ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1061, 25 February 1911, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

(Bi aIEBCUBt.)

THE FESTIVAL AND FINANCE. CAN WE SURMOUNT THE HURDLE? To-day—-Port Nicholson A.A.C. Meeting (liasiii'Reservc). March I—Karori A.A.C. Evening Meeting. March 4—Pctono Junior Club Meeting. March 8-Karori A.A.C. Evening Meeting March B—Mauawatn A.A. Meeting. March 11—W.A.A.C. Carnival. Mavch 15—Mnrton A.C, Meeting. March -Woodvillo A.A.C. Meeting, March Horowhenua A.A.C. Meeting. March 18— N.Z. Championships (Christ, church}. April I—Victoria Collego Sports and Open Events. . Easter—Upper Hutt Axemen's Carnival (amateur athletic events).

The Move Made in - Wellington. The campaign for. raising fund 9 for securing , a worthy representation of thn Dominion in the Australasian team for tho Festival of Empiro is fairly uudcr way in Wellington. Tho Committee of Ways and Means, sot up at Wednesday's meeting, is a capable .one, and if its efforts aro only backcd up by other centres funds to send thrco men should bo forthcoming very quickly. It is intended to get our contingent away in time to leavo Sydney with tho Australians—that is, on March B—and so it will bo seen that great dispatch is necessary. Meanwhilo sports bodies aro busy in Sydney. At a recent meeting of the Interim Committee, set up there to take tho preliminary steps, correspondence was dealt with from tho various States and assocjations.' These gavo an idea of what is being done, aud a precis is appended. Sinco then, of course, there liavo been further developments on our side, and it is practically certain that at least two moro names can bo added to our list. The outline of the, business is ' as follows:—A letter was road from tho Victorian Amateur Athletic Association stating that in reviewing tho position they felt that J. L. Davis and G. A. Wheatioy would bo eligible mombers for tho proposed team in their respective departments. Mr. Wheatley had expressed himsdf as likely to bo ablo to niako tho trip, but Mr. Davjs had not given them a reply. , At the samo time their council considered "that tho raising of funds in Victoria for thd purposo would not be possiblo without tho. Government subscribing the largest part, and in view of the forthcoming Olympic Gamos, in 1912, tho council was'not altogether favourablo to tho proposition. Tho Queensland Amateur Athletic Association wroto stating that whilst being in thorough sympathy ! with tho proposal it was unable to guaranteo any financial assistance.

Tho New Zealand Amateur athletic Association wrote that W. A. Woodger would bo going Homo as their accredited representative.-.Ho would leave for England on February 24. Mr. Ilicks, hon.'secretary to tho Australasian Lawn Tennis Council, 6aid that he had not official authority to say that a tennis player would represent, Australia and Now Zealand,. but_ ho had .no doubt that ono would bo available; in fact, it could bo almost taken for granted that one would be. .

Mr. E. S. Marks (hon. secretary) said that E. W. Schneider (New, South Wales), tho champion wrestler and cyclist, was leaviiig for England very shortly, and was prepared-to represent Australasiti without cost. ■ Tho Men Who May Go Home, Tho following team was then provisionally selected :— RUNNING.—IOO yards, 220 yards, 410 yards: W. A. Woodger (New, Zealand), tho present sprint champion , of Australasia. Half-mile and one mile: G. A. Wheatley (Victoria), holder of tho Australasian 880 yards and mile championships. 1 • • HURDLING.—I2O yards, 440 yards i ,T. ■ L. Davis (Victoria), who is tho joint holder (with G. W. Smith, N.Z.), of tlio 120 yards Australasian record, land holder of the world's record for $40 yards." Failing Davis, F. P. Drown (Victoria),. ex-Aus-tralasian 440 yards champion.SWIMMING.—IOO yards and. milo: H. Ilardwick (N.S.- Wales), tho prestnk 220 yards, 110 yards, and 880 yards Australian champion, 440 yards, BSO yards, and milo State champion, and. joint holder (with Cecil Healy) of 100 yards Australasian record. . 130XING.—Heavy-weight: Now Zealand, as holder of tho present, title,'to select a representativq, and, failing tho ■ Dominion desiring to do so, Hardwick (N.S. Wales) to represent Australasia.' ' " WRESTLING.—MiddIe-weight: E. W. Schneider (N.S. Wales), Schueider leaves for England very shortly. He is ex-mid-dlo wrestling champion of New South Wales, CYCLING.—E. W. Schneider (N.S. Wales), holder of fivo miles Australasian championship, ono milo champion of Australasia, Stato half-milo champion.' It has not yet been definitely settled whether cycling will be included in tho programme. , LAWN- TENNlS.—Singles: ,A. F. Wilding (New Zealand), present holder of ; tho English Singles tennis championship, and virtually champion of tho world. As already stated, New Zealand cannot fulfil her allotted task of finding a heavyweight boxer, but will make up with representatives to bs selected in" other branches. Tho expenses of tho tour, it was explained, should bo light, as tho only men to be financed are tho two Victorians (Davis and Wheatley), tho New Zealand contingent, and tho swimmer (H.; Hardwick, N.S. Wales). /The members of the team will bo tho guests of the Festival of Empiro Committco for one month whilst in London. . So far English files to hand have not' made much of this portion of tho Coronation festivities, but matters are evidently being "kept steadily in view." Tho London "Times" of Junuary '12 contains a brief paragraph to tho effeot that, at a meeting of mayors and town clerks of the Metropolitan liorough and the Council of Festival of Empire, Mr. Frank Lascelles, Master of the Festival, reported satisfactory progress of the Sports of tho Oversea Domiuious.

