On the Track BIENNIAL CONTESTS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 16, 19 January 1924, Page 18

On the Track

BIENNIAL CONTESTS

(By " Spbikter.")

NEW ZEALAND'S PROPOSAU

FPRTHER EVENING "MEETINGS

ARRANGED.

• ... A COMING EVENTS. January 21—Evening Meeting for Cyclists, Newtown Park. January 21—Electric Light- Meeting, Newtown February 6 and 9—Australasian Championships, ! at'Hobart.

.EVENING MEETINGS.

""Evening" meetings for this month and next (excluding ■ those which are to' bo held next .week) have been arranged as follow :— .• -January 28.—Atheletio Park (Athletic A.A. Club). ~ Events: 220 yds, one .mile, 220 yds hurdles, one ljiile walk, 120 yds ladies-race, t>ne mile, cycle, boys' race, and relay race. February 4:—Kelburn-Park (University A.A. . Club). . Events: 75yds, 880 yds, two miles; 1 one mile and a half walk, 75yds ladies' race, Tjoys' race, relay race. . • -.February 11.—Atheletic Park (Selwyn A.A. 'Club), Events: SOOydE, 1000 yds, three miles cycle) 120 yds hurdles, long jump, mixed relay <SBoyds); 100 yds ladies' rice, and 120 yds junior. (Competitors:' must be members of an j Athletic: Club and under the age of 18 years ■ . at' tt ,I'St October, 1023).. \ J?B>nuiry"l6'.—Basin' Reserve. (Olympic Harriers and'.Brocklyn^Harriers.) Events: 120 yds, 600 yds, three miles, 120 yds ladies' race, two,mile cycle, boys' race, and relay race. Tebnla'ry 25.—At Petone. (Hutt Valley A.A. ■■ Club.) Events: 100 yds, one mile, 75yds ladies". race, discus, boys' race* relay race, and one mile cycle. V'AU events will be run under N.Z;A.A.A. rules. Entry fess. Is each event j'ladies, 6d 'each event; boys, free. Entries close -with Mr. A. C. Kitto at noon on Saturday prior to each, meeting. Competitors must wear club .colours and registration numbers. Trophies: 15t.,153; 2nd, 7s 6d. Ladies: Ist, lOsj 2nd, ss. Boys: Ist,-7s 6d; second, 6s. No second prize will be given in any event in, which there are fewer than live competitors. / .

