ATHLETIC.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8912, 25 April 1907, Page 4

ATHLETIC.

NOTES.

(By SPRINTER.) r A writer in the " Sydney Daily Telegraph" remarks: — "The New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association is moving in the direction of endeavouring to obtain a subsidy for its sports from ibhe Government, and points to the fact that, monetary assistance has been. granted to swimming, and was given to the 'All Black' football- team, in support of its claim. Financial assistance to swimming is possibly what might be expected, and, probably, there may have been some justification for helping the country's famous football combination to prosecute that remarkable tour, which proved such a splendid advertisement for the colony it represented, but just why foot-running, pole-vaulting, walking, hammer-throw-ing, and the like should be fed from the public coffers is not at all clear." In these degenerate days, by reason bf so many years of peace, the people of the British Empire are apt to forget that the most valuable asset they possess is a strong, sturdy manhood, and the fact that this is being forgotten, is becoming more and more apparent, as we 101 l year after year in th© lap of luxury and prosperity. Our young men are becoming more and more indifferent to physical culture, and were it not for the efforts made by football, swimming 'and other athletic associations to maintain the physique of our race, the canker of latter-day civilisation, with its attendant evils, would very 'soon tell its tale on the breed of our future men and women.' It is Oield by good authorities that already we are a decadent race, and ample testimony is afforded in the support of this view by ih« ever-increasing laxity in the regulations of the British Army. The growth of large cities, with their imr mense manufactories, and consequent 'indoor employment of the people, must •uroly lower the standard of physique, unless some counteracting influence is Bet up, and no organisation of any kind which tends to keep up the health and manly vigour of the community can he ignored by the State. We ne^er know the day when our institutions, "our liberties and homes may be threatened'by the ruthless invader, arid if ,our men, by reason of physical unfitness, are not able to defend/ our much.boasted rights and privileges- in the siour of trial, then it will be a sorry day for England and her great Empire, and a lasting disgrace to the memory; . «f our forefathers whose glorious heritage we a$ present en joy . Hence it is the "duty of the State to give every encouragement in its power to outdoor^ exercises, games and sports, in order that its greatest asset — a strong and hardy community — may be maintained.

We have already seen the immense strides made in the sport of swimming in New Zealand since the Government recognised its value by granting it a tonall annual subsidy, an expenditure which lias paid for itself a hundredfoH in the benefits it has conferred upon thousands of young fellows. Why not, therefore, extend the principle to athletics and^ other forms of physical culture? It is well known that very few amateur athletic sports meetings pay expenses by reason of the general indifference of the public. The great majority of amateur athletic clubs are kept alive to a great extent by beneficent citizens, . who realise the value of euch institutions in raising the moral And physical standard of youth, but there is a limit to private beneficence, and a 6tage has now been reached where the State should step in and recognise that athletics are one of the best means in times of peace to provide the sinews and znuecles in times Of war. A very small grant of £100 and «v«n £50 per annum is all that is required, and no public money could be put to a better use or give at more valuable return to the community.

The Canterbury Centre of the^ New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association ie gradually emerging from somnolence into activity, not to say notoriety, and on present appearances it promises to become one of the most enthusiastic of any in the Association. Mr J. H. Aitken ifi the moving spirit who has shaken «ij> the dry bonce that have lain dormant so long, and he has mapped out » programme which does him credit. He proposes to hold a series of night meetings «n the Bang Edward Barracks track during the coming winter. In addition to catering for members o>f Affiliated olubs, it is proposed- to open special events for volunteers, football- ' btb and other kindreds sports, in order to extend the Centre's influence over as wide a circle as possible. The question of ( flnance is, of course, the main trouble, but it is proposed to ask all the Ohriatchuroh clubs for a guarantee, and under the circumstances no club can refuse to lend a helping hand to further the project. I understand also that a circular is to be issued to all prominent business and professional gentlemen in the city appealing fox assistance in, the cause of amateur athletics, on similar lines to the circular issued last summer by the Wellington Centre. This should provide the sinews of war for a big Centre championship meeting later on, and also materially assist in the formation of more clubs in the district. J understand also that the Council is to be approached foT financial assistance. A harrier of some distinction has 6et-

tled down, amongst us and taken to running with the St Andrew Harriers (writes the Dunedin correspondent of this journal). This is Mr H. H. Sykes, who was at one time cap ! .ain of St Marks Harriers, Leeds. The newcomer is certain to be a valuable acquisition to the club, not alone for his running powers, but for his knowledge of the sport.