Getting Ready for the Championships, In tho Dominion just now wo nro undergoing "tho calm beforo tho storm," which is timed to burst at Christchurch on March IS. A slight "disturbance," which was watched .with much interest, occurred in Dunedin last Saturday, tho occasion being tho D.A.A.C. meeting. It was virtually a "try-out" for Otago aspirants for championship honours—particularly so as regards Hector Burk, who mado a. reappearance on tho track after an absence of some years. Miles Dickson, tho Australasian champion three-milor, G. P. Keddell, tho Australian champion hurdler, and Opic, tho Christchurch sprintcr, were all.in action; henoo tho outsido interest. ■ • All tho cracks performed well, Burk, apparently, is "coming back." He was beaten by a yard by a younger brother— suspicious circumstance—in 4min. 31sec. Keddell won the Broad Jump from scratch, with 20ft.' Oin.. Dickson, annexed tho three-mile flat. This event (says tho "Otago Daily Times") conclusively showed Dickson's calibre as a thrco-mile runner. Whfn a mile had boen covered, tho scratch men (Dickson, n.' G. Burk, and Beatson) had considerably reduced tho distance between themselves and tho remainder of tho field. South was leading, with Bundle and Fryo in fairly close attendance. At the seventh lap H. Burk dropped out, w: J. Burk having retired at tho third lap. From tho eighth lap Dickson and Beatson liad tho raco to themselves, and very soon all had left tho track excepting Fne and Bundle. When Dickson and Bcntson passed the judge's box to commcnco on tho eleventh round the bell was soundi-d for tho Inst lap by a mistake. Down the hnok stretch Dickson spurted, and left Beatson almost standing, winning a fine raco in llmin. 2sec.. the distance covered being ono lan. or 440 yards, short. Bundle was the only non-placed man to finish. Dickson's tinio would thus work out at about ISiniii. sscc, Ople and a New Hammer Man. Opic did not get a win, nnd is reported to have been for from well. Still he put up two good runs. In tho 100 yards event ho ran second, being beaten by inches in 10 l-'Vsoc.i and In the 020 yards handicap ho also sot a Kcoadi going under tho

samo narrow margin in 23see. Both theso events wero won by 10. Egglestone, off 5 nnd 8 yards respectively. Kcddell started in both events from tho 3 and 5-y.ird mark.-', and Qualified for the final in each, but could get 110 hotter than a third in the run oft in the 100 yards race.

M'lloirae, the ncwly-discovcrecl Canterbury hammer-thrower, is a hot proposi-| tion, if report is to bo relied upon.' "Mercury" was informed during the week that tho Chnstchurch noliccman was heaving tho missile 137 feet with alarming consistency. This distance constitutes an Australasian record from a 7-foot circle. Petone Man in Sydney. F. Strickland, late of Petone, has hoisted a winning number in Sydney. At a meeting of the South Sydney Harriers ho annexed tho brood jump at 20ft. 2iu., with an allowance of 2ft. Gin., and won his heat in the 100 yards handicap off 6 yards in lOsec. In tho final lio was beaten half a yard in 10 l-ssec. ■ Guy Harding was not successful in his "crack" at the New Zealand quartermile record at Napier on Wednesday, but his attempt was a found performance. The event was won in 49 seconds by tho limit man, off 45 yards—an absurd handicap, Harding being clocked to l'.uu a shade worso than 51 seconds. The Piece de Resistance To-day. The Port Nicholson A.A.C. "meet" this afternoon should bo'a good gathering, and all good sportsmen, will hope that tho club will benefit accordingly. Tho "Port Nic." . keeps going in good order and condition, and caters well for its membars on an extremely small subscription, and is deserving of all tho support, both public and athletic, that it can get. A. llalligan has entered for tho hurdlo ovents, and tho rcappearanco of tho oxNew Zealand and ex-Scottish champion gives a decided push to tho interest ot the day. It is somo four years sinco Halligan left New Zealand, what timo ho was our champion 120-yard hurdler. Since then lie hag kopt his fencing up to a sufficient degreo to win the championship of Scotland in tho samo event. D. Cashman's rcappearanco in the walks is also an interesting event. It will be remembered that he won tho provincial championship last year, but omitted to defend his title this season, through being at £ca at tho time. Whereupon tho honour was annexed by Georgo" Turner. This afternoon tho handicarjiier has signalised Cashman's roturn by putting him on the scratch mark, with Turner up on 10 yards in tho mile. In tho thrco miles event tho twain meet on even terms. Both thesa walking ©vents have filled well, tho entries for all tho other events are; moro : than satisfactory, and■,tho mile will especially hold promiso of an exciting tussle. I. Baxter and J. F. Wilson are meeting on tho scratch mark, and tho runner who wins will reouire to get very closo to 4min. 30sec. for the distance. Manawatu A.A, Annual-Sports. Tho programme for tho Manawatu Amateur Athletic Club's second annual meeting i 3 to hand. It includes ovents and prizes as follow-.—looyds. handicap, first prize .£2, second prize .CI; 220 yds. handicap (ladies' bracelot), gold bracelets; 440 yds. handicap, £2 and J3l j 880 yds. handicap, £2 and iil; 'ono mile handicap, £3 and .£1; 120 yds. raniden, XI ]os. and 155.; 320 yds. hurdles handicap, j!2°and'«Bl; 100 yds. primary schools handicap, gold and silver medals; 220vds. secondary schools handicap, gold ana silver medals; teams relay race (Ist man to run 220 yds„ 2nd. 410 yds., 3rd 220 yds., 4th 880 yds.), 4 gold medals; obstacle race, trophies; high jump, jCI and 10s.; long jump, ,£1 and 10s. j one, mile walk. <£2 and .51; one mile boy scout championship •in uniform, trophies. Mr. D. Park is secretary.'