Sporting Sprints.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 10, 12 May 1911, Page 11

Sporting Sprints.

On one occasion an old lady was in the same railway compartment as a. party of golfers. " I found fearful trouble this morning," said one. "At the first I fell right into the middle of a prickly gorse-bush, and at the second I was stuck up on the top of a tree. I pitched out of bounds into the farmyard at the third, got caught by the wire at the fourth. I 6tuck fast itt a deep hole at the fifth, found myself buried in mud at the sixth. I was lying in a heap of rough flints at the seventh, got lost at the eighth, and finished up at the bottom of that dirty ditch at the last hole." "Gracious mc!" cried the horrified old lady from her corner of the carriage; "and they told mc that golf was an old man's game! I'll never let my Edwin play again! 5 ' At the smoke concert given to visiting bowlers at Oamaru the other day, Mr Wm. Bee, in proposing the toast of "The Bowling Association/ said that it was only natural that where an assembly of bowlers was they should think of their executive body. He himself rather favoured the idea of amalgamation between the North Island and South Island bodies. Amongst other things he thought one bowl test should do for the whole of New Zealand, and that bowlers should have some assiirance that their bowls would not require testing every year or so. Bowlers were not going to submit to the expense and inconvenience of testing every two or three years. Mr Morgan (Timaru) raised the question of the disability or' the "time limit/ and the desirability of doing away with it. He thought it very much more preferable to limit the number of heads to 12, 13, or 14. The "time limit" might help to foster a tendency to "hang back" when a player was in the lead. He commended the suggestion to the consideration of the executive, and made a strong plea on its behalf. A recent cable message stated that one Clarence De Mar had made a new "MaraIthon" record at Boston, U.S.A. In the first place, the Marathon distance is 26 miles 3S6yds, and not 25 miles, as stated in the cable. The time taken by De Mar to cover the 25 miles, 2hr 23min Bsec, is good, and may constitute a world's amateur record for the distance. The world's professional record, however, is 2hr 23 mm lsec, put up by Hans Holmer, of Canada, in Edinburgh a few months ago. Dealing with the wealth of the English Turf the "Annual Racing Calendar" gives many -interesting facts relating to the turf. During laet season as many as 3877 horses ran in Great Britain and Ireland. Of those 1430 were two years old, 1046 three years oid, 517 four years old, and 784 five years old and upwards. The total is greater than for any jear since 1901, and proves that there ie no real decline in the number of thoroughbreds, despite the great drain on them by foreign breeders during the past few years. Owing to the abandonment of racing from May 7th to May 21st through the death of King Edward there were fewer races decided than usual, the total of 1996 being 88 fewer than In the previous years. The total value of stakes won was £470,592 in England, £34,993 in