CROSS COUNTRY RUNNING

Taranaki Daily News, 3 October 1930, Page 8

CROSS COUNTRY RUNNING

high school steeplechase

A. McWILLIAM THE WINNER.

DON THOMSON FIRST JUNIOR. ’/

The annual senior and junior boys’ steeplechases held by the Stratford Technical High School over a course of approximately four miles were decided yesterday afternoon in fine weather marred only by a cold breeze. _ A. McWi - liam, off a handicap of 7min, won the senior event (over 14 years) in 23mm 43sec, and Don Thomson off Bimm the junior in 23min 30sec. Fastest time in the senior event was recorded by M. Sutton off scratch, who returned after 24min 56sec, but when the report of the official observers was available, this boy, who won last year, was disqualified because he failed to keep to the course. A. Bone, who took 25min 55sec,. which, with his handicap of 30sec, made his actual time 26mm 25eec, was accordingly awarded the honour. N. Crostinan (26sec 39sec)~was second fastest and G. Bilkey 27min 56sec third. . , , ~ In the junior division, fastest time was recorded by Nicholls (26min 70 sec) with Dave Thomson (28min Isec) next and Heggie (28min llsec) third. A fair crowd of spectators assembled at the school to see the start and finish, each batch being cheered on its way. The course was from the school grounds along Swansea Road and down Victoria Roa’dabout a mile, thence in a curving direction across country, where a_ num' her of difficult places and. several hills had to be negotiated, back to Swansea Road and so to the school. Careful records of the places gained and the times taken were kept by members of the staff. .-j . ~ c , Following is the order of the first twenty at the finishing post;— Senior Division. • A. Me William (7min), 23min 43sec 1 A. Bridger (Bmin); 23min 59sec ... 2 R. Harding (7min),. 24min 545ec... 3 M. Sutton (scr), disqualified, 24min

56scc ** A, Moody, (fimin), 25min 35sec .... 5 A. Bone (|min), 35min 55sec ..... 6 G. Bilkey (2min), 25min 56sec 7 C. Thomson (3£min), 34see s- 8 N. Crossman (scr), 26min 39sec 9. W." Thomason (3Jmin), 27mm Osec. 10 J. Longbottom (3imin),. 37min Ifisec 11 F. Aitken (Jmin), 27mm 30sec .. 12 F. Parfitt (smin), 28min lOseo 13 T. McCluggage (2min), 28min 16sec 14 E. Jones (|mip), 28min 16sec .... 14 H. Lonsdale (Imin), 28min Ifiseo ..... 14 H. Skuse (3Jmin), 29min 13sec ... 17 J. Davis (smin), 29min losec .... IS K. Taylor (SJiriin), 30min 37see .... W H. Martin (4min), 40min 20 Junior Division; _ • Don Thomson (SJinin), 23min 30sec 1 Crossman (BJmin), 23mih 46sec .. - Morrison (fijmin), 24min 25sec .... 3 Klenner (BJmin), 24min 52sec 4 Cfossan (7imin), 25min ssec ...... 5 Newton. (3min), 25min 6sec ■ 6 Nicholls (Ijmin), 25min 4Osec .... 7 Power (3jmin), 25min 42sec » Heggie (2min), 25min 45sec 9 W. Tarrant (3imin), 26min Isec .. 10 Liddington (3Jmin), 26min 21sec .. 11 Lash (3min), 26min 40sec 12 Irving , (2Jmin), 26min 4Osee 1— Longbottom (Simin), 26min 45sec . 14 Dave Thomson (Imin), 27min Isec ro Hann (3imin), 27min Isec Io Gatenby (4min), 27min Isec ro Burton (simin), 27min Isec Io Manley (4min), 27min ssee 19 Adlam (scr), 27min 19»sec ........ 20 The \ other competitors came m at short intervals. Last year; the steeplechase was won by M. Sutton in the remarkably quick time of 24min ! 47sec, but this year the course was slightiy longer, runners having to go round one hill instead of over it. • . . Form 3b won the form points prize.

WELL-BEING OF TROUT. EEL CONSIDERED A MENACE. Not being satisfied, that eels were serious enemies of trout and having in mind the fact that because of their scavenging habits eels tended to keep streams clear of objectionable matter, the council of the Stratford Acclimatisation Society recently communicated with the Marine Department for information on the subject. The council has received from tne department a booklet written by Captain J. S. Phillips, dealing with the habits of trout in the Wellington district. It appeared that eels destroyed trout fry when first liberated. Reports, stated the booklet, also indicated that eels attacked passing trout and it was not uncommon to catch a fish whose tail or fins had been bitten off by eels. Moreover the examination of the stomachs of eels sometimes disclosed remains of trout. > x « A definite opinion as to the extent oi alleged depredations of ~ eels on trout could not, however, be given until more eel stomachs had been examined,, but it was pointed out that the eel might be doing a seiwice in keeping down weaker and diseased' fish. On the other hand it should not be forgotten that eels, when they, came up-stream as elvers, formed an important trout-food; nevertheless the writer was of opinion that the balance of utility to trout was greatly outweighed, by their depredations. After commenting upon the fact that present methods of catching eels could never exterminate them, Captain Phillips stated that it would seem far more efficacious and easy to destroy eels when they were most vulnerable —that was, at the annual migration to and from the lf this were done for nine years systematically there would be few eels indeed in the rivers where trapping operations had been in progress. •'ln Europe the river life of an. eel is from six to eight years; in New Zealand the period is unknown. The sug-o-estion of nine years’ trapping assumes a similar period in this country. It is true that they often ascend from the mouths of rivers with whitebait and other fish, but it should not be difficult to devise some means of separating the elvers. Eels are omnivorous. “The writer has made many attempts to get eel-catchers to send him the stomachs of eels but only one stomach was received. This was the stomach of a 351 b eel and contained three vertebrae of a trout, and nothing else. More evidence is badly needed from all quarters as to the good of eels. The destruction of eels should be, encouraged, and the stomachs of eels destroyed should be examined. If the results show that eels eat a large proportion of trout, more drastic steps for their extermination should be undertaken.”