ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 3, 20 January 1909, Page 14

ATHLETICS.

Mr. Louis S. Robertson, the Scottish light-weight ehampion wrestler, was among the passengers who arrived by the Federal-11 on Ider-Shi re liner Cornwall last week in Wellington. A Revival in Auckland. The executive of the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club are holding regular meetings, when the call of the secretary is responded to by the best committee meetings that have been held by the club for the last twelve years. The greatest enthusiasm and energy have been displayed by the executive, which augurs well fo. the Marathon Meeting to be held on March 20 next. The date of the Marathon Meeting has been altered from the 13th to 20th March owing to the former date being already taken by the Championship Rowing Regatta fixture, to l>e held at Mercer on that date. The executive of the Amateur Athletic Club very courteously, and with a true spirit of sportsmanship, shifted their meeting a week forward. A number of men are training earnestly for the great Marathon Race from llowick to Auckland, while the president and secretary are receiving many letters from athletic enthusiasts in the country, asking for particulars of the race. It is anticipated that Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch and Ashburton will be rcpre’sented in the Marathon iace on 20th March-,-which will lend a Dominion flavour to the event. < The Controlling; Centre. QUESTION OF HEADQUARTERS. Christchui li and Wellington amateur athletic bodies each claim the distinction of being the council of the Now Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. Further discussion on the subject took place at a meeting of the Christvhiircli body last week upon a letter received from the Auckland centre making the following suggestions for a compro-mise:—-(I) That the headquarters remain at Christchurch for the present season, the present council to be the governing body during that period, and be recognised as such by all the affiliated centres. (2) That during the season the council oilect alterations in the constitution of the association, so that direct representation of the council should be afforded the various centres, instead of having the council nominated generally as at present. (3) That before the expiration of the present season a vote of the centres be taken as to the desirableness or otherwise of removing the lieadquarters from Christchurch; if it be considered desirable, then as to what centre. The attitude of the Auckland Association was discussed, and doubt was *xpressod as to whether the centre would continue its support to the Christchurch council after the present season. Some importance was attached to the question,, as it appeared that Auckland would hold the Im lance of power. It was resolved to point out to the Auckland centre that the council could not, deal with the suggestions, but presumed that the centres would deal with them in due course. It -was also understood that the president would communicate with the Otago centre in reerard to the siig£?estion that a deputation should visit the South. At ft meeting of the W-’llingtorr cetjiro c»f the N.Z. Auuitour Atlilo’i■• Assucbition, the (bairuian imuln the fuliowb'e oxu’unatioii of the attitude of the Wellington < nitre in the matter of the dispute which <h»i« arisen between the various centres and flic old counrll of the New Zealand AI Idelle Association In ChrLstcluirch. Mr I‘ollork said. •‘The real issue Qb members nf the Otago. Wellington and H.>uUiland centres are well

aware, and as the Canterbury and Auckland ventres have alao realised). Is that our late Athletic Associa-tlon Couueli adopted an illegal and unconstHutionol attitude in connection with the election of a council to aduilnhrter the affairs of the association for the season 1908-IOt)9. It is matter of history how certain nominations which were in accordance with the Hues, and which were forwarded by the Wellington and Otago centres were refused. The Wellington delegates i epi evented thirty-seven out of . fifty amateur athletic clubs. The question of head<iuarters was not involved in any way. The delegates realised, as an election had been denied them, there was no council in existence, the one nominated being properly ignored. The council which was elected by the representative .*’.7 clubs cannot he by any stretch of imagination termed self-elected. The gentlemen composing the council were muninated solely by the Otago and Southland delegates; no Wellington delegate even made a suggestion with reference to the personnel of the new executive, under whose control the amateur athletic affairs of this Dominion should progress. With regard to the well-meant suggestions of the Auckland centre, I would like to say that it is a matter for regret that tlie centre was not represented at the last conference of centres held at Christchurch. Amateur athletic matters have for some years been in such a normal condition in Auckland (hat it could irnt be expected that the officials of clubs or the centre there would keep themselves posted up in the doings of the Council of the N.Z.A.A.A. Auckland apparently had little or on business to put before the Council, the main duties of the Auckland centre secretary (Mr. Ohlson), being to semi along the fees due ami to record the centre’s vote when invited by (he executive of the Cv/ncil. I am pleased to find the Auckland centre under the able guidance of Mr. Leo Myers, is awakening to a sense of its responsibilities, and I feel confident that as soon as they become fully conversant with the facts t-hat led the Otago, Wvllinuton and Southland centres to move in tZe direction of setting up a fresh amateur athletic governing, body, so soon will they fall in line wtih the executive, of which Dr. Newman is the head. 1 might point oiQ that from a geographical point of view Auckland and Wellington have much in common, and there is just now much jubilation in Wellington amateur athletic circles at the prospect of Wellington and Auckland athletes foregathering occasionally al amateur sports meetings and contesting in friendly rivalry for amateur athletic supremacy. The Professional Dispute, Tlie Executive of the New Zealand A.U. ( hi vercargill) decided to declare the AS ungauui <.’iilcdoni;tn Society’s meeting an unregistered meeting, and to disqualify- all competitors thereat. Members of the Union state that they have considered all means of conciliation, and used every endeavour, but fruitlessly, to arrive at an amioa-ble Settlement. The N.Z. Sports Federation wilt be asked to endorse the disqualifleatiou, and those disqualified will not be permitted to take part in any class of sport affiliated to the Federation. The dispute arose out of the disqiuilitieation of the director of the Wanganui Society, who competed at the Christchurch Scottish Society’s gathering at Exhi bition time.