ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1372, 24 February 1912, Page 11

ATHLETICS.

[By "Pi:oxv."l

SOME OF THE HOMELY TOPICS. February 2S.—Manawalu A.A. Club's snorts meeting. l'pliupr=ton North. March 2.—Karori Club's Carnival, Karon Park. March 1.").--Levin A.A. Club's Spirts Meeting, the Hacccuiivse, Levin. March IC-Challenge Competition, Athletic Football ,Si;oris Club and \ ictoria College A.A. Club, Ko.buruu Park. March '_»:».—Victoria College A.A. Club Sports, Kelburne Park.

Wherein Petone is Model. "A goo 1 afternoon's sport" was the opinion of those who attended the Petone Club's meeting'last Sntnrday at the liecreation Clround. The ground is rather an ideal place, and it goes, almost without saying, that the custodian knows his business. Uutstanding features about a meeting which differed very much from tho usual athletic meetings held in the city, were: First, the way in which the ground was kept cleaved of all but officials; and these officials wore ail very keen. They attended to their duties, and were not ou tho ground simply to promenade before the public. The second feature was the largo number of entries received for the public schools' handicap*. Here, in the city with all the schools, it is very hard to get more than six or seven entrirs for school races. At Petone, however, there were no fewer than twenty-live entries for each school event. The Petone officials, with the able assistance of the school teachers, are evidently doing their best to encourage the boys. One of tho host races of tho day was that between Kerr and Cashman in tho milo walk. Kerr, who was giving Cashman ten yards start, caught him in the lirst 5(1 yards, and the two raced together until 200 yards from home. Here Iverr made one of his lightning spurts in an

endeavour to shako off Cushman, but Casliniiiu wn> prepared for him, and walked Kerr off his legs, eventually beating him by liis handicap. It was an excellent race between tlieso two, and was worth journeying to Pctono to seo. Cnsbnian seems lo bo improving in every race. The remaining events require 'little word except that, in some cases, the handienppers might linvo been more lenient to the scratch men.

Levln-Pedes aut Equiles? A prelinriinry programme has come to hand from the Levin A.A. Club, tho hit-e-t club affiliated to tho N.Z.A.A.A. The events are numerous and decidedlv "mixed." The running events include 150 yariU maiden; 100, 220, and 440 yards flat, and laoyards forced handicap. 1 n addition the programme comprises bicycle and motor races, pony races, a trotting race, ami boys' races. There should bo sufficient variety to satisfy all and sundry. March l.'l is .the date fixed, and entries close with tho secretary on 3rd prox. By the way, why is this meeting advertised as 'the third annual meeting," vdien tho club has just recently been formed ?

Valiant Little Karori. No club affiliated to the Wellington Centre has more enthusiastic officials than the Karori A.A. Club. Last Wednesday it held another evening meeting, and some good racing was witnessed. Kennedy won tho 100 yds., and iu the milo was beaten by Turner (off 30 yards) after a great race over the last 200 yards.

Hill and the Gloom Province G. N. Hill, of Auckland, has evidently incurred tho displeasure of the Otago Centre. According to advices received, that centre telegraphed Hill, and asked if he would compote in Dunedin on his way to the Now Zealand championships if the c«ntre arranged an evening meeting. Hill replied that he would, hut after all arrangements had been made and the centre had incurred considerable expense in advertising, etc., a telegraph messago was received stating that Hill would bo uuablo to fulfil his nromiso. As a result the Otago Centre had,at tho last minute, to abandon the meeting.

Victorian A,A. Struggle To-day. In view of the Victorian A.A. championships, which toko place to-day, the following extracts from a letter written by a Melbourne friend to "Prodigal," and published in the Sydney "Referee," may be of interest :■- J. L. Davis ('Varsity) did not intend to start in the hurdles unless Prazer came across, as he was anxious to try the_ 100 yds., 220 yds., and 440 yds. flat. Now that your man is coming ucross, Davis will be on his mettle. Murray is walking well. Last week he won a mile from scratch in Gmin. 40sec, beating his previous record. However, only two watches wcro on him j henco no use applying; for record. Tho half-mile is likely to prove the greatest race of the dav—between G. A. ("Dad") YVhcatley and Kussell H. Watson, the public schools' middledistanco champion. On January 29, on the asphalt track at the Exhibition Oval, Watson won his heat in the half-mile handicap off 30 yards in linin. SOsec, ia>in. u . up. An hour later he won tho final by 35 or 40 yards, in linin. 55sec. (pulling up). . This works out to a shade under two minutes, I think. C. A. Hardy, who ivon his lieat off 25yds., in linin. 59 4-sscc, was second to Watson. A few days prior Ut this raco Watson did 2min. 1 :i-ssec. pn the grass, but he was not running 'all out. Watson has only just turned 10, and while ho lacks the experience of well-tried champions, is a really good runner. So far T havo not seen Watson extended. ( He has, up to the present, won every race with the greatest of ease, having caught the leaders at the half-distance. But on the 24th "8.H.W." will have to go all he knows—he starts and finishes very strongly—to beat "Dad" Wheatley. The latter is not. starting in the mile, leaving S. G. Hollow (a club mate), Watson, and company to battle it out. Burton is a doubtful starter in the sprints. Troup, Ellis, and Slater,., are engaged. Kelly is competing in 'the jump, etc., George Blako may be out'in the three miles, for which event quite a crowd havo entered.

The Passing of tin Shield. Heartiest congratulations to tho Southland Centre on winning tho Championship Shield for tho first time in its athletic career. The win will do an .immense amount of Rood for amateur sport in the southern province. It was very unfortunate for file centre to strike weather such as it did, for everything promised well for a record championship meeting. The day was bitterly cold and boisterous, with drenching rain. As onlv vetv meagre details are available at tho time of writing, the writer cannot give a lengthy account of the meeting, but "Mercury's" lucid sumiuinpup appears on this page.