WAITOA

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6438, 15 January 1924, Page 4

WAITOA

ATHLETIC AND CYCLING CLUB

PROPOSED FORMATION OF NEW

BODY

GROUNDS ALREADY SECURED

AN AUSPICIOUS OUTLOOK

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

For some time past the need of an athletic and cycling club has been keenly felt in Waitoa, and although the question of forming such a body has been mooted on more than one occasion nothing had been done in the matter. Now, however, the idea is to take practical shape. Several residents of Waitoa,.with the interests of the district at heart, and realising the manifold benefit (to young and old alike) to be derived from clean, healthy sport, have taken the matter in hand, and, so successfully have their initial efforts been crowned, that a general meeting is to be held in the Waitoa Public Hall on Tuesday evening, January 15th, when matters will be put on a concrete foundation. At the meeting, which promises to be a very successful one, the Waitoa Athletic and Cycling Club will come into being, officers will be elected, and a general programme for the initial meeting, to be held at no distant date, will be drawn up. A PROMISING BEGINNING

Through the generosity of Mr W. Woods the convenors have already secured the definite promise of a ground where future sports meetings will be held. This ground, which is a portion of Mr Wood’s property on Farmer’s Road, is admirably adapted to the purpose for which it is intended, forming as it does a natural ampitheatre. The fiat is admirably suited for cycling and running events, being ing as level as the proverbial billiard table, while the surrounding hills form an excellent protection from the elements. The ground is also provided with many shady nooks, making it an excellent place for picnic parties, where the lunch hamper may be unwrapped and partaken of while the sports programme is in full swing. The promoters viewed this ground on Sunday morning last, and were so favourably impressed with its possibilities for the purposes intended, that they immediately availed themselves of Mr Wood’s generosity, the unanimous opinion being that a better site for an athletic ground could not be found anywhere. Mr Wood’s decision in allowing the promoters the free use of the ground whenever desired is generous to a degree, and time alone Avill tell the residents of Waitoa to .what-extent they are indebted to Mr Woods. Mr F. A. Yarrell has also given permission to use his property as an entrance to the sports ground. AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT The aim of the promoters is indeed an ambitious one, and all that is needed for its successful carrying out is the whole-handed support and co-op-eration of the residents. This has already been secured —successful* augury. From outside the district definite promises have already been made of medals and trophies for the cycling and athletic events, while further conditional promises have been secured of handsome .prizes being awarded, provided the club is given the necessary impetus, which the promoters feel sanguine it will receive. Male adult competitions will be particularly well catered for in the matter of field, running and cycling events, but the conveners are already turning their attention to the-children a generous portion of the programme being reserved for them. This will embrace running; and walking events, wheelbarrow and three-legged races, and others of a like nature so dear to the hearts of the young. Nor have the women been forgotten, as besides the usual ladies’ events, to be found on a sports programme, some novel ideas have already been suggested, and will, no doubt, be given effect to. It will thus be seen that the conveners have carefully weighed all the pros and cons and have some very definite business to put before Tuesday night’s meeting. WHY NOT WAITOA ?

There is no reason why such a body should not receive all the support it deserves in this district. Some'years ago the writer was travelling in the Golden Bay district, and being compelled to spend a week-end in Takaka, had an opportunity of witnessing the Golden Bay athletic club’s meeting, which was held in a ten-acre paddock lent by one of the farmers. The meeting, by the way, I learned subsequently, was held in a different paddock every year, according to the farmer who felt sufficiently disposed to grant the use of his ground. The

Takaka boasts a population of a few hundreds (there are 800 people in the valley, which is 15 miles long) and yet at that meeting there were over 2000 people present. Your correspondent mentioned the fact to a man who was standing near, and asked where all the people came from, seeing that there, Avere: only a few hundreds in Takaka and district. “Oh,” was the reply, “they come from all over the place—from Collingwood, Rockdale and even as far south as Motueka.” “But haven’t they any athletic clubs there?” was the next question, “of course they have,” Avas the reply,” but the Takaka club puts on the best programme and that’s why so many come here.” That then, is the idea of the men behind this movement —to put on the “best programme,” so that it will draAV people by the hundred from all over the surrounding district and even from Te Aroha and further aleld. Good clean sport is one of the finest things in the Avorld no matter where, and the ®.im of the promoters in this instance should be croAvned with the success it deserves.