ATHLETIC.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8833, 21 January 1907, Page 1

ATHLETIC.

NOTES. (By SPRINTER.) The punedin correspondent of this paper, in his notes this week, deals with a meeting of the Otago Centre at which the chairman "briefly referred to the proposed secession of the N.Z.A.A.A. from the Australasian Union." I pride myself on knowing most things that are going on- in the rfew Zealand athletic world, but I must admit that the matter or "proposed secession" is soineI thing new to me. I have heard the reinstatement rules criticised very freely, and also the Association's action in respect to reinstatements should the Union decline to agree to the Association's suggestions, out not a word about secession. . I have had occasion to refer once or twice lately to the want of life and enthusiasm in the . Canterbury Centre, N.Z.A.A.A., and it was thought that a change of delegates at the beginning of the season would have improved 1 matters*, but, unfortunately, the affairs [ of the Centre have gone from bad to worse, until it has now become difficult to even get a quorum at the meetings. The meeting which was called for January 7. had to lapse as only two j or three were present, these including! the chairman, Dr Thomas, Mr H. S. Williams and the secretary. It must

be heart-breaking for the latter officer to contend against such apathy, especially just now when the season is at its height and the championship meeting so close. There is much, important work for the Centre to do, and it would be as well for those clubs interested to keep a watchful eye on their Centre delegates, with a view of weeding out the class of man who accepts responsibilities of this sort, and leaves others to do the work. ' Very poor entries characterised the first evening meeting of the Pioneer Club on January 7. Why, this should be so I am at a loss to understand, for such small concerns as the Hardware, Civil Service and Railway Clubs are able to muster far larger fields than the P.A.B.A.C, which possesses nearly three times more members than either of the others. It is to be hoped, in view of ; the approaching championships, that the future evening meetings will be better patronised, and some sort of an effort made to obtain the shield ©o strenuously fought for last year. The Otago Centre, which aims at setting a high standard in conducting the affaire of the N.Z'.A.A.A., occasionally falls short in matters of importance which require expeditious handling. This was noticeable at the Council's meeting on Friday, when the Centre made application to have Burk's record of lmin 58 l-ssec for the half-mile passed. It is now something approaching two years since Burk put up the performance, and as 0110 of the timei keeper's "certificates is dated one year and nine months after the event strong disapproval was expressed by the Council that 6uch dilatoriness should be displayed, and notice of motion was given that in future no applications for records shall be considered unless all the certificates are submitted at least thirty days after the performance. The abnormal delay in Burk's case is manifestly unfair to that gentleman and places the Council in an awkward position. . •• According to Mr F. J. Ohlson, of | Auckland, the revival in athletics in ! that city is likely to be permanent, and will in all probability spread to the country districts, where at present no organisation of any kind exists. It will be necessaa*y, however, for an agent to undertake the work of forming clubs in the larger towns, such as Hamilton, Cambridge, Thames and Waihi, and it is likely that Mr D. M. Forsyth, who is largely responsible for the resuscitation of the Auckland Club, will be appointed by th© Council to tour the Auckland province »in the interests of amateur athletics. Judging by Mr Forsyth's record, both in Dunedin and Auckland, theye is very little doubt that he will succeed in bringing the Auckland Centre up to a strength commensurate with the population of the province. At the N.Z.A.A.A. Council meeting on Friday the president, Mr W. G. Atack, drew attention to the apathydisplayed by the Canterbury Centre. He pointed out that while Otago and Wellington were doing excellent work m organising new clubs and generally infusing a marked . interest and enthusiasm into athletics, the Centre at the headquarters of the Association was doing practically nothing, and meetings were allowed to lapse for want of a quprujn.. . He- asked -^delegates: of ! the Centre, Messrs Aschman, Batchelor ana 1 North, to make it their business to interview the Canterbury Centre and point out to it the necessity for action. • Mr Atack said that moire clubs were wanted in Christchurch, and he rait sure that with a little energy amat#nr atfQetie clubs could be formed in towns like Lyttelton, Kaiapoi and Rangiora. The delegates of