ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 550, 3 July 1909, Page 9

ATHLETICS.

(Br Meucdby.)

August 18 and 21.—Australasian Championships, Brisbane. As already published, the Now Zealand representative team for the Australasian championships has been relected. Tho team is a good one, and. has been chosen exactly on the lines indicated in this colutnn. Though not numerically as strong as could be wished, it is made up of mon who are champions in their various departments. Haskins is the only one who is not the present Australasian or New Zealand champion in the distances set down for each man. Although he holds the half-mile title, he secured only second place ia the last New Zealand mile championship. On this occasion, however, he was palpably short of work, and, moreover, lost the race by misjudgment, and generally failed to produce his real form —a condition of things that will not obtain in Brisbane., The Dominion will bo represented in ten of. the fifteen events that , go to decide the championship, and has more than a fighting chance in each of these, with the exception of the 120 yds. hurdle event, in which Keddell, admittedly, has little chance of scoring. Owing to the defection of H. St. Aubyn Murray, and C: L. Orbell (through failure to obtain the necessary, leave), the 440 yds. hurdle and high jump events will go by the board as far as New Zealand is concerned. Tho other events, which will not be contested by, our representatives are the MOjds. run, tbo shot-putting, and the polo vault. Regarding the two. first-named, it was evidently ! considered that the talent available was not up tp. Australasian form, and, in the. last-named, tho writer's opinion is that lack-of funds alone is responsible for the non-inclusion in the team of L. M'Kay, the present champion. , M'Kay, it will be remembered, won this event at Hobart last year, and, in so doing, established the new .Australasian record—lift.. ljiri. It is evidently the fact that he lias not been performing quite up to last season's form (taken in conjunction with the strong._opposition in this .event) that has influenced the selectors in omitting, him from the first, six. His exclusion from the team, however,, cannot be considered, as final yet, as there is little doubt that, .if the centres come to ..the assistance of the council, as they should, with the sinews of war, M'Kay will yet get his chanco to defend his title, and score a muchrieeded point for New Zealand. . ' .:, That 'the centres (and if necessary 1 the public) will rise to the , occasion in the mannor indicated above'is more...to bo desired on this occasion'perhaps than on. any former one, for the very good reason .that the N.Z.A.A.A.'is not-financing a "raid , on the mythical.championship banner. On,tho other. j the. invasion of Brisbane .is for the. j purpose of defending what we already hold— the, Australasian Championship title. ,;, Last year, on February 29 and March 2, our representatives wrested the honour from N«w South Wales at Hobert, this being tho third occasion on. which it has come' , to New Zealand since the inception of the contests under the auspices or the' Australasian Union in 1899. Previously to this, three meetings were, held between representatives of New South' Wales, Victoria; -arid Now Zealand—in 1893, when! the mother State' won; in.' 1896, when Our representatives were -victorious;-.'and- in 1897, when New South Wales regained the "ashes.". . ." ■■.■■ • : "What wo have,; we hold," is a good motto if it can be lived , up to j and our amateur athletes can .live up to it, on the .'present .occasion', granted : , the necessary funds ,are forthcoming te allow of their making tho effort. Owing'.to the deploted state of., tho N.Z.A:A.A.: treasury/ ; from : circumstances 1 over which the present executive , had no con- ' trol, it. has been found necessary to appeal to the.centres for assistance. The amount required is roughly.. £100, which is not a great deal when spread over the'ccntreskaiid, .considering , 'the issue; at stake,'a ihandsomo response should be made. : ■~ ■■"•.•,-■■ v Sho-uld it'be found'that only the six at present selected can be sent, it means: that every man mustvwin at least one championship. Even then'tho dasired rosult _may. Dot be achieved. -Last .year our team , just won the premiership, (and. the banner-that, does not exist) with, seven wins, aiid, on only one occasion, has it'been won with a ; smaller :number. !"This was 1 in 1899,.; and, strangely enough, also at Brisbane j Oh that occasion the New Zealand teain pullodj off the event with: five , wins..'Also on , this occjision, if "Mercury." remembers;aright, the/team.consisted; of six men, the ..winners being P. Malthus (thrce-mile:rnn), George Smith ;',(440 hurdles).,CM'Affer (one, mile walk); , 'WVH. Madill'(hammer)i and Jimmy, Te Paa (IVlabri pole .vaulter):',-,■.-,; ./ ''.".'..:.'. _: It will be seen from the foregoing that it is sotting, a team of six a Herculean, taskin fact, almost too big a task—-so it remains for; the centres, to see _tha.t the ■-. teain is strengthened by tho inclusion of L.; M'Kay at least. ■ -~.-.. ■-.' ■' ' ■ .'.: •■■■ . y '■''.' : .... Of fihe individual chances of of the team, "Mercury! , will have more' to. say as'tho date of the contest draws nearer and tbo personnel of the various Stato teams is availaole for purposes of comparison. .'"• In his last week's notes, "Mercury" had occasion to refer to the deadlock that existed in regard to the funds and effects held by the old (Christchuroh) council. ■ Since then, a balance-sheet has: been received council from Meesrs. . Hoare and; Grierson, who undertook ty final winding-up of tho defunct body's affairs. A copy of tho balanceshjeet has been sent to. tho affiliated contros for their views; aud tho, wholo_ matter , is now in .the harids t of a-'sub-committee; to .report upon.' Pending ■•' this report, further ..comment is deferred. . ; ..'■-'•■.■■■ :,:: i ". , . \ The ordinary club.run of the WelUngtpn Harriers will be abandoned to-day, in order that the annual race for , tho Palmer Cup may : ba held.' This event will be decided at Miramar over, a: bross-country. .course', of three miles, handicaps to be.sealed until conclusion of't'liG race. Ail of tho active club members have' entered for' what is always the most .popular race of. the season, and as "most of : the. men have' struck form during .the past few weeks, a ; well contested raco may be expected.' Before being won outright the cup must be: won three times' by one man—a rather stiff proposition for even a fast improving athlete in a handicap event. P, Dement, the present holder,' is still a doubtful starter, as for some.monthshe has been stationed at Daunevirke, and at latest advic«s was uncertain about being able .to. put in anappearanee in order to defeiid.his title. H. A. Lamb, the _first holder, has improved greatly since the time that he annexed the cup, and should be closo to the first man in -to-day* The race is te start at 3.15 from the tea , rooms at the Miramar North tram terminus.

