AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 134, 3 December 1929, Page 7

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

REGULATION OF ENTRIES

AFFAIRS OF LOCAL CENTRE

Purely routine matters were dealt with at the monthly meeting of the executive of the Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association last night, over which Mr. A. C. Kitto presided.

The question of entries was introduced by a letter from the Paraparaumu Club stating that at its meeting on last New Year's Day some confusion was caused by the fact that competitors did not give their registration n umbers when entering, with the result that their numbers could not be entered on the programme. In future it will be necessary for athletes to give their registration numbers when entering. Tlie rule by which entries close on the i'riday night a week previous to the meeting will also be enforced. The centre's handicapper (Mr. L. A. Tracy) wrote pointing out that on the occasion of last Saturday's meeting the name of a lady runner, with her handicap, had appeared on the printed programme, although her name had not been submitted to him, "and apparently she had not entered. Mr. Kitto explained the position by saying that the name of the lady in question was inserted1 in the newspaper advertisements, and to keep faith with the public he had taken the step of having her included in the programme. The advertisement committee was asked to make sure in future that entries had been received from all whose names were advertised.

With regard to complimentary passes to trainers, it was decided that the passes will be given to all bona fide trainers, and that they will admit the holders to the grandstand. Following a complaint from the Kiwi Athletic Club that its application for seven trainers' passes had not been granted, Mr. Kitto stated that the matter of awarding the passes had been left -in his hands, and after conferring with an official of the club he had given all but one of the desired passes It was mentioned that at Saturday night's meeting there was only one runner from the Kiwi Club in action.

The matter of the contemplated break-mg-away by the cyclists from the centre's control was held over for a month Details of the visit of the Canadian athletes will be dealt with when more information is to hand.

The Wellington Rugby Union advised that it hftd pencilled in the dates, Bth and 23rd February and Ist March, for the use of Athletic Park by the centre the union to take 20 per cent, of the gate receipts. The union pointed out that during the recent alterations the ground in front of the grandstand had been somewhat broken up, and that as a result it might not be possible to lay out a full 440 yards course on the ground. The charges levied by the City Council for the use of the Basin Reserve have not given the centre every satisfaction. It was complained that it was practically impossible to obtain the use of the ground on Saturday afternoons during the summer months, the charges were higher than those made upon the Cricket Association, arid an anomaly existed in that a higher charge was made for an afternoon meeting than for an evening meeting when the City Council provided the lighting and an attendant,to look after the lights. No reply had been received from the council in response to a request that the charges should be 15 per cent, of the gate takings and 50 per cent, of the grandstand takings, as paid by the Cricket Association.

A request was received from the Kiwi Club that the centre should donate a set of athletic gear. It was decided to reply that the centre was not in a position to provide the clubs with gear at the present time.

An application for reinstatement as an amateur runner was received from K. W. Young, of Woodville, who supported his application by stating that there was no professional'club in the district, and that the only professional meetings worth attending were at Taihape, and they were "falling through fast." He stated that his best time for the half-mile was lmin 58 sec, and for the mile 4min 24sec. He had won about £60 at professional meetings. He was 27 years of age. The application was referred back to the Manawatu Subcentre for further information.

Applications from R. K. Vile, Woodville, and Ralph Hall, Hawkes Bay-Poverty Bay, were favourably recommended. An application from E. A. Burrell/Manawatu, was held over. The chairman mentioned that most of those who turned professional? did so with their eyes open, and it should be exceedingly difficult for them to get back into the amateur ranks.