the Centre undertook to adopt the president's sug- \ gestion, but one member of the Council remarked that ".nothing short of a charge ,of gunpowder will move the present Canterbury Centre." , Tk» Council of the N.Z.A.A.A. has decided to hold a conference of representatives from the various centres assembled in Christchurch • during the championship meeting to. discuss various matters of policy in connection with the sport in this colony. This will. be the first conference held by thd Association, and will undoubtedly have the effect of brushing away several minor differences that have lately crept in besides introducing fresh measures for the benefit 'of the sport. A sub-com-mittee, consisting of Messrs Atack, Green, Aschman and Batehelor, has been appointed to draw up an agenda for the conference, and Centres are to be. asked to submit any question bearing on athletics which they wish to be discussed. One of the principal questions will, I believe, b© the. position of the New Zealand A.A.A. in regard to the Amateur Athletic Union of Australasia, and the reinstatement rules in connection therewith. As Mr R. CoombeSj the president of the Union, will probably be present at the conference, an excellent opportunity will be afforded for clearing the atmosphere of a good deal of mist, and of placing the position of affairs in this colony in their true light before the Union's representative. L. Orbell, the South Canterbury crack jumper, who injured his ankle badly last season, has recovered its use again, and got over oft 7in at the Timaru Club's meeting on Thursday last. Orbell will be a welcome addition to the Canterbury team next month, and it is probable that he will be a competitor in the two hurdle events, as welt as in the high jump. It has been definitely decided that the next Olympian games will be held in London in July, 1908, immediately after the English A.A.A. championships. A spiendid opportunity is thus afforded for any Maoriland athlete to make a world-wide name for himself, and surely a country so prolific in athletes should be able to produce an Olympia champion. Given the men, I have no doubt the country will find the money. At a meeting of the Southland Centre of the New Zealand Athletic Union on January 8, the protests entered against T. King (winner of the Caledonian Sheffield Handicap) and Foster winner of the 880 yds and 440 yds handicaps), which had been referred to the Centre by the Southland Caledonian Society, were dealt with. King, who was' reported to have won important races in Western Australia and Victoria, was disqualified for life. It was

alleged that. Foster had at- different times assumed the initials " G," "G. J." and " J." He had, it was stated, performed last season at Auckland and oa the West Coast, but. in nominating for events in Southland this season, he omitted to give some of his performances, with the result that he had been too leniently treated by the handicapper. It wa« also alleged that^be had given incomplete or incorrect performances when entering at the JDdendale, Kaiapoi and Dunedin Caledonian Society's meetings. It was resolved to disqualify him for life, and to take further action against him. The delegates to the annual .conference of the N.Z.x\.U., which will be held in Christchurch on January 24 and 26, were instructed to support the following propositions :— (1) That atßletes who are strangers to a district must sign affidavits before being, permitted to compete; (2) That the boundaries of the various districts be defined ; and (3) That the same sports date be not allocated to societies within, a radius of thirty miles. L. C. M J Lachlan, the Napier ©rack, was a competitor at Qamaru on New Year's Day, winning the ' quarter-milo in 52 l-ssec. He also started in the Caledonian Handicap, but was beaten in his. heat. W. Gouling, at the Invercargill Caledonian. Sports on New Year's Day, ie~ gistered. from scratch the good time of 4min 30sec in the handicap* mile, and was just beaten on the post by W. Mason (80yds). '* C. S. M'Oully, the winner of the distance events at the Civil Service and Pioneer Club's meetings, scored another win in the mile event at Timaru on January 1, covering the distance in 4min 44 2-seec from the 55yds mark. Frank Fordo, the champion athlete, showed at the Invercargill sports on New Year's Day that he has lost none of his last season's form. His lifit of wins were — Throwing the 161 b Hammer, 123 ft Tin; Putting, the 161 b Stone •41ft lin; Throwing the 241 b Stone, 33ft llin; first Cumberland. Wrestling, first Collar and Elbow Wrestling, and first Tossing the Caber. Forde also competed in the High and Jong Jumps, being unplaced with sft in the former and Beouring third 'prize in the latter ivith 19fb. The attendance at the Oamaru Caledonian Society's meeting on January 1, although not quite up to former years, was