■•.■A' somewhat larger muster than usual attended the run last Saturday from Thorndon, Baths, and put in a profitable and enjoyable afternoon in pursuit of tiie "hares" through the suburbs on tho hills to the'north of the, city. The men with the paper (C. Itowberry and W. White) achieved success in their efforts to select a. good course," avoiding hills where possible, and sorting. out plenty of good, clean, open country. The Kaiwarra stream was. forded a. couple of times, and the trail reached its limit at Khandalla-h, after 'which' it ; zijr-zngged.-back. to the .starting;; point 1 More interest than usual was manifested in the gallop home, which was over almost tho full length of the Thorndon. Esplanade. From a ragged start, the first man- to. show out was K. Bust, who.set a hot pace, with H. J; Polleck andfe. S. Forno on his heels. About half way Pollock spurted and secured a short lead, iwliich he- was rapidly'losing as the, tape was reached, Bust pushins; liim right lip to the , last inch. However, Pollock gained"the 'honours, with Bust second; and Lamb, the "surprise packet;" who came with n late run, third. The last-named msm will, lw-ed to jnmp quicker off the mark before he can ■ beat hi* speedy rjrals." .. ■'■ : ' . ... - Tlie winner of the Palmer Cup to-day.is to haro the trophy handed over'to him by'tho club's president, Mr. W. H. Bennett, on July Iβ .at tlie club's annual dance at- St. Peter's Hall. •■. ■ , ' '■■.''. ;■" . - Lack of space provents more than a passing referenco to the New Zealand .-.CrossCountry'. Championship, which tlie council of the New Zealand A.A.A. has docide'd to reestablish, and which naturally falls into the harrier department oftho sport; also-to tlie proposed visit of.-Rog.; Walker, the. South ''African sprinter, both .of which matters will come up for disouflskai next iroek, .