AUCKLAND AMATEUR ATHLETIC CLUB’S CARNIVAL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 331, 26 November 1896, Page 3

AUCKLAND AMATEUR ATHLETIC CLUB’S CARNIVAL.

The local amateur athletic club held its thirty-fourth sports carnival ’on the Domain Cricket Ground last Saturday in Queen’s weather. There was a splendid attendance of the public, there being about six thousand persons, a large proportion of whom were ladies. As usual at the spring meeting, the members of the fair sex were attired in the latest and most artistic wearing apparel that the dressmakers and milliners in our midst are equal to, and certainly the sight was a most brilliant and effective one. The ground was in splendid order, thanks to Mr R. Yates, the caretaker, and the management quite up to the usual standard of excellence, for which, in a great measure, Mr W. C. Speight, the secretary, is responsible. Capital music was provided by the Newton Brass Band, and the usual afternoon tea was supplied to the ladies, and freely partaken of. The racing, as a whole, was very good, though there was nothing that could be described as extraordinary; but Reynolds is to be congratulated on his performance in the mile exhibition ride, when he broke his own grass record of 2min 30sec for that distance, cutting out the mile in 2min 27 3-ssec. Lie was paced by a rambler tandem for the first half mile, and by single machines for the remaining half mile. A strong southerly breeze was against him, and the pacing was none too well timed or arranged. Another event that disclosed a man of much promise was the high jump handicap, in which C. C. Laurie cleared sft 7in, independent of his handicap. This is only an inch below Bailey’s New Zealand record of sft Bin, and Laurie’s style and build stamp him as a man who, with practice, will do better than the record. There is nothing in the sprint events that calls for special mention, other than the fact that P. 11. Thomson, who was on the Byds mark in the 100yds handicap and 17yds in the 250yds handicap, won the double in the hollowest possible fashion, his time being lOsec for the short event, and 26 3-5 in the longer distance ; both good, considering the wind. The winner hardly looks the correct stamp for a sprinter, and strikes one more as a stayer for a journey, and he certainly astonished every one present —except perhaps himself and immediate friends —by the pace he mustered up. This is his first appearance under the auspices of the Auckland club, and although a decidedly auspicious one, the outcome is yet doubtful, as there is a protest in on the grounds of professionalism. This will be considered and dealt with at a meeting of the club’s committee to-morrow evening. Taking the 440yds Handicap as the next distance, another very tidy “ go” was tabled by H. V. Buchanan, who won off the 17yd mark in 53sec. “ Buch,” as he is more familiarly known in athletic circles, ran a well-judged race, and came through his field in business-like style when they came into the straight, even- ; tually winning by a couple of yards from T. Roberts, who ran from the syd mark. In the half-mile event young Stone thoroughly deserved his win, and stamped himself as a coming man. Running from the 65yd mark, he was headed at the close of the half-distance, but sticking gamely to his opponents he eventually came on with a gallant little spurt about fifty yards from home, and caught the judge’s eye in 2min 1 4-ssec. Jas. McKean, who has always been, credited with a lot of pace but no judgment, accounted for the One-mile Flat from 25yds in 4min 42 l-ssec. He ran with capital judgment on this occasion, and has evidently fallen into the hands' of a good trainer, who has thoroughly initiated him into the mysteries as to how to handle himself. He is no “ chicken” as far as age is concerned, otherwise I should predict a bright future for hiin; but he still has time to give a x good account of himself. A surprise, as far as time is concerned,