still very satisfactory, and a sum of £155 10s was' taken at the gates. Speaking of the sports, the "Oamaru Mail" says: — "It was a matter for great regret that for several reasons it had been found necessary to cut the amateur races out of the. programme, as . these have been a prominent feature for the past few years. However, interest on the part of competitors has "been diminishing until on this occasioai it almost reached vanishing point. It is to be hoped that arrangements will be made for having the amateur events on each i day reinstated 'at next ' gathering/' The little amateur club at Milton, Otago, which came . into existence &>me * r^ months a fi°Y Trith a membership pi nrteen, has shown unusual enterprise by holding an organised sports meeting- <m New Year's Day, the first of ite kind yet held <in Milton. Speak™§L » *^ 6 venture, the Dunfdia Star says.'-rrAn amateur cluS^is; rather a new institution ■■fevMmßFvM l many of the young fellows in the district are rather diffident about joining its ranks;- but since so glorious a start has been made, no doubt many -will see the advantage of belonging to an athletic body which claims for its object the advancement of clean, healthy and pure sport. So far the club have received every encouragement from the people, as is evidenced by the fact that the names of no less than twenty-nine residents and firms appeared on the programme as donors of prizes. The weather for the meeting was simply perfect, perhaps too much so for competitors, and the club are to be congratulated that everything passed off without a hitch. About 500 people were present,, and the financial success of the undertaking is assured. Over 7000 people were present, and the gate and stand receipts at the Tim- . aru Caledonian" Society's meeting on January 1 totalled £301 17e. Commenting on this eminently satisfactory re- [ suit, the " Timaru Post " says :— " It is still more satisfactory in view of the fact that an' attemot was made by a certain so-called ' Scottish Society in Christchurch to take entries awsy from Timaru for their own gathering in Christchurch, which they fixed for the two first day© of the new year, well knowing that a number of lished societies had held their annual gatherings on these dates for many years past. Instead of detracting from the interest or the entries of the sports at Timaru, the action of the northern body above referred to seems to havo had the opposite effect. Certain it is that a larger attendance has seldom been seen on the South Canterbury Caledonian Grounds, and it is doubtful whether so much interest has ever before been taken in the gathering." The Sydney " Bulletin " says :— " Apparently the professional 1 ped. simply cannot run straight, and the result is that flat- racing, which a while ago threatened to again boom in New South Wales, is now as dead as a salt herring, and much more smelly. Even the veteran promoter, M'Gtrory, has thrown up the sponge. Not a single fixture is listed for the rest of December or January in New South Wales. In the West .the business still keeps its head above water." Is not the trouble partly due to the fact that private speculators have a great deal too much license? Properly controlled, and the sport promoted entirely by bodies instead of largely by individuals, abuses could very easily be stamped out. | .The "Southland Daily News" fur- ; nishes a graphic description pi the [ wrestling match between W. Forde, of Rakahouka, and T. Johnson, of the j Bluff, for a stake of £20 pand the championship of Southland, which took place at the Clifton sports on Boxing Day. The conditions were, three- styles, viz., Cumberland, collar and elbow and oatch-as-catch-can. Forde had earned some reputation in Cumberland style by winning at Clifton last year, at Inveroargill in January, and in Dunedin the following day, and his chances were regarded as rosy, but Johnston had apparently been given special practice, as he resorted to devices which he had not been seen to U6e before. In the first bout he neatly backheeled Forde in less than a minute after "holts" were announced, and in the second he threw him across his knee in equally short time. Having lost in his favourite style, Forde' s supporters were anything but jubilant, and there was ljttle hope held out for him in the collar-and-elbow in which Johnston has scored a number of successes. The Rakahouka man started very cautiously, taking no liberties, still giving a fair amount of play, and Johnston was waiting for an opening to grass his rival, and offering temptation. Forde was wary and the bout threatened to last out the patience of the spectators when - Johnston, . as