'When the'biennial conference o£ the ■Board of Control of the A.A. Union of 'Australia and New Zealand takes place it Hobart next; month the New . Zea- - land representatives will be required, 'as ,nu the case last year, to make an ief»rt to arrange for biennial contests between Australia and New Zealand, in lorder to remove the hardship which is bow placed upon New Zealand in sendSng teams to the- Australasian Ohamjionships. - Mr.. A. T. Davies, chairman ofl'the 'Council' of the N.Z.A.A.A., in- . Wrin'ed the writer this week that it ijwas definite that a motion to that 'effect .would come before the conference. "We, contend/ he said, "that we are apart' altogether from Australia. We are not an Australian State. The Dominion of JNew Zealand has a separate identity, arid there' is no reason why we should be concerned in Australian championships, for that is what the Australasian championships amount to.,'We have our own, ftew Zealand championships, as prell as .provincial championships, and :the States Jiave their contests. Actually there are no Australian championships, but- -the •■■ Australasian: championships seiva.thafc purpose." He pointed out that the Siates. in Australia were simil-arly'placed-to the provinces in New Zealand ; for instance, the sending of a team from Sydney to Hobart entailed just as much travelling as from Dunedin to Auckland. Then, again, why should New Zealand have to travel half a . dozen timies; to Australia before get- • ting.a , visit: from the Commonwealth? .The 'present- system under which the ..Australasian-'-'championships are held -gives'the main centres in Australia far better-opportunities of seeing f the champions than' the' main centres in New Zealand.' It was only right that when the- Australasian championships - were held'in New Zealand each centre should huve a turn at staging them, but what a "long wait there would be for- the i \ event?-; Wellington, for instance, would ]lave>;the Australian championships about' erice'in every 40 or 50 years. "I am .of* thV'opinion' that we- should have an Australia-New Zealand contest every ■ two years," said Mr. Davies. "This about to other places every _ second year costs a mint of money,- and then there is1 the' difficulty with which the men chosen are faced in getting extended leave from their places of employment. Australia has got the best end of the stick all the time." It:is'.to, be hoped that the conference ;will-_-oa this occasion. show more consideration to. New Zealand by deciding to _hold. biennial contests between Australia and- New "Zealand,, and thus remowe. a-,-burden from this Dominion's shoulders; . Australasian championships arerio doubt a big thing for those who win themrbut the honour would be just as .great'in gaining wins, at the biennial contests as suggested. The New Zealarid "delegate to the conference should d 6" all-in, his-power-to make the Aus-tralians-delegates fully conversant with New. Zealand's position.' For that reason; New1 Zealand should send as its representative a' man who has doings . in,^connection with the. sport in' New Zealand at his finger tips, and the man for the job on this occasion should be Mr. ■A. T!. Kitto. .]s>;eryone knows what he has done for the's'port, and what ho is.still doing. .Mr. Davies was the New Zealand delegates "'four yeaTs ago, but he has. intimated',that he is not seeking the position again. The council^ however,, has expressed an opinion that;he should go-to Hobart, and by the appointment of the chairman there is ,nr> doubt that the interest/ of the Dominion, would be well served. The position, iri: the writer's opinion, should go round, and the-man entitled to it this time is " Dolph " Kitto. , The question of cessation may crop up at the conference, but it is not New i Zealand's" intention to push it. In the ■event of the proposal for Australia-New iZealand contests being turned down jagain, there is a ' possibility that a , ''£' breakaway " from the A.A. Union of Australia and New Zealand may be discussed again in this country, and more .definite action taken. It is well to bear in mind, however, that the Australasian championships are due to be held in ,New Zealand four years hence, and, as Wellington, Auckland, and Canterbury liaye.'.'already staged such a meeting, : Otago will have an opportunity of doing likewise. :„"■_• NEXT WEEK'S EVENTS. During next week there will be much .to engage the attentions of athletes. On Monday evening at Newtowrf Park there tft will be a programme of cycling and other events, in some of which the com- ■ petitbrs .will be called upon to make a departure from the serious side of sport. ■Qne event, for instance, will be a mixed team rraceT—No. 1 to run ope lap, No. 2.,tp ,walk one lap, and No. 3to ride two iaps. One, two, and five-milo cycle 'handicaps .are'jilsb to be deciied, while there," w;ill b_e- relay races (running) for boys and girls, "and a potato race for ,boys. ..'"'- * •■■-.■ On Tuesday .(Anniversary Day), a sports meeting is being held at Masterton, and the competitors in most of tne •events' "will include athletes from the city.- V,Mr. A. p. Kitto is taking up a 'strongs-team as follows:—J. Futter, and iP."'o..''Bidsl»g lone, nd^js^, % A^

