AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 521, 2 August 1932, Page 11

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Maori Championship Meet Proposed. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, August 1. A meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association was held to-night. The Canterbury Centre advised that the New Zealand Cross Country championship meeting would be held at Christchurch on August 27. The Harrier Sub-committee of the Wellington Centre wrote asking that the following remit should be placed on the agenda paper of the Harriers' Conference to be held at Christchurch on August 26:—“That the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association stage a marathon road race annuallv at a time and place to be arranged."' The Wellington Centre offered to stage such a race if it was arranged. The secretary said the subject had been discussed at a conference at Auckland, whfcn it had been decided that nothing should be done by the council until the centres had staged such races. It was agreed that the secretary should represent the council at the Harrier Conference. The Canterbury Centre wrote advising that Lancaster Park had been engaged for March 10 and 11, 1033 for the purpose of holding the New Zealand track and field championships subject to the council approving the dates. It was decided to reply that the dates for the championships would be fixed later. Encouraging Athletics. Mr Hugo suggested that a gala week should be held each time the championships were decided. Pie thought that this would considerably increase public inThe president agreed that the matter could be gone into. Mr Ingram brought up the question of encouraging athletics among the Maoris, who were specially gifted as athletes. Hte suggested a Maori championship meeting each year. The president: That is a good idea. The subject can be discussed at next meeting.

The question of endeavouring to encourage athletic sports in the primary schools was discussed and a sub-com-mittee was set up to draw up a programme to submit for approval to the educational authorities.