ATHLETICS

Otago Witness, Issue 3954, 24 December 1929, Page 48

ATHLETICS

By

Amateur.

NOTES. It la stated that the Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association spent something like £5O in cablegrams in endeavouring to arrange for a tour by Canadian athletes. P. C. Minns, of Auckland University, one'of New Zealand’s Rhodes scholars, is a good athlete, being fast over distances from 100 yards to 440 yards. He held both these championships while a pupil at the Auckland Grammar School. A movement is on foot to establish a club room and gymnasium for Wellington amateur cyclists (says the Dominion) and in the course of a few weeks something definite will be put forward. This will certainly prove a boon to local riders. Dr Otto Pcltzer, famous German middle distance runner, is to arrive in Sydney. from Japan, on January 13. Lermond, Osborn, and Pcltzer are to comSete at the Australian championships in . lelbourne on January 25 and 27. H. C. M'Coy, who two seasons ago gave Elliott some hard races off short marks, is again in training, having recovered from an injury sustained last season. At his best (says the New Zealand Herald) M'Coy is particularly speedy over 100 yards and he is likely to win races early in the season.

Dissatisfaction with handicapping is reported to be the cause of a number of amateur cyclists joining the cash ranks (says the Christchurch Sun). L. Selwood. W. J. Lamberton, and T. Griffiths are three who made their first apnearance as professionals at the Opperman meeting. The Press states that Messrs J. K. Moloney, J. 11. Hall, and •>. W. Batstor.e have undertaken to give advice to all field athletes in Christchurch who wish to take advantage of the opportunity. If the venture is a success it will be continued throughout the summer on Thursday evenings. “ Pitt, the Flying Fire-fighter,” is how a Melbourne paper described J. D. Fitt, after his wonderful performance in the Half-mile event at Melbourne’s Highland sports recently. Fitt is a motor driver in the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Briftade. be seen in action in Christchurch a few weeks hence. The first engagements for next year’s Tour de France have already been signed There is a strong possibility of Hubert Opperman participating. If' the pending negotiations come to a satisfactory 7 conelusion the Australian intends going to France early in the New Year, to train over the difficult course.

MEETING OF OTAGO CENTRE. Mr P. W. Breen occupied the chair at the monthly 7 meeting of the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association in the absence of the president (Mr E. L. Macassey). The Tokomairiro Harrier and Amateur Athletic Club advised that it had been decided to hold its annual athletic meeting on February 15, if this date were approved by the centre.— Date approved. Several applications for reinstatement were referred to the Reinstatement Committee to consider and forward to the New Zealand Council, if in order. An application for affiliation of the Palmerston-Waihemo Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club was considered, and it was decided to forward it to the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association with a favourable recommendation as soon as the rules and list of members came to hand. The secretary reported that the Otago Cricket Association was seeking the support of the centre for its sports meeting at Forbury Park on March 15, The Cricket Association asked the centre to fix four events for the afternoon and three for the evening.—It was decided to give the association every possible assistance, the selection of events being left to the Sports Committee. A suggestion by Mr Walmsley that the centre should institute a decathlon championship was referred to the Sports Committee.

Several members paid tribute to the splendid work of Mr R. 0. Johnson in the encouragement of field athletics in Otago, and the opinion was expressed that present high standard was largely due to his efforts. „ The secretary of the New Zealand Council wrote stating that the control of cycling had been considered in view of the result of meetings held by cycling clubs during the last few weeks, and the centre was requested to call a meeting of all registered cyclists to obtain from them concrete proposals for the further control of cycling.—Mr J. A. Johnston said that the Otago Amateur Cycling Club had held a meeting, at which the cyclists had expressed every satisfaction with the present control of the sport in Otago.—Mr G. Walmsley said a similar feeling existed in the Pacific Club.—lt was decided to advise the New Zealand Council of the views expressed by the two local cycling clubs. In reply to the centre’s letter asking how the Otautau Athletic Society had been granted permission to stage amateur events, the secretary of the Invercargill Amateur Athletic Club wrote stating that it had been the custom of various sports societies in Southland for some years to include on their programme amateur events, the retaining of these Wing dependent upon the support accorded by amateur runners. The Otautau Society had approached the Invercargill Club for permission to stage two amateur events on its programme, and the Invercargill Club was unaware of the fact that a permit fee was necessary.—Mr Breen said that the rules would have to be carried out, and they provided for the payment of a permit fee. He did not think societies would vbject to paying the small amount of

the permit fee, especially when such good sport was provided by the amateurs. —The secretary was instructed to write explaining the position to the Invercargill. Club, and pointing out that the permit fees would have to be paid, and apjdication made for the inclusion of amateur events on professional programmes. The secretary of the New Zealand Council advised that advice had been received that the British Empire games would be held from August 16 to August 23, 1930, the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association receiving an invitation to be represented. Final consideration of the proposal had been deferred until after the present season, but in the mantime the council desired to obtain the views of all centres on the matter—lt was decided that the centre had no recommendation to make. Mr Bastings moved that no entry fees be charged and no prizes given in relay races, with the exception of the Barton Cup for most points during the season, this scheme to be restrospective. He thought more clubs would compete under those conditions.—The motion was defeated, and Mr Bastings gave notice of motion that no entry fee be charged in relay events, but that the centre should provide trophies for such races.