ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1878, 11 October 1913, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

[BI Mbeotot.l

THAT THREAT BY BIBTER STATE.

Ominous Letter. Reports of the meeting of the counoil of the N.Z.A.A.A. last Monday night gave rise to much discussion. The cause of tho perturbation wqe the letter from tho Victorian Association regarding the date of tho Australasian championships and tho Victorian guarantee of £150 for tho American tour. Thero does not seom to he muoh connection botween theso matters at first sight, but tbo correspondence from Viotoria brought them together iu a manner more emplmtio than pleasant. It waa hinted very Btrongly that, if the New Zealand A.A.A. persisted in its decision not to send a team to compete at the Australasian championßhipß at Melbourne next year then tho Victorian Association would consider cancelling its guarantee towards _ the' expenses of tho tour of the American athletes. This is tantamount to saying: "If Victoria cannot have the New Zealanders then the Now Zealanders oannot have the Amoricanß."

Our Sldo of the Case. Thiß is not a very dignified attitude for our Victorian friends to take up, nor, in the faoe of their written guarantee, is it a very tenable one. Moreover, it is anything but a tactful mothod of bringing aDout an amicable settlement of the matter of dates. If it were possible for the New Zealand Exeoutivo to fall In with tha wishes of tho Victorians, and, at the same time, koep faith with its American guest-B and its own publio and athletes, it would be only too pleased to extend its cordial 00-operation oorofli the Tasman. But it considers that it is impossible to do this at the time suggested, and it considers, also, that its first duty lies at home.

But New Zealand is not taking up this attitude in any lightsome Bpirit. Our council is just bb desirous of Bending a team over as the Victorian Association is of receiving it. The Baorifice entailed in being 'unrepresented is too big to be lightly undertaken. It meanß for one thing the loss of the Australasian supremacy that has been a proud asset to tho athletic community of tho Dominion for many years now.

The Other Sldo of tho Medai. In the last "Australasian" to hand "Harrier" prints the Victorian side of the argument. He flays s It has already been pointed out that the only alternative to the selected dates was to hold the meeting on successive Saturdays. A mid-week meeting, exoept on a holiday, would not pay ground expenses, and thero is no other holiday in Melbourne till Easter. But two though quite suitr able to Victoria, suits none of tho visiting teams, and New Zealand leaßt of any, as it involves undue absonoo from their own States. There is therefore no practical alternative to tho dates selected. If therefore, New Zealand might rest. assured tneir wishes would be promptly considered, for it is realised what an important element in the sucooss of tbe meeting the preßenoe of New Zealanders Ib. Tho Dominion at present holds the ath- - letio premiership, and has won It in Australia with numerically small teams, notably at Brisbane, with H. E. Kerr, M. Dickson, G. P. Keddell, ana W.. A. Woodger. A team next year, comprising, say, R. Opie, G. N, Hill, or A. A. Dormer, Q. P. Keddell, a walker, and. a shot and hammer exponent, would not only be representative, but have as fair a prospoct of success as the team at Brisbane had. Of those five men probably not more than one would in any case compete against" tho Americans at their last New Zealand meeting, for the visiting .team will not include a walker, and of tho others Hill and Dormer como from Auckland, Keddell from Southland, Opie from Christchurch, and the hammer-thrower probablv from Wellington. All of these will have other opportunities- of meoting the. Americans in Now Zealand. So that their detention for tho last meeting can only have one reason, i.e., gate monoy.

Sad Roading. The good work in connection with the English Olympio fund iB going ahead merrily. A recent cable message advised that it had reached £8050, and tho movement is being boomed in good stylo by a large section of the highest press. The "St. James Gazette" makes a strong appoal on behalf of tho fund, and concludes with tho following—no doubt as a sting to further aotivity on the part of tho public:—

"Tho record of English defeats in the various fields of sport iB given herewith, and shows that in no fewer than 28 different ovents tho representatives of English sportß have boon beaton. That ia not a reoord to bo proud of, and, unless something is done —ana done quickly—to recover our ancient supremacy our prestige as a great sporting nation must suffer tremendously. Even the list of regrettable events now published is not oomplete. News from New York reoords the triumph of American golfers over Ray and Vardon in the first tournament.

Tho following table will show the extent to which our supremacy has beon usurped by other countries: — Polo America. Rackets America (Jaok Soutar) Yachting ... Amcrioa (holders of the Cup) Lawn Tonnis (Singles) ... New Zealand (A. F. Wilding) Lawn Tennis (Davis Oup) America Tennis America (Jay Gould). Boxing France and America. Billiards Australia. Swimming America and Australia. Rugby Football South Africa & New Zealand Lacrosse Canada. Cycling Franco and Germany. Trotting Horso • America. Running Horse America. Horso Jumping ... Franoo ad Russia. Fencing Franco. Shooting (King's Prize) Canada. Skating Sweden. Motor Yatching Amerioa. Athletics (100 Yards) America & S. Afrioa. „ (220 Yards) America. (440 Yards) America. „ (880 Yards) America. „ Hurdles 120 yds.) ... America. „ High Jump America. „ Polo Jump Amorica. Putting the Weight Amorica. Throwing tho Hammer Amcrioa. Canterbury Up and Doing. A very optiinistio note is struck by "Amateur" of the "Weekly Press" with regard to tho season's prospects in Christchurch, as under: — The outlook of amateur athletics in Canterbury is very bright at tho present time. Tho Canterbury Amateur Athlotic Club, tho Canterbury Oollego Club, and the United Bible Classes Club aro edeavouring to come to an arrangement whereby ovening sports meetings will bo hold at least once a fortnight. For tho benefit of the young runners of Canterbury, tho Canterbury Amateur Athlotio Club approached Mr. Guy Ilaskins and asked him if he would help tho athletes of Canterbury by attending tho training operations at Lancaster Park and coaching tho runnors. Sir. Haskins has consented to do this. Tho Canterbury Amateur Athlotic Club will, this season, endeavour to rovivo tho old cross-country meeting which was abandoned somo years ago. As Guy. Haskins was taught to run,

in tho best Bohol in tho world —under tho tutelago of Murphy of tho University of Pennsylvania, one of whoso favourite pupils he was —ho should bo a tower or strength to tho Canterbury Centre. Two weeks ago "Mercury stated hero that tho Auokland Centro waa treating with Loclii® M'Lauchlin for his services as coaoh for its runners. What is Wellington doing in the same direction P Llvoly Llttlo Looal Club. A lively little olub locally is tlio Athletic Football Sports Olub, an offshoot of the Athletic Football Club. "Mercury" has to noknowledgo receipt of the annual report and balance-sheet which disclope a pleasing state of affairs. The statement or receipts and expenditure shows a profit on tho year's working of £11 7s. 6d., and tlio healthy nature of the Hold operations of the club is indicated by a paragraph in the roport stating that at tho local open meetings Bome thirty events were annexed by olub members.