Rosa and E. Rose (one mile and three miles), C. Campbell and W Uelroso (440 yds, 88O.yds. and one mile), II Wilkms (ICOvds, 120 yds, 220 yds, • and 440 yds hurdles), N. W. Craig and C. Bowler (880 yds, and one mile and three miles), W. Winnie (100 yds, 120 yds and 220 yds). R. W. Lander" (120 yds hurdles, 440 yds hurdles, 100 yds), A. A. Bollons (hop, step, and jump, and long jump), and probably, Malmanche (100 yds, 120vds, j arid 440 yds hurdles). The following ladies will also make the trip: Misses Dawson, Swinburne, Wilkins, Hayvice, and Porter. Another race for the "kteveneaux Cup. is to be run at the meeting, the Wellington team being Misses Dawson, Swinburne, Hayvice, and Wilkins. An electric light carnival has been arranged for Thursday evening at Newtown Park. Events to be decided are as _ follow :—looyds handicap, ICOyds ladies' handicap, 880 yds mixed relay (teams of four, two ladies and two men), one mile CarnivEKJ. handicap, throyviug the javelin, 440 yds handicap, and twomile cycle handicap. All events are to be run under the rules of the N.Z.A.A.A. Competitors must be .registered members of clubs, and must run in club colours and wear registered numbers on the. back of their singlets. . It is probable that there will be other athletic events, in connection with the Carnival oa Friday or Saturday one of them to be a contest for the* Heenan Baton. It was hoped that this event would_ take place before the departure of the New Zealand, team for the Australasian Championships, in order to en,able the.club relay teams to be at full strength.- .- . . OLYMPIC GAMES. Dealing with the question of representation a.t the Olympic Games, a Christehurch "Star" writer is pessimistic about -the chances of amateur athletics being included in the New Zealand_ team for Paris this year. The opinion expressed is that there are no athletes good ehogh to represent the Dominion, with the possible exception of Munro. But is almost certain success at the Games to be regarded as the only qualification for a place in the team? The advantages to be. gained through sending representatives, whatever their chances of success, have already been pointed out by "Sprinter." The'trophy is not the only thing that counts. The Christchurch "Star" writer states: "At the last Olympic Games at Stock(holm, New Zealand "was represented in the athletic field by G. Davidson, Auckland, and H. E. Wilson, Wellington. Both men did well, though the shortness of'the time at their disposal greatly militated against their chances of success. Davidson finished in front of Paddock,- in his heat of the 200 metres race. The New Zealander, however, strained one of his legs and did not do so well subsequently. Wilson got into the final of the 110 metres hurdles race. At the present time there is no athlete1 in New. Zealand, with the possible exception of P. Munro, who is class enough "to compete at Paris. Munro can put the shot. 46ft, but this would not be good enough to win, as the Americans and Finns put it in the vicinity of 50ft at Stockholm. Davidson,. Tracy, Morgan, : and Jiewis are all good sprinters, but as none of them can do lOsec they would have poor prospects of success at the Games. There is no "outstanding half miler in the Dominion at present. On his form of Wo years ago C. H. Taylor would be considered. Wilson has not regained his form since coming out of his retirement, and as the opposition in the hurdles is likely to be as strong as ever he is out of the question. Rose, of Wellington, put up two good runs at Masterton recently, doing 4min 26sec for the mile, and 9min 38sec for the two miles. These are very good performances, but unless he we're able to knock some seconds off each performance he would not be in the hunt at the Games. Summing up, New Zealand's prospects of being represented in ithlotics at Paris do not appear rosy at the moment." ' ' NOTES. The cabled advice that' Victoria will not. take part in the Australasian championships if Mr. R. Codmbes fills the position of referee will not be very pleasing to New Zealand amateur athletic enthusiasts, particularly as the absence of Victorian athletes will lessen New Zealand's chances of gaining- the largest, number of firsts. On the occasion of the last Australasian championships, held at Adelaide, ,some trouble was caused ovev the disqualification of two" Victorian walkers for "lifting." Two South Ausj tralian. judges decided that the two Victorians should be disqualified,' and that caused much dissatisfaction among tho Victorian team and supporters who weroi present in good force. The matter -was referred to Mr. Coombes, referee and walking judge, and he upheld the decision of the 'other two judges, with" the result that the race went to the New South Wales representative, Parker > That incident is, no doubt, responsible for the present action of the Victorian Association. Victoria have a reasonable chance of winning some events at the championships, and if they do not compete, those events 'are more likely to go to New South Wales, competitors than to those from New Zealand or the other States. The distribution of wins, may, therefore, not "be so great, and, in consequence New Zealand's chances may be lessened. • The hope is that Victoria will be there. . ' In August of this year the Irish Olympiad,, known as the Tailteann Games, is to be held in Ireland, and it js toped that the-.competitors will include representatives from Australia and New Zealand. As. the games are being held, from the Ist to the. 18th' August, it in possible that members of the New Zealand and Australian teams, who have the necessary birth qualification, may be able to take part. 'Previously an invitation came to New Zealand, and it was thought that Tracy might ma,ke the trip to Ireland, but nothing came of it. The competitions are open to amateur ath.letes of v Irish birth, to amateurs -either of whose parents was of Irish birth, and to amateurs both of whose grandparents on either side were of Irish birth. Information concerning the Games has been forwarded to prominent people in New Zealand and Australia, with a view to \ the establishment of Xailteahn councils in these countries. Amateur athletics are making good progress in the" Poverty Bay district, and there is every prospect of a successful championship gathering taking place .in Gisborne .next month. The Oisborne A.A. Club has decided to hold the championships on the 2nd February, and the following programme has been drawn UP :—Championships—Running : 100 yds, 220 yds, 440 yds, 880 yds, lmile. Cycling: 880 yds, 1-mile,- 3-mile. Field events: Long jump, high jump, hop, step, and jump, putting the shot. Handicap events: Kunning, 120 yds, 1000 yds.' Cycling: 880 yds, 2 miles. Scratch relay race, 440 yds, four men in a team. Prizes for championship -events are to be given- as follow :—lst, . gold medallion; 2nd, silver medallion. For handicap events trophies will be awarded for first and second places. Entries will close on 26th January. * The Auckland championship meeting was to be held to-day. Reports from the Nortli during tho week were to the effect that much interest was being taken in'tha gathering. Besides the best of the local athletes, there were to bo a number of competitors from tho Waikato and Poverty Bay districts. One of the competitors, who was likely to be keenly watched at the Wellington championship meeting to-day was C. L. Ridgen, a Canterbury College runner, who has been distinguishing himself in the South. On his performances this .SSaiop* hi pramißes to be a tog-natcher.J