ATHLETICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1921, Page 3

ATHLETICS.

HIGH SCHOOL STEEPLECHASES. THE ANNUAL EVENTS. The annual steeplechase events held in connection with the New Plymouth Boys’ High School took place yesterday, at the Waiwakaiho golf links, in the presence of a number of parents and friends. Large fields were the order of the day, about 85 boys starting in the junior event, while in the senior steeplechase about 180 boys faced the starter. The large fields were despatched promptly by those in charge, and the afternoon’s events passed off smoothly. The junior steeplechase, for boys under 14, was about two miles. The competitors were soon strung out in a struggling line across the course. When, they came in sight on the home run a figure who had a. good lead on tiie rest of the runners was recognised as A. Field, and he ran in a winner a couple of hundred yards in front of the next boy, D. Hetherington, who was a little in front of Bellringer and R. List, who finished together, and the next pair, close up, were R. Bennett and H. Law. An interval of some minutes saw the rest of the field arrive at various stages. The winner’s time was 14inin.

The senior event was over a distance of about four miles, and was closely contested. When the runners got nearer heme the names of E. Smith, Knuckey Hawkins, Jackson Palmer were mentioned as among the leaders. At the flnish_Smith was still in the lead, and got to the tapes about five yards ahead of Palmer, who also finished well. The next home were Morey, Burdett, Ward, Brodie and Hunt, in quick succession. Even among the later ones there were some good finishes for best place. Smith was last year's winner, off 2nrin 29sec, and this year started off the 20sec mark.

Competitors had to face the disadvantage of a head southerly bre-eze coming in. The fastest time in the junior event was put up by Bellringer, 13mln llsec, the next being K. List with 13min 55sec, D. Hetherington 13mln 57sec, and Barlow 13min 58sec. In the seniors the winner, E. Smith, recorded the fastest 2smin 18 3-ssec, beating his own time last year of 27min 57sec., and

also the fastest time, 25min 57sec, put up on that occasion by T. L. Hoffmann.

Th* officials in charge of the gathering were: Staffer, Mr. W. JI. Moyes; marksmen, Messrs. A. W. Diprose and A. J. Papps; judges, Messrs. A. R. Ryder, J. W. Connell, C. S. Bottrill, G. H. Pope, and W. G. Wilkie; timekeepers, Messrs. N. Greiner, G. F. Bertrand. F. J. Eggleton and R. H. Rocket. Details are as follow:

’ JUNIOR STEEPLECHASE (About two miles). ; A. Field (Imin 40sec), 14min i D. Hetherington (imin lOsec), 13min 57sec 2 Bellringer (40sec), 13min 41see 3 R. List (40sec), 13mln 55sec 4 It. Bennett (Imin 40sec), 15min 12sec .... 5 11. Law (Imin 50sec), 14niln 56sec 6 R. Buick (40sec), 14mln lOsec 7 IP. Grover (40sec), llmin llsec g ! Simons (40sec), 14min 15sec ’.. 9 i L. Barlow (20sec), 13min. 58sec 10 I The next six in were: L. York (Imin), 14 mln 40sec; Sutherland (scr», 15miu llsec; F. Barrack (imin 20see), 15min lOsec; G. Grant • (scr), 15mln 51sec; Thompson (Imin 50sec) 15min 41sec; Ford (scr), 15min 55sec. SENIOR STEEPLECHASE. (About four miles.) E. Smith (20sec), 25min 18 3-ssec 1 Jackson Palmer (2miD), 27min ssec 2 iG. Morey (Imin 30sec), 26min 19sec .... 3 j Hawkins (Imin 40sec), 27min 15sec 4 j Burdett (40sec), 26inln 18. sec 5 ! Ward (Imin), 26inin 4ftsec f, ; J. Brodie (20sec), 26n;in 23sec 7 i Hunt (2min), 2Smtn Gsec g : Aldis (40sec), 26niin 47sec 9 (Brewster (40see), 26min 57sec JO I _ After the above the next ten in were: 11. ; Knuckey drain 20sec), 27min 43sec; F. Dallinger (20see), 26min 50sec; Taylor (lOsec), [ 27min llsec; Clark (Imin), 27min 32sec; L. j t bristle (Imin UOsec), 27 min 13see, F. Julian (Iniiu), 27min 38sec; X. Smith (Imin 40sec), 28min 22sec; Snowden (Imin 20sec), 28ui!n 3 sec; I. Palmer (20sec), 29min 27sec; Mackay (scr), 26min 57sec. THE CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS. The Taranaki Centre of the New Zealand' Athletic Union applied to headquarters some, t.mo ago for permission to hold the chain- j pionship meeting in Taranaki this year. In view of the fact that an application had also been received from Canterbury, headquarters decided to allow the two centres 10 anange the matter between themselves. TtU j was done, Taranaki accepting three cycling and two running events, and Canterbury two cycling and three flat events. At a meeting of the Taranaki Centre held at Kaponga last week this matter came up j to.- discussion, during which it was mention- j ed that the two Hat races awarded Taranaki' were tlie 220 yards and 88Q yards. j 1 Finally vhe following resolution was passI ed: ‘’The executive finds a great disability ! i'i working those two events in as champiunrbips, and therefore decided to make applici tion for the championships to be allotted to Taranaki next year, which meeting will be I I-eld in Eltham.” j At Tuesday s meeting of the committee of . I the Eltham Athletic and Cycle Racing Club a I 1 letter was received from the Taranaki Centre notifying ib.e club of this decision. The Centre secretary (Mr. A. Melville) added, however, tl at the Eithr.mi Club might be able to secure the ace, two and 'five mile cycling championships for its Boxing Day meeting. A lengthy discussion took place, in the course of which members protested strongly against the action of the Centre in refusing to accept the championships offered. It was eventually decided not to act on the suggestion of the Centre secretary, and I also to communicate with the headquarters ol the union protesting against the action of the Centre in refusing to accept the championships, particularly in view of the fact that the Eiiham (Tub was prepared to put on ihe championships at the fori 1 coming Boxing Day meeting.—-Argus.