Athletics.

Southland Times, Issue 19806, 27 April 1906, Page 4

Athletics.

* To tho Editor. Sir,—"Amateur," in giving The strong) t. of amateurism iu Otago and Southland, considers the .figures largo enough to professional- But w lion one looks inl'o tho strength of the professional olio wonders where the alarm conies from. New although the N.Z.A.U. is only in its infamy it lias already got control of Jlit) registered societies, and when tlm liaianca if the societies have their liieotings there will be a total strength of 250 registered societies uniter their control. It would take too rnucli space to go into the financial position of «U the societies in question, Mit let ns take I lie Dunedin Caledonian Society as an example. They have a freehold ground value at over £3OOO, stands, dressing rooms aud other buildings. and improvements valued at £IOOO. They 'hold a two days' meeting every year, and by gi' ing large cash prizes gel good entries from all over tho colony, and a record attendance of the public’ Tin- result is they make a large prolit which they spend in improvements, and adding fresh events and raising the prize money. They also spend a, large sum annually in educat ionnl purposes. Tliev were perhaps the lilist, to start lechniral education in N.'/,. and have new derided in spend a sum in providing scholarships, which will enable the successful stadeni In complete Ids education at a university. .V society of this description is a put.lie benefactor, and "Amateur” will see iliat amateurs will have in g,.| si uieihing more tangible Ilian numbers nefore they alnrm llio professionid. In tlm North Island a mun'.ier of I la- cadi societies have recently held I mi-eliaes a i which they decided to ■scratch ail amateur .veins otf their programmes. lie* reason given being the unwarranted hostile attitude taken tip by (lie amateurs against the professional, sad the fuel, of the societies having no control over Ihe amateur events. this having caused ’such events to he rim more often ” crooked ” limn not. At one meeting, on.- direct,o' said it was an

open secret tlial no sooiu-r had a man' v. on an amateur i*Vnii ihan he immediately cha.nged Ins trophy for its cash value. A well Known amateur luuulicaPper slated that he had no drmht amateur- did more netting on their events than the proics-iornd. Tin* reason ho gave "as that us the majority of amateurs were young fellows wlm did not gei a large salary, ami the eXpec.sc entailed in nut li« and entrance ices took aw; i s lar-.-e portion of 11 o• i r spare ca-h. Hew iidi no ii(i'n i, l;iiy beneiit )»y winning a trophy, and so to nud-m a Utile rush they b’ft,Ve to do business with the bookmaker-. thereby giving them a tendency to run " crook.” Tie professional by winning a run; of UN) to UJ.h.i is content with (inti ainoMiii. Ain one who road t in' remarks made by tin. l President of I la* N./.A.A.A. would at omv agree with liim that an agreement between the professional and amateur would tend to <h*an -port and raN** lie* standard of athletics •.:«*! i efa 1 1 \ . " Amateur " :lud-b-nges lie* In give some professional record t.i compare* with his uniatem* ones. Inforl ii ha i »*ty I have no! t, <> l a complete INI of record- by me at present. but ni a I,Per dale I hope in give comparison of all the runtime- events -and Jiejd sports between (he professional and iiiiii'li'iir, .Meantime as far a- my pro--'•nl ter.jid.' no 1 K|W' lie* following, placing ih<* ii ui t «-u r rei'orils m brackets: lon yard-, i’o-tle. p To sec.-. lO 1-5). Ib? si I• • also ran 7A yard- in 7 L-A and ll_b»3 yard- m 11 2-Aih- : 2ib' \ arils, Mcl.aehbm, 21 2 .V hj- (22 1-A) ; 140 yards, Mel.athlan. 17 :Sslh- i-* H i . For the*

wtle-rs 1 l:a\e g«d tin* m*ce--ury tigio’es by nn*. Ie;: la" a • ne'hi.M'y go*-- f fam - . Smifh, Hncksup, and M'cF.achiaii. Uave beaten Wheatley's (inn- for theitalfrnile. and Smith and McMiiiins ikm the one mil". As for ‘ Sp.nt " 1,.- Ims nothing wort It replying 10. Pis letter being me roly lh" scraping- left by ■' Amateur,' so there i.i. room («• trouble about him. I am, "to., niul l-kSSIUN A'F. April 2d.