Untitled

Observer, Volume XVI, Issue 924, 26 September 1896, Page 9

By 'Harbier.'

COMING EVENTS. Australian Eleven in New Zealand. November. 6, 7&SV— v. Auckland 11, 12 & I&— v. Wellington 18, 19 & 2'»— v. Southland 21, 23 & 24— v. Otago 27, 28 & 30— v. Canterbury Nov. 30, Dec. 1 & 2— v. New Zealand at Wellington. FOOTBALIi FIXTUKES. Sept. 26— Newton v. City.

<}beat interest is being evinced in the Newton-City match, set down for decision on Saturday, as upon the issue thereof the fate of the Senior Championship in great measure depends. Should Newton be victorious, or the match drawn, the contest will be finally decided in their favour, but in the event of City being successful, then Parnell, Newton and City will all be equal and another couple of matches be required to decide the premiership. Both teams are in hard training for the event, and the friends of both are equally confident of success on the day. Personally lam of the opinion that, provided both teams are rep resented by their full strength, the match will be one of the biggest • goes ' ever seen at Potter's, and I shall elect, if anything, to favour City s chance. There appears, however, a likelihood of the latter being without the services of several of their best men, in which case their chances of success will be considerably discounted.

Cuff took part in United's practice game on Saturday, and displayed excellent form with the bat. The North Shore Club have applied to the Cricket Association for permission to enter a team in the senior championship. The 1000 yds swimming championship of England was decided in the sea at Morecambe, on August 1, and ended in an easy win for J. H. Tyers, in 16min lsec. I understand that C. Caradus will don the jersey for City on Saturday. If in anything like his old form, he will undoubtedly strengthen the team very materially. Although the tour of the Queensland football team was not a success financially, the New Zealand Union do not anticipate having to make a levy for the deficiency. In a private letter to a friend, E. Wright, the Parnell wicket keeper, intimates his intention of returning to Auckland next month. This will be good news for Parnell. The Thames junior championship was decided on Saturday, when Thames 11. and Nelson 11. played a drawn game. This match closeH the competition, of which Nelson 11. are returned the winners. Creagh, Major and Surman are all doubtful quantities so far as the City team is concerned on Saturday. The two foniier are away surveying and may not return in time for the match, and it is possible that the latter will not be sufficiently well to take part. Quite a number of cricketers took advantage of the fine weather on Saturday last to indulge in practise on the Domain ground. The United and Parnell Clubs were the most strongly represented, each having an attendance of close on 30 members. The annual meeting of the Auckland Cycling Club was held last Friday at the Metropolitan Hotel, when the following officers were elected :— Patron, Mr J. J. Holland ; President, Mr G. Mcßride ; Vice-Preaidents, Messrs A. Boardman, W. Crowther, L. Ebrenfried, T. Thompson, W. J. Napier, G. Fowlds ; Captain, Mr H. Young ; Vicecaptains, P. Smith, junr., and J. E. Skeates ; Hon. Treasurer, A. Skeates: Hon. Sec, J. Stewart, junr. ; Committee, to consist of the officers and the following members : Messrs P. Howden, G. Hyauiason and C. Cnrties.

