AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 543, 25 June 1909, Page 8

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

: NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL. CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP. ■ A meeting of the Council of the Now Zealand Amateur Athletic Association ; ,was held in tho Arcadia Hotel yesterday evening. Tho chair was occupied by Mr. J. W. Davis, and . thoro ;,were .also present:' Messrs. .0. -E;: Bridge', H. S. Robinsori, : J. F.-Thomson, W. H. Pollock, A.: Davis, A; Marryatt, ; and.A. , phaffejvß. W. M'Villy, and Dr. A.;K. Newmnn. '.•'■•. ,;' .-.'.' :• : - -. ; ;, y ■'■■. Tho record, put up for the 1000 yards at CHristchurch recently, by Dr. Guy Haskins (2min. 24 1-osec.) was passed, tho papers all being in order. .. '. "■ "\. ". -. .■'■ ]', '■' ■ ,: ■ .'l'hiel committee. set.up:t<rgo into the ques- : - tion'of,holding.' a Now Zealand cross-country' championship reported as under:—, r . ;.:■ , (1):, That a • Neiv Zealand ' cross-country , championship race, individual and interprovincial teams' raco bo instituted, >,such raco to bo held over true cross-country; (2) (that the distance be five miles; (3) that the team representing a province shall consist of I five to .count, for the teams championship j: (4)' that the entry fee of 'five shillings for individual championship (if not a member of a team) and.ten shillings for a team; (5) that the council give a.championship* standard gold medal to tho individual champion'and four badges to those counting points.in:the winning,interprovincial'team; (6)' that the.centre holding the.event tako the entry fees :and bear all,expenses in,conk nection .withHho. race, with the 'exception, of medal and badges; (7) that this championship, for 1909 'bo offered; to .the Canterbury Centre,' with a 'suggestion, that, 'if; : accepted, the race be hold at Timaru , in August. , llie adoption of;the report.was.agreed to without discussion/ ' ','..... \ : '.-' ~')■: .- . .-.'• It was decided that each centre should be masked 7 .to forward at least'£ls towards tho oost ; of sending the championship team I*6 the Brisbane meeting.■■■ .It w'as.ajso decided that, the'team should: consist of six members arid two substitutes.V" , .: '■■'-.'.'■'.■■■■:.-' : -

'-.;•. The "Wellington centre'forWardcd the- following motion for consideration, by•-.' the council :-7-'-'Tli'af .it be ■ a recommendation: to the ;N.Z.A.5.»4.. • to 'move. ,at the next meeting"; of the Australasian Union, .as.follows: ■ 'That,• Rule.■ •■ 22,,,. relating\ -to ' prizes; :,be amended to make it .lawful for any club or centre ,to offer' a trophy of a cost' uot exceeding£2s for a. Maratiion race, providing tho consent of the association •to which such club' or centre is affiliated shall first be obtained/".;,. The matter was left over until the 'next meeting of the-council. ■' ■ '..''■■. '; The outstanding difficulty between the. old' council in Chnstchureb was advanced ahother stage /towards' sottlornent, by'.-the' receipt by the president of a.certain.document and the.balancorshebt from the old council. -Tho i balance-sheet showed' a "credit 9s. ,-Sd.,- the- principal Resets. (which totalled £66-195.\.6d.) : being' ! outstanding .'subscriiv tions fi36.155., and the champioßship' shield ;£2O. ...The. accompanying letter, stated that all , the hooks and papers which' had , been inthe possession, cf the'old council were now m\ tbe ; hands, of : the■■. JJew : Zealand Express Company, ■. {Wellington.', The matter was 'referred ,to'; a sub-committee, which; is.-to report to :'a: special. meeting of: the council. ; , ;^;vv,oi/rrap ; :Rmi^ENTATiyEs/-:V'': .. After the .'-routine; the council had a conference in 'reference, to matters in general,,-with': Mr.:' .11. H; Coombes; : Wesi-:. dent: of the Amateur Athletic Union of. Aus-tralasix-.-.Mr./Coombes, with' whom, it-was desired to discuss : the' question''bf ■> sopara'to repTesontation .for ; JS ev V': Zealand ? '' on\,'tho Olympio Games Committee,' gave, a rcsumo ,of .the . positiqa- as .'regards' 1 ., representationon tho interriational -Board, which position as,far as Australasia was .concerned. JEvery,other co.untry,had a /special'-commit-;teoj ■• with, a special, '---ropresentntire as\ its. mouthpiece.; .Jir.-. : Coorabes was of opinion ■that'.New-; Zealand,-. should /have, a special committeio,-which' would send along its re■presentatives', to go through the main mouthipieco.f or; Australasia, and Canada,- and' var--ious; other British possessiona had' no Vβ-.presentativoon-the committee, land to write asking special repr?sntation;'on:the commit; tee/for. New:' Zealand,, would be courting refusal, and, .after considering the. matter, ■he thought the:better scheme would be' to ■form'v.a' special "New Zealand:. Cpmmittee', which would work through tho Australasian mouthpiece. Except for the. curtailing of numbers, there; would .■: be absolutely ho lnterf e-Tenco'.Yivith the New Zealand Oommitteo provided .the assuranep 1 : was "given tliat. tho .competitors were boiia fide amateur's.- He' , thought;, tho New : Zealand Cpuiicil' ; ''should mako...a , starts and form an Olympic Committee, with, headquarters,' .;say; ; Tho next Eeriesot piympic gamps would ;tiike place at Stockholm, and he; would/uige New /Zealand:'to'raise .its-own .money, :;EcTect;its own team/and-he would interfere in ,, no way, but,would simply bo; the" channel, throngh which.tho decisions of the.New. Zealand Com-, raittoo -would-".be transmitted to headqua-r----■torsi , ; ..-.'.::." : . .■.'•.. ■■ ': ' 'i'■ : -: '■- ■ : '■' i ■.' . .. :i .

