with a balance of £3l 7s 9d. The reduction in amount of the credit balance was due to the extra expense involved in entertaining the visiting delegates to the Dominion Conference. The report was adopted on the motion of the chairman without comment, and was seconded by Mr W. Ren nick. Mr I). F. M'Kay was elected as an honorary life- member, members commenting on his valuable services to the union. The following office-bearers for the ensuing year w r ere elected: —Patron, Mr J. Lang; president, Mr \V. Rennick; vicepresidents, Messrs G. Bruce and A. Ivilgour; auditor, Mr G. Davidson; committee —Messrs J. W. Dove, A. M. Wylie, A. Polwarth, T. Read, J. D. M'Leod, J. Matheson, J. Freeman, G. B. Fiveash, J. Newlands, R. Demick, R. B. Meek, D. C Hore, R. Ferguson, G. Lyall, and R. G. Varcoe. Mr J. D. Forbes was re-elected secretary. The question of limiting the committee to 10 rather than 15 was discussed, the new President holding that 15 should be the number. “ The more the merrier,” he said. "if there are 15 committeemen, there will be all the more to take an interest in sport.” In supporting a notice of motion offering the recommendation that coloured singlets be used wherever possible in sprint events, Mr R. B. Meek (Oamaru) said it was the opinion of the Oamaru Centre that competitors’ singlets should be coloured, discarding the unsatisfactory sash system. The smaller colour was most unsatisfactory, and it was easy to lose a man in the sprint events. The recommendation was supported by Mr J. Newlands and adopted. “I have found the system of three judges for first, second, and third to be unsatisfactory,” said Mr G. Bruce, in supporting a recommendation to alter the judging system of sprint events. He suggested that the judging should be checked by one judge picking first and second, another picking second and third, and the third judge acting as referee. The recommendation was supported by Mr J. Freeman, who was of opinion that for the big meetings the electric system might be adopted with advantage, and was adopted. Mr G. Bruce introduced the question of handicapppers’ fees, and said that a good man’s services were so greatly in demand throughout the countryside that some definite scale for remuneration should be introduced. The Chairman said it was exceedingly difficult for any set fee to be fixed. It was really a matter for the handicapper to arrange with the various sports bodies. On the motion of Mr Newlands, the matter was left in the hands of the handicappers. _ T Messrs J. D. Forbes and A. M. Wylie were appointed official liandicappers for the centre. JJr Newlands also suggested that the practice of runners making their own time in a heat containing only two or three competitors, all of vhom would qualify, could be avoided by making it necessary for the time to equal the slowest of the other heats, otherwise only one competitor to qualify for the final of the race. The Chairman explained that the referee already had power to move in any such direction. Mr Dove moved—“ That in all cycle and running events competitors must be financial members of a club affiliated to the union, and where requested, produce evidence of such membership.” “I think that is going too far,” said Mr Bruce. “We want the runners, and all have to affiliate in any case.” The motion was put to the meeting, and lost by a substantial majority. It was passed as a recommendation that 12 competitors be accepted as a maximum number for the heats in the quartermiles.

WESTPORT SPORTS CARNIVAL. WESTPORT, June 3. For the holiday there was glorious weather. The main attraction was the Westport Athletic and Cycling Association’s sports carnival, which was held in Victoria Square in the presence of a large gathering of the public. The principal events resulted as follows: — Sheffield Handicap.—Doel 1, Kearns 2, Jones 3. 440 Yards Handicap.—M'lntyre 1, Harris 2, Craddock 3* Cv 4 •

220 Yards Buffer Championship.— Kearns 1, Jones 2, Wood 3. 880 Yards Handicap. —Harris 1, Larsen 2, Craddock 3. 120 Yards Hurdles. —Caldwell 1, Connelly 2, Comerford 3. Bicycle Race. Two miles.—Lindop 1, Wilson 2, Hulquist 3. One and a-half Mile Bicycle Dash.— Lindop 1, Wilson and Hulquist (dead heat) 2. Buffer Cycle Championship.—Hulquist 1, Lindop 2. R. A. ROSE WINS HISTORIC TROPHY. LONDON. June 6. At the Braintree racee R. A. Rose (New Zealand) won the three-mile race from scratch in 15min 18 l-ssec. Rose played a waiting game until the last lap, when he came away, winning by four yards. The trophy, the Essex Atlanta Cup, is famous because it was won by Shrubb for six consecutive years.