At the annual meeting of the Parnell Cricket Club, held last week, W. Gardiner was unanimously elected captain, and Messrs Young and Moore re-elected as secretary and treasurer respectively. I understand that Mr Seymour Thome George is to be asked to accept the position of President of the Auckland Amateur A. and C. Club, rendered vacant through the absence of Mr Logan in Eng- . land. There was a very fair attendance of spectators at the Devonport Domain last Saturday, to witness the match Coromandel y. Takapuna. The game (which resulted in a draw, each side securing two tries) was a very enjoyable one, being evenly and closely contested throughout. J. Sullivan and Francis were the scorers for North Shore, and Dnnater secured both tries for Coromandel. The other ,day I took a stroll through the Domain, for the first time since last summer, and was both surprised and delighted to see the result of Caretaker Yate's work on the cricket oval during the interim. The ground itself is looking really splendid for the time of the year, and in addition a much needed improvement in the light has been effected by the removal of a number of trees on the pavilion side. The committee of the Auckland Rugby Union decided that they could not entertain the protest entered by the Farnell Club against one of the tries awarded to Newton in the recent match, they being of opinion that they had no power to interfere with the referee's decision. As indicating the amount of public interest taken in the matter, it may be mentioned that a crowd of several hundred persons assembled outside the Metropolitan Hotel, waiting to hear the result of the committee's deliberations. The New Zealand Cyclists' Alliance have adopted the following standards : — On cinder or clay tracks : Half-mile, Imin 6sec; one mile, 2minl6sec; one mile and a half, 3min 27sec ; two miles, 4min 38sec ; three miles, 7min lOaec ; five miles, 12min 203 e c; ten miles, 24min -103 e c; twenty -five miles, lhr 3min. On asphalt, cement or wood tracks : Half mile, Imin lsec ; " one mile, 2min Bsec ; one mile and a half, 3min losec ; two miles, 4min 22aec ; three miles, 6min 45sec ; five miles, llmin 40sec ; tea miles, 23min 20sec; twenty-five miles, 59min 30sec. There was a large gathering of Association footballers and their friends at the Occidental Hotel on Saturday, to welcome home the representative team, who, in the recent tournament at Dunedin, succeeded in winning the Championship of the Colony. His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair, and amongst those present v/ere Mr Heather, president, and Mr Rees George, vice-president of the Association. Congratulations were the order of the day, and deservedly so, for undoubtedly Captain Smith and his merry men have every reason to be proud of their performance ; this being the second time in succession that the champion shield has been won by them. A. Brady and W. H. Martin, who have been chosen to represent the local Athletic Club at the New South Wales Amatuer Championship Meeting to be held on October f>ch, left for Sydney by the Tasmania on Monday. Both men appear to be in excellent. tiim.and may be depended upon to worthily uphold the honour of their club and city. Martin will contest the 120 yds and -140 yds Hurdles, and Brady the one and three mile walks. Thus ' Cynic ' in the Sydney Referee : — ' The friends and admirers of W. Warbrick will be much pleased to hear that he has recovered sufficiently to be able to leave St. Vincent's Hospital, which he did on Monday. His voice is still very weak ; indeed it is hardly stronger than a whisper. The match in whioh he was injured is the only one he ha 9 ever taken part in without finishing, and this notwithstanding the fact that he has had a collar bone broken three times. The larynx was seriously fractured, and for some time his condition was very doubtfnJ. Even now he can take only milk as food.' Of the Otago-Auckland Association match, the Weekly Budget says : — ' After a very keen and exciting contest, victory rested with the Aucklanders. The match was a grand exposition of football under Association laws, and many Rugby playera who were among the crowd of spectators j prophesied that in time it would become a j seriouß rival to the parent game. The visitors thoroughly deserved their victory, for they possessed a far better knowledge of the fine points of the game than the Otago players, and they played with excellent combination, the true key-note to success in both games of football. Also, the manner in which .the Aucklanders stuck to their positions, despite many tempting chances to indulge in some gallery play, was an object lesson to Otago.

Bob Whiteaide will train Brady and Martin daring their stay in Sydney. In consequence of the decision of the A.B U. Committee to adhere to the , original programme and play the Newton- ' City match on the 26th mat., there was no football at Potter's Paddock last Saturday, and considering the weather and the state of the ground, perhaps it is just as well that such was the case. At a special meeting of the committee of the Auckland Amateur Athletic Clnb held on Saturday night, Mr F. W. \ Edwards, on behalf of the Club, presented A. Brady with a gold medal, in recognition of his performances in establishing Australasian records for the one and two mile walks, last season. The medal is one of the handsomest I have seen, and a credit to its makers, Reid Bros., of Karangahape Road.