■ The N.S/W.A.A.A. got off its Mil© State Championship and several handicaps on April 6 at Moore Park, Sydney. ;The championship resulted — G. C. Ret-

and only one point is scored for each win.

ford (Birchgrove Harriers) 1, A. Wood 2, R. G. Waddy 3. Betford won the event by a strong run. in the- last 100 I yds. with Wood five yards behind, and j Waddy close up. The time (4mm 48 t 4-ssec) was slow for a State champion- j Referring to the request of the N.Z. A A. A that the Tasmanian A. A. A. should postpone the dalles of the next Australasian Championships until Christmas or New Year, " Prodigal says ._« lt is ever hard to fix upon a time of the year suitable alike to all the affiliated Associations, and, of course, the promoting body having to pay the piper, must call the tune. The Tasmanian body has selected November 9 and 11, chiefly because it believes that these dates will best suit it from the standpoint of ' gate,' and also because its chief officials have no time to devote to athletics at the Christmas or New Year periods. So far as New South Wales is concerned, it practically makes no difference when the games are held from the athletic side of the question, but, speaking generally, it is probably easier for our men to set leave at Christmas or Easter than at any other time. At the test Australasian, meeting (in Sydney) November 9 and 11 were choeen solely because these were the only dates upon which the Sydney Cricket Ground could be secured." Owing to the difficulty which arose between the governing body of _ sport in Franca and the British Olympic Association, London, "Sporting Life i states that the French authorities have 1 definitely refused to take part in the Olympic Games next year. . Harvey. Sutton, the Victorian Erodes scholar and ex-chammon runner, won his heat in the half-mile, at the preliminary tests of the Oxford University sports, at which the team was picked to represent Oxford against Cambridge. Sutton, however, was beaten in the final, and only secured third place in the inter-V arsity contest. Longboat, the "Canadian Indian, to j whom reference was recently made m j this column as a long-distance runner of exceptional ability, had his colours lowered at Buffalo, N.Y., on February 9 by G. Bonhaa;, the best -oist-anco runner in the United States. The pair met in a three-mile race, and Bonhag won eomewhat easily in 14min 43 3-ssec. The statement was circulated through the American Press that Longboat was a phenomenon over long distances, and a likely winner of the next Marathon nace 'His supporters were in no way disheartened by his defeat,. they claiming that three miles is too short a distance to permit of the Indian showing his true merit. The results of the Oxford and Cambridge preliminary tests, prior to the annual meeting of the two Universities, make interesting reading. The Oxford results were: — 100 yds, Chavasss, time 10 3-osec ; high jump, Young, sft 7|in ; half-mile, Darling, time 2min 2 l-ssec; 120 yds hurdles, Hussey, time 16 4-ssec ; 440 yds, Chavasse, time olsec; putting the weight, Sale, 36ft 3\in; threemile flat, N. F. Hallows, time 15min 21 4-sfi'2c; throwing the hammer, Stevens, -130 ft Sin; one-mile, N. F. Hallows, time 4niin 27sec; long jump, Young, 21ft 7in. The Cambridge results were: — 100 yds, Macleod, time 10 l-ssec ; 120 yds hurdles, Powell, time 15 4-ssec; 44.0 yds flat, Ryle, time sHsec; half-mile, Douglas, time 2min; long jump, Frankland, 22ft 2in ; throwing the hammer, Lindsay- Watson, 131 ft 2in; one-mile flat, Weber, time 4mm 31 4-ssec; high jump, Dunnett, sft 6m; putting the weight/" A. Petrie, 37ft 2in. The result of the three miles was not available when the mail left. On the tests Cambridge looked like winning the 3907 tournament, but as the cable has already announced, Oxford proved easily victorious, winning by 8£ points to 1£ points; The two Universities are thus placed on equal terras, each having won the athletic championships twenty-one times. It will b© noticed that only ten events are competed for,