LARGE OR SMALL?

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 92, 30 November 1928, Page 5

LARGE OR SMALL?

ATHLETIC PRIZES.

INTERESTING DISCUSSION. > Is Stratford' to become the Mecca of ja.thle.tes on the jWJesU Coast or the North Island? The question clame into 'prominence dnrmg a discussion at the animal meeting of the Stiiatford Athletic Club last night. Mr L. J.. Flume opened the <".Rscusisjion Iby isayiing thiat the club should consider whether it wa a better to have samei races With big prizo money, or to distribute the pnz« money equally over a number of events. There could bo a big Sheffield, and the rest of the progitimme could be minor events. Perhaps the big prize would not appeal soi much to-day as it did in thje old days. Most of the competitors at the club's meeting would) be Voung men wh|a| lived in the province and Who would travel tot the meeting even though the prizes were small. In the old days a big prize was offered! in order to attract outside competitors, and as a result the cream of the runners came along to the meetings with the big prizes.

PUBLIC (ATTRACTED, Mr C. Jackson said a Sheffield with a good prize would attract the public as well as the competitors. Mr T. Kirkwoodl said thiat in the old days, when athletics were at fTheir peak, there were! only eleven registered clubs in Taranaki, but today there were thirty, and so many meetings were held that runners could easily arrange a. good circuit. Mr P. Skoglund said that, as there was now a boom in athletics in Taianalci, an endeavour should be made to make Stratford! the athletic) centre for tlie West Coast, as Feilding was some years (ago. The club should give a) big prize for a running race and a cycling race. If the club offered a £SO for Sheffield big prize for a cycle race he felt sure the meeting would become an import-ant one. TO GET'THE CROWD. Mr Furrie remarked thVit Feilding held its meeting on Boxing! Day. If £he Stratford meeting was beld__ on the weekly half .holiday they would not get the crowd, in view of the half-nolday position in Taranaki. He felt sure the club could run a' big meeting, as {well as the next club and make ia. success of it provided they got the gate.

Mr Kirkwood said he would noE advocate big prizes. The ■majority of the 300 young men registered un-. ddr the Taranaki Centre could! not afford to pay the entry foe necessary in the case of a big prize.

Mr Skoglund thought Tnß' if the club went on as in th© past the meeting would always remain merely a, country on©. If a big prize w»us offer-i ed for a Sheffield men all over the province would specially train for it, but they would not train for th«| smaller prizes. For the first meeting it might be necessary to have a guarantee for th© big prize, THE OLD DAYS. rwflhw . a „ —.... Mr W. Elagar, said tbjat thjurty years ago Stratford offered big pruzeß and the meeting was the; most important between Wellington and Mew. flymouth. The chairman (Mr J. W. MolvlilJan) tnat athletics went K>ack during tne war, bat were now coming back. Business men Had nad a strenuous; timie lately, but tibaugs were on the improve, and business men would be better able to support the sport. Th© qustion of the day ou which the sports should bo heud was an important one. He had that the Anniversary Day or Tan&n* aid ■should be observed on .Waste* Saturday, landj th© Local Bodies Association would consider the matte* on Monday, if that body agreed to the proposal he thought, they snouid secure that day \ for their- meeting. .Jtio would like to see, Stratford come out with ffie best; athletic meeting in, Tarauaki. They had~~L ground wiiieii was< perhaps second to none in Taranaki, and? the propoße.d would still further improve it|. He thought the club should insist on all competitors being in uniform. He thought the .matter of the prize money might now b*e very well left to the executive, the meeting having .given a good indication of their feelings.