quick as a flash, upturned his opponent. The second bout was shorter but had the same result, and Johnston won the £20 stake with an ease, that the most sanguine of his supporters could not have ■expected. It was, therefore, unnecessary for the men to wrestle the third style, catch-as-catch-can. Further record breaking is reported from Kalgoorlie, where, on December "27, Postle is said to have run 100 yards in 95sec, while B. R. Day was timed to do 350 yards in 87 l-ssec — an Australasian : record. Athletic authorities, however, will probably decline- to accept these performances as records, as it is well knowu that the Kalgoprlie traok is down hill. Ever since A. B. Postle beat him, B. R. Day hag been a dissatisfied maji, and never rested until a second match was arranged. This- is n-vw likely to eventuate, the only difference of Opinion between the two men being the distances. Postle is best over short sprints, while Day runs very fast up to 1000 yds, and naturally wants to include a middle distance. It is probable, however, that th© three events will bo 200, 300 and 440 yards, and that the match will eventuate in February. Two amateur championships of New South Wales were decided on January .1. The 100 yds was won by A. J. Wilkins in 10 2-ssec, and the Half-mile by C. Campbell, of Queensland, in 2min 6 2-ssec. Mr James E. Sullivan, who is recognised as the authority on athletics m America, and who has been secretarytreasurer of the Amateur Athletic Union, since its inception in 1888, was, on November 19, elected to the presidency of that organisation. Commenting on the appointment, London "Sporting Life "says:— Mr Sullivan's most cherished ambition is an alliance between the A.A.A. of Great Britain and the A.A.U., since he feels that the two. great English-speaking countries having done so much to fesber amateur athletics should bind themselves by a coalition, and thus become the leaders in this branch of sport. In a recent interview he said, "1 believe the AngioAmerican alliance should precede the formation of an International agreement, and that the English rules now governing amateur sport in America as well as in Great Britain will thus be preserved the world over." In announcing the preliminary arrangements in connection with the Olympic games of 1908, Lord Desborough, chairman of the British Olympic Association, said: — Although details have not been considered, the Council propose to work on the FollowlHg lines : — 1. The events are only open to bona fide amateurs, and as many forms of sport will be included as may be practicable. 2. A guarantee fund will be formed. 3. A proposal is under consideration whereby the necessary buildings, tracks, enclosures, and an arena to seat 100,000 spectators will be provided free of expense to the Olympic j Association, together with a proportion' of the receipts to go< towards the other expenses connected with the games. j 4. The Council do not propose to pay the expenses or any competitor, whatever, either ' for travelling or for residence in this country. 5. The prizes will consist of certificates, with gold, silver, and bronze medals, which will become the standard medals for these games. But certain challenge prizes have been offered in addition by the generosity of private individuals or of societies. Among these I may instance an exact reproduction of the Pourtales 3?*se, in the British Musautti, which will ue nfounted on a specially-designed pedestal, and presented for cjjen competition among amateur teams of epeistes by the ,fencers of the United Kingdom as an appropriate commemoration of the fact that the King has this year graciously consented to become the patron of the Amateur Fencing Association; the prize offered for the discus by Madame de Mcntgomerie ; and the 200-guinea challenge &hield of the National Physical Recreation Society, which will be thrown open to the world for this occasion. 6. The Games will be held in July, after Henley Regatta, and after .the A.A.A. Championships 7. As. far as possible, all the competitions, including swimming, archery, fenoing, lawn tennis, etc., will be held on the same 6ite in which the amphitheatre for the trackathletics will be erected. But when, as in th© case of rowing, it is necessary to hold the contest- elsewhere, the arrangements will be made by the Association i governing that sport. ".•Wai," said an American who had been shown a splendid catch of trout, ' dessay they're nice little fish, but we bar such small fry in the States. Last year, now, when fishing in Lake Michigan, I caught a fish go large that traffic on the Lake had to be. suspended until 1 landed him, and no one ever found out what kind of fish it was." The party laughed sarcastically. " Perh«ps it was a shark " hazarded one. The stranger was unruffled. "No, much larger than that." "I suppose you'll tell us it was a whale next? 1 ' suggested another. "Oh, no, friends!" he reP f r ' A& * 6ay ' W6 could "ever find oat what it was, but I know it wasirt a. v/hale because we were baitiag with whales!"