was rung on the British public in the Auckland Secondary Schools’ Championship, of 150 yards, which fell to the lot Of J. Parkinson, who breasted the tape jn 16 2-sseCj after having run his heat in 16 l-ssec. This indicates that he will be heard of again in the dashes. The novices, over a similar distance, took 17 l-ssec. There was nothing in the 120yds hurdle race to warrant a howl of enthusiasm from the assembled multitude, Smith only doing the trick in 18sec off the 2yd mark, beating E. T. Laurie, who ran off the same mark, in the run home. The 440yds stick event was carved out by Oliphant, off 14yds, in 60 2-ssec, a very good performance, and the easiest of wins. Roberts, off scratch, occupied about 61 2-ssec in the journey, and did not run with good judgment. Laurie’s pedestrian starting machine was used in the sprint events, and gave every satisfaction, the men in all instances getting away simultaneously from the gates. It was well handled by the inventor, and with one or two improvements that will simplify its appearance and working, should fill a long-felt want, as it will do away with the howl that is generally thrown up when a man wins, that he was fired out of the pistol. Several competent authorities viewed it, and pronounced the principle a success, amongst the number being Mr L. A. Cuff. i 7 D. Wilson won both the one and three mile walking events as he liked, and outclassed everything else in the fields, his times being—one mile (off 100yds), 6min 55 l-ssec; three miles (off 280yds), 22min 55sec. He shows improvement every time he comes out, is as fair a heel and toe exponent as one could wish to see, and will have to be treated with more respect by the handicappers on future occasions Brady turned out only in the three mile walk, and was clocked to do 23min 7 2-ssec; Creamer’s time at the big Christchurch gathering for a similar distance being 22min 58sec. At the close he was dead-beat, and was perhaps not in his best form.

Scotchmen appear to have established a claim to New Year’s Day. In nearly everv centre of population all over Australia the day is celebrated with sports held under the auspices of the Caledonian Society, and these sports are Scottish in their character. Auckland is not behind the other parts of the world, and the skirl of the bagpipes, together with the interesting sports, should attract thousands to the Domain Cricket Ground on Ist of January next. Entries for the handicap events should be sent in on or Before Saturday, Dec. 12. Handicaps will be made public on the following Saturday. Boxing has been booming in South Africa for some time, but it has received a severe check. It is simply the old experience that boxers will not go straight, and a recent boxing match between Doherty and Duggan has been publicly denounced as a “ fake.” The Australian Goddard and Denver Smith are matched to fight next month. At the Victorian Amateur Athletic Championship Meeting last week, Roseingrave was in great form, and won all the events in which he competed, including the 120yds Hurdles in 16 l-sth sec. Watson won the 100 yards in 10 l-sth sec, and the 220 yards in 23 l-sth sec. Wethenhall won the Quarter Mile in 55 3-sth sec, and Half Mile in 2min 2 l-sth sec. Huming won the Mile in 4min 47sec, beating O’Connor, a New Zealander. Barrett carried off both walking events, the Mile in 6min 42sec and the Three Mile in 21 min 36 l-sth sec.. "Walker won the Three Mile run in 15min 41 Lsth sec. . v At the Canterbury Amateur Athletic Club’s sports On November 19th the principal results were :—looyds Maiden Elat: E. A. Neave, 11 l-ssec. 100yds Flat: E. A.Robin son, 11 sec. Half-mile Flat: H. Garsia, 2min 8 l-ssec. Halfihile Bicycle: H. Thompson (scr.), lmin lleec. ~ Mile Walk : Jones (70yds), 7min 5 4-ssec. 120yds Hurdles : E. S. Harley, 17 3-ssec. Half-mile Maiden : A. K. Neave, 2min 16sec. 120vds Handicap : Middleton (Syds), 12 2-ssec. Twopiile Bicycle: J. W. Jones (l|sec), smin 14sec. Long Jump : H. H Piercy, 20ft 250yds ‘ Handicap : E. A. Neave "(13yds), 27 2-ssfC. Three-mile Elat: H. Q. Martin (110yds), 17miri 4sec. Quar'termile Flat V P. S. Harley, 56 4-ssec. -

At the London Athletic Club’s autumn meeting, on the 26th September, W. J. Sturgess broke the one mile walking record, in a match race with D. Fenton, doing the distance in 6min 33 3-ssec, thus beating the previous amateur record by nearly 3sec. Sturgess only won by two yards from D. Fenton after a great struggle. Fenton was on scratch, and also got well under the previous record. At the same meeting H. A. Munro won the two mile handicap from scratch easily by 10 yards in 9mm 31sec. At & recent athletic meeting Wefers ran his trial heat of the 120-yard race about two feet behind 12sec, took the final heat in 11 4-ssec, won the 300 yard race in 30 3-ssec, and ran his quartermile in the relay race in 49 3-ssec. This might be considered as rather more than an average afternoon’s work for one athlete.