'•The chairman 1 thought that, after the! explanation given ,by Mr. Coombes.'it was'use--lessvgoing. <in with tho. movement to obtain representation :as a separate nation. He was; in favour of/ the' ,'committco being formed, 1 and thought.-a meeting should be called to ;; org'amse; the matter. • >'-...' >'•■: ■V Mr. ■' snggestcd "tliat' a sub-com-mittee to.arrango'preliniinary de-. tails in tho matter iof. forming an. Olympic Commitjtce. , Ho'.th6ught:the:ctimmitt<!e :could ,'get, in ;'■ touch : .'with':' the' representatives ■: ofevery branch, of ;sport;''and work to>,tiio,de-. . : airo'd , end.''. ; k. ,, .'.;''.'7"!' v v'V-''•'■•', ' ".' ::■•'";.. 'ivMr. Pollock seconded tho motion,: which.was 'carried.. Messrs.. W.H. Pollock, C._E.: Bridge, and H. S. Robinson were appointed to act on the sub-committee. " •: .■'■■• ■....■:-.■' ■.:■...'-.. , : ; : ; '"r; J_ ~_ . v "• ■■.-••■ . rWALKBR; TEIE CHAMPION; l^ftlNTEl^ • The Wellington Centre'wrqte'favouring the project to invite the Olympic, champion, R. ■E.'..^VaUier ) !.to' : Australasia, and .expressing its willingness to co-operate with the council '■initlurmatter.'••:.The '.centre ..also suggested that THeffeiin.: or:'somo:, other starshould f also.be invitod to.come.with AValker.;.'■ Dune-: din- also supported; the, proposal;:.' Z -----■■'.:■'.• 'Mr.. CoomDcs'stated that the .suggestion, for Walbertvisifeiaanated from the Natal Association.-.^Valker.iwas:going; to England, and then through (America, and 'the'; suggestion -was. to ; bring .him; through, Australasia on his return. : Practically;tho,whole.. , of the 'Australian;: Associations.'.-fiad favoured' the suggestion;-with the exception: of .New. South AValee, but; tho. , latter,' iio: believed, .would also, como in..: . If the "visit was arranged j-jt was , ebnsidored..that a tour ...of three or. three and a half /months might: cost. New Zealand roughly about £300. - If. tho council thought it wouldbe of advantago-'to arrango tho . tour, ho ; (tho speaker), would carry tho thing further : by. writing to America. : Porsorially,: ho'faybured bringing Hefforan' with' Walker, or Dunckor,!tho champion hurdler.. ;: : ■. ■ .Jlr. Bridge moved that , tho council icor-. dially support the pi-oposal to bring Walker to: terrae to be settled'with tho''Australian Amateur■ Union; and also suggests that, another South/African athlete, to be chdsan;l)y :be selected 'to , ac-' company.Walker.. '■■;■;■* ' : '•■■•■' '■"■• , " : . : ' ; . '.' The moiion.was carried. '■ , V ' ; > . : A ,hqarty*"v6to of■'tfa'aiike' was-passed to Mr. Coombos for tlib > information he had supplied and his offor to lool? after the iiitorpsts of the New Zealand team which is to visit: Brisbane ; ...... • . ■''.'. ■■; :■ .• :■ : ' ''J.-' MR, COOMBES ENTERTAINED; :n■■ • •-: A complimentary supper was tendered .-by, tho. New Zealand Amateur, Athletic Asspcin'tion at tho: Arcadia: Hotel last .'night-'to'Mr. ;R. H.-.Cbombes, president ofi.tho Amateur Athlotic Union ■of Australasia, ; and ■ represeutativefor■'■■Australasia'".on:'the International Olympic Games Committee. The. chair was occupied by tho Mayor, Dr. A. K. Ncwmau; President of tho N.Z.A.A.A. •.-...■ ; :