ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1419, 20 April 1912, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

[Bi "Merctjei."] SPORT AND SPORT PAPERS, The Sydney Sports Paper Rises in Wrath. "Prodigal" takes ".Mercury" to task iu the "Referee" for remarks made in this column a week or two back anent the late lamented Festival of Empire gathering. "Mercury" laid some of the blame for the poor response to this year's Olympic fund at the door of the unfortunate gathering in London last year, which enticed the New Zealand public to pour out some couple of hundred pounds for such a poor return. The Festival of Empire is a sore point with "Prodigal," and, after his own splendid reception at Home, it is easy to understand why our worthy friend takes so much pains to defend tho affair. But, seriously, romembrance of it has affected ■ the gathering of funds this year. There is something else which, too, is responsible for our failure to secure funds this j-ear. This "something else" is nothing more nor less than the failure of our own athletic bodies to rise to the occasion and do their duty. Wcll-What of It? A couple of years ago "Mercury" made a suggestion that the council snouid maite a levy on all clubs of threepence or sixpence per member per year, (lie moiivy to raised to be devoted to the Olympic representation lund. This levy ' wouid have produced auout ,£3O per year, or well over .£lllO every four years. Having iais«l bx> much themselves the governing bodies could, with justification, appixmcii tho public at large tor further assistance, and Bven hopo lor Government aid, which it will be remembered was readily given in the Festival of Empire case. Tue council seized upon tue idea and through the centres submitted it to the clubs, who with the centres (except Wellington and to some extent Canterbury) promptly turned it down. Tho only centre which has done anything at all in tho matter is the Wellington Centro, which now levies a registration fee of Gd. per annum on all active competitors. The foes are given to tho council as the nucleus of their Olympic fund. The amount realised is only about -X 5 per year, or ,£25 every four years, but it is something, and it is given of the cantre's own free will, which makes it the more acceptable to the council and creditable to- the centre. As already pointed out the other centres gavo absolutely nothing. Of Course Otago Is In It. Our Otago friends in particular, who regularly make such a big talk when there is any scheme afoot to secure representation of this Dominion at such gatherings as the Olympic Games, aro the most backward in providing practical support. Their excuse this time is that they purposely refrained from making any effort because New Zealand had failed to secure separate representation at tho games. This is the poorest apology that has been offered, for how, seeing that Australasia has only as a special favour been granted separate representation, could New Zealand hopo to be recognised as a distinct "Nation" at the Games. And, after all, beyond tho fact of the flag of the nation to which tho winner belongs being raised, thero is no international contest in connection with the Games. They are purely individual contests, though it must bo admitted there is some satisfaction in seeing one's country prominently represented in tho winning list. To get back to our subject: This almost total failure of our controlling authorities to do their duty is ono of the chief causes of their having been such a poor response by the public to appeals on behalf of tho Olympic fund, and, coming on top of the Festival farce, it is indeed a wonder that tho money to send even one- representative lias been raised. Sports Papers Want More Drones in the Hive. In connection with the departure of the Australasian Olympic team, it is somewhat amusing to nolo the talk that is going on in Australia as to tho need for more officials to accompany tho team. Tho task of management is magnified to such an extent that it is widely lamented that a secretary has not been appointed to oaso tho manager's duties. A very.desirable proposition no doubt if there were money to bo had for the asking, "but, when so much has to be done with so little means, all this pother is worse than useless. Money is subscribed to have atcivc ' representatives, not to provide nice trips for secretaries, etc., who would be hard put to it to earn the money expended in i providing them with such a delightful holiday.

Sports Papers Again—The Walking Foolishness. W. Murray's record walking performances are still tho subject of keen discussion, which has been led into the channel of what is the fastest time in which any mile walk can bo fairly done. An old Victorian representative writes to the "Referee" in the following strain:— Sir,—ln an issue of your journal just to hand 1 notice an article on "the speed limit for a mile walk." As an old walker, and ono who has held championship honours, and who at present is sole judge for the Bendigo and Northern Districts Walkers' Association, I am quite in accord with the views on fair walking and complying with the rules expressed by "Prodigal." My opinion is that the man is unborn yet who can walk a mile in 6min. 32sec. and piny the gajne. It lakes a champion of champions to walk a mile under 7mi'n. without a Chinaman's trot. 1 havo seen Murray walk, and as a judge I could not pass his style when going at his top speed; neither do T think that Mr. Dick Coombes (the best judge of walking in Australia) would pass . it. When Murray has top speed on (here can bo seen several inches of daylight under his heels. I do not wish to comment on the judge's ability (Mr. A. O. Barrett), neither do I on his style of walking when he was at the game. But in tho interest of walking I am of opinion that a judge must be strict, and confine tho coinpctitors to the rules. Incorrect walking has always "cruelled" this most healthful and interesting form of athletics.—Yours etc.. HARRY SANNEMAN. Bendigo (Vic), April 2, 1912. Now, without questioning the soundness of Mr. Sanueninn's opinions as to the fairness of Murray's walking, "Mercury" hastens to say that he considers Mr. Sanneman's idea as to 7miu. being the limit of fair walking, is absolute buncombe. Kerr and Cashnian, to meulion only two, could do 7min. every day of the week, when in form, and satisfy any judge. All this controversy and this fixing of an arbitrary rule—that no man can beat a certain time—is bound to injure tiie sport in this way at least: That, with a general belief in such a statement, fast limes (however legitimately recorded) will raise such suspicion as to kill interest in the sport. Speaking of walking, there aro many who hold that walking races over short distances aro things abnormal, because, after nil, walking as a method of progression, is useful mostly in traversing long distances. When one Wants to get anywhere in a hurry one, in tho absence of any better means, always runs. You cannot, in general, run mile?, but you can walk them, and, consequently, walking races should never b-5 less than two miles. The classic walking event is the ten miles at the Olympic Games, nnd £he=e ten mile events would do more good as athletic exercises than all the mile sprints ever contested. Just as the Marathon distance is now coming to bo recognised as an unreasonable distance over which to hold a running race, so it must come to be recognised in time that walking 1 races, if they are fo be of any practical use in developing the power to use one's less to the best advantage in every-dny walking, must be held over such distances as will tend In cive stamina, and to develop a natural style, for if there is anything artificial, i' is the style of walking that must be Adopted in order to compete with any boj* of lUcceM in ihort racfli on the

track. Ono rac« such as tho London to Brighton event is of far more value and genuine athletic interest than all tho mile championships ever contested. Meeting of Holway and Walker, The tlireo distance contest between "Keg." Walker and Holway at Durban on March 2 resulted in a very easy win for Walker, who won the 75yds. niid 100 yds. The third distance was not contested; In tlu l shorter raco Holway got into his running first, and led for thirty yards, when Walker drew level. At 50yds. tho South African was a yard to the (food, and won, looking round, in 7 l-ssec. Tho 100 yds. event was practically a repetition of the other. Again the men rose together, but Holway, getting into his running first, held his own for about forty yards. Then Walkor drew away, winning easily in 9 li-asec. Walker afterwards ran an exhibition 50yds. in 5 3-10 sec. The times in all three events eeem almost too good to be true, but a steady wind behind the runners doubtless helped them co-asidcrably. AValker seems to have regained the form that made him Olympic sprint champion four years ago. Indeed, he claims that he, lias improved three or four yards on that, but, until 'he meets Posllo or Donaldson, it would be unwise to offer any opinion on that point. Too much must not lie made out of his latest victory, for Holway, after fo much travelling as ho lias done in the last few months, could not possibly bo at bis best. Evidently the Donaldson party think so too, for they are still willing to match Donaldson with Walker for .£SOO a side, the latter to receivo three yards in 130. If Walker really believes that he has improved to the extent which he claims, he should jump at the chance, for, champion as ho is, it seems too much to expect that Donaldson can concede Walker three yards in 130 with the latter running hundreds in 9 3-sssc.