ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 782, 2 March 1905, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

With reference to the proposed walking match between Harry- Kerr and A. E. Falkner, of Sydney, the former sends me the following copy of a letter which, he has forwarded to Sydney “ A. E. FALKNER, “Captain Cook Hotel, “Botany, Sydney. “Thanks fcr yours of the 24th, and contents are duly noted. I am prepared to meet you in a match for £l5O a-side, on the following conditions : —The distance to be two miles. The winner to take two-thirds of nett profits of gate money. The match to be walked in Auc: land, K.Z., about the third week in April, 19(5. That in the event of you winning, your travelling expenses will be refunded me, but in the event of you not being successful, I am to allow you £l5. I may point out that it will put me to some expense and inconvenience to go to Auckland, therefore, I shall have expense on my side, and for which I shall get no consideration, therefore I think you will agree with me when saying that my proposal is fair and just. Re judge. We will mutually agree on that matter when you arrive here. I am lodging a deposit of £5O with the Editor of the ‘Sportii'g and Dramatic Review," Auckland, and balance of sta’ e-money will be placed there a fortnight prior to n atch being wall. cd. “HARRY KERR.” The opinic n has been held on the other side of the Tasman Sea that Kerr did not mean business, but this is not the case, for the conditions seem reasonable enough. A cheque for £5O has been deposited with the Editor of this paper to bind the match. The important ; ucstion of appointing a judge has been left oren. The Sydney’ man suggested Air F. W. Coombes, of Auckland, and no doubt Kerr would have been agreeable, but this gentleman will be unable to act. Falkner’s reply will be awaited with interest. J: * * Hector Burk, the Dunedin distance runner, is credited with having- run the mile in Tniin 28sec at the cycling sports in the Southern city the other day. If the time given is correct he will prove the most dang-erous man that Shrubb will have* to meet in this colony. It is no doubt owing to Burk's good form that the Otago Union is so loth to contribute towards the expense of bringing Widmer and Wheatley over from Australia. for if the time test is anything at all the Dunedin man should be quite a match for the Victorian runner. * * * ♦ The uncompleted wrestling match between Harry Pearce, of Victoria, and Arthur Skinner, of Auckland, will take nlace at Alexandra Park, on Saturday. In accordance with the original promise no charge will be made for admission, although it must lie admitted that tl’is is rather rough on the visitor. Skinner has his billet in the police to keep him, but Pearce is dependent on what he earns at the game, and after coming so far was surely’- entitled to some financial reward in the event of victory. His suggestion was that a small charge should be made, and that 25 per cent, go to the winner, the balance to be handed to some charity. A good deal of interest w’ill centre in the meeting of these men, for beyond question both are clever exponents of the art.

Nelson is early in the field with an application for the New Zealand Amateur Championships of 1906 (writes “V aulter”). It is proposed to hold a week’s carnival there in January next, and the committee having the arrangements in hand is prepared to i tin the championships. The Council of the N.Z.A.A.A. decided to ascertain the views of the centres on the subject, but it might do a lot worse than allot next year’s meeting to Nelson. ♦ * * * Were it not for the fact that the stay of Shrubb and Duffey in the colony is so brief, the Council of the N./S.A.A.A would easily be able to make arrange ments for them to appear at several places outside the four centres. Ihe Stratford Carnival Committ< e and the Manawatu Caledonian Society have both made applications, which the Council has been unable to entertain. * • * * The visiting athletes, f'hrubb and Duffey, competed at the Bendigo sports on Thursday. In the mile race. Shrubb won easily from Wheatley in 4min 31sec. He also won the three miles championship in 15min ssec, beating Blake by 70yds, and lowering the record. Poth the visitors .competed in the handicaps, but were asked to give a" ay such sj arts as made victory hopeless. Considering what a little time he has been off the ship it is really remarkable how quickly Shru’ fo ■has struck form. At the Victorian Athletic Association’s Championship Meeting - , at Melbourne, on Saturday, the star performers were Shrubb and Duffey, the former being in exceptionally good form. Tn thelOOAds Handicap, Duffey conceded the Sydney runner. Widmer, half-a-yard, and after a desperate finish beat him by two inches, the Victorian, Mueller one vard, fan? a few inches further away. The time, viz., 10 1-lOsec, shows that Duffey has struck form again. Tn the Mile Race Shrubb led all the way, beating Blake (Victoria) easily by 20yds, in 4mm 29 J, sec. The Four Miles Handicap was won by Shrubb, from scratch, beating Blake (ISOydsl, by 200yds, in 20min 43 3-ssec. The throwing the hammer contest was wen by Hurry (Melbourne), with a poor throw of 87ft 7in; th' pole vault bv Pattison (Ben; digo) with a rather indifferent vault of 9ft 6in; and the broad jump bv Mueller, with a jump of 21ft Wi hner won the 440Yds Championship in 7>:’sec.