AMATEUR ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION '

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 224, 16 June 1920, Page 8

AMATEUR ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION '

COMMITTEE OP LOCAL CENTEE MEETS.

Tho committee of the Wellington Centre of tko New Zealand. Amateur Athletic Association met last; evening. Mr. R. W. M'Villy presided. Others present were: Messra. A. W. O. -Travers, G. H. Lush, H. Paton, 13. Dickson, J. Lundon, F. Hodgson, D. Alabaster, T, W, Leslie, and J. O'Sullivan (secretary). Mjr. W. H. Bennett offered the centra a shield, to be known as tho W. B. Pennett Memorial Shield, nnd to be competed for by school teams in a crosscountry race "not very long or icry arduous." iTho' donor's desire vas to perpotiiiito tho memory of his lato eon, who hud worked hard for the cause of athletics during his connecticoi with the Wellington Harriers' Club (now dofunol). The conditions of competition were left to the committee to settle.

The offer was accepted, and tbo committee's gratitude to Mr. Bennett was expressed in a motion. It was decided that the headmasters of schools should lw consulted about the prospects of getting the proposed competition under way.' Having at a previous meeting decided to institute schools championship competitions, the committee proceeded to discuss details. From the trend of the discussion it was evident that the centre proposed to offer one shieM to be competed for bv the primary schools and another to be competed for by the secondary schools. It also nppen'red likcP.T that schools throughout -the provincial district (which comprises Taranaki, Wnngp.nui, Hevivke's Bay, Manawatu, end the Wairarapa, as well as Wellington citv) would be oh'gible to enter teams. No fina? decisions were made, however. A sub-committee was set up to interview the Headmasters' Association, and to make recommendations to a future meet ing. The secretary was instructed to write to Dr. Mason, of Auckland, eongratulat' ing him upon his performances in iho soldier championships at Home. Tho meeting suggested that the N.Z.A.A.A. should invite Mr. Mason to become a member.

Ail affiliation feo was received from tho Papatawa Sports Club. July 31 was chosen as the date for the holding of the fire-mile cross-country run for the Whyte-Mackay Shield. Revival of tho New Zealand crosscountry championship w to be urged upon tfie N.Z.A.A.A., with a recommendation that the run be heSd in Wellington or in Canterbury.