Amateur Athletes.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 9, 5 October 1907, Page 10

Amateur Athletes.

(By "Orpheus.")

During last season no fewer than eleven afternoon sports meetings were held by clubs affiliated to the Wellington Centre. In addition, there was the Provincial Championship Meeting on ■ New Year's Day, which was run by the Ceutre, thus making twelve meetings in all, to which must again be added the ten evening meetings held,by various City ciubs. This' is surely a Xew Zealaud record.for one season. Of the afternoon carnivals- =ix ■ were held, in the City, two at Waugahui, and one each at the Jlutt, Masterton, Palmerston North, and Nelson. , ' . The question has arisen as to whether the holding of so many meetings is to the best interests of sport. Tho matter is being discussed by the Centre, which will doubtless arrive at a sblution. of tho problem before the-season starts. One thing is practically certain, and that is that if each club intends to run a separate meeting of its own then other, grounds will have to be found,. as it is distinctly unfair to. trench on the cricketers' domain to the extent that was done, last year. The approaching season will, in all probability, see. the New Zealand Championships run in Wellington; I understand the secretary of the Centre has proposed that the Provincial Championships be held -in/December,'' theNew Zealand Championships in Janu- , ai'y, and a combined meeting of City. clubs in March. J These, in addition to the usual meetings-at the Hutt and Masterton, -together with numerous evening meetings, should prove sufficient for the most ardent sport. It must not be forgotten also that Wanganui and Nelson offer attractions for . those able to make the trip. The' Australasian championships .aro ' to take' place in Hobart during February next, and I understand • that it is practically certain that a team from New Zealand is to be sent over. A - fairly formidable. lot could be chosen, provided all are able, to obtain the re- - quired leave, and some interesting finishes might be anticipated. Such men as Henderson, Burk, Fisher, O'rbell, M'Kay, Keddell, and one or two others would be calculated.to shake the fields up pretty considerably, and at the'very least'would not disgrace the. Dominion.. ' Tho various New Zealand Centres' havo been advised that nominations for the new Council in Christchurch close early in: October. Centres are permit- . ted to nominate any number of candi-' dales, tho total list being subsequently' , submitted to them, and they are then . .empowered to vote' for nine of the number. - •......■ ... The local Centre is to hold its annual meeting next month, when'l. hear-the present • secretary-treasurer' (Mr. A. Davies), who has held office for nearly two years, does not intend seeking reelection. ,-' " ' ; • ROAD RACE.,,. Considerable interest is being, evinced in the annual teams road, race, which 'will be ran,!, to-day. oyer .a cour'so 1 ."'of ! 'five miles', tjie .start and the finish being at the Te Aro. Baths. In-previous ■ years the race has ! been managed by the ; Wellington Harriers, but this year the , Wellington Centre has taken over con- . trol of the.contest! Many-of Wellington's best amateur distance runners (notably, M. Mulcahy, F. Wilson, W. nnd R, Gosling, A. Murray, and A. B; Burge) will be competing', and a keen contest' is assured. The Challenge Shield for the winning team is at present held by. the Catholic Young Men's Club, who have .entered a strong team to defend the title/but with strong opposition in the shape, of three teams trom the Harriers and, a.strong team from .tlie Port Nicholson Club, it is open to doubt whether the holders will be able ,to retain possession of the shield. " ■ -, ' ! AMATEUR ATHLETIC ASSOCIA- .'" TION. . .' 'At tho meeting of the New.' Zealand Amateur . Athletic . Association, to be held to-night, Mr. W. H. Pollock will : move the following notice'of motion :— "That this Centre, in 'order to ex'pedite business of. the NIZ.A.A. Council with the' Amateur Athletic Union of Australasia, moves that clauses (a).and (b)' of rule 6 of the constitution of the Union bo altered to read:—(a) In the : interval between two biennial meetings of the.. Union any action that might be lawfully taken! by a meeting may be so taken by'a mail vote, provided that in every instance such mail vote shall he taken by tho honorary, secretary, and that the ballot of each member must be preserved on his files; (b) Where'a vote by mail is required or decided to be taken the honorary - secretary shall mail to each member of . tho - Union a clear statement .of the question to be' voted on, at the same' time intimating to each member that the voting on the question, closes with the honorary secretary of the Union not later than I'ortv days from the mailing of the said" Question by the Union's'honorary secretin': The honorary secretary shall, i: week after the expiry of the forty days from the mailing of the said" question,'accept-a'decision on such votes as are then in'his hands. In cases whore the' President may deem . it necessary a vote-may be taken by telegraph instead of: mail; in such oasis the vote to close within. 72 hours, and a decision to be accepted on the votes then in the honorary ■ secretary's hands. The honorary s?cretary may at any time, when sufficient votes have, been received to either.carry on. or reject a mail or telegraph vote, announce the result of the same,.and;the result so announced shall be decisive. Where the constitution requires a majority vote or a two-thirds vote the decision always to be decided on by the voting papers which are in the hands of the honorary secretary at the closing of'the voting. In case of a tie ■ resulting through one or more members not voting, then the honorary secretary shall immediately communicate per telegraph with such members and allow them a further ten days to register, their vote; should no further vote be .recorded the result bo declared void nnd the matter referred back to the.originating Centre. In the case of a tie resulting in a telegraph vote the same procedure as with mail vote, excepting twenty-four hours only, be allowed. That in clause (e) the word 'closing' appearing after 'within five days after the'be altered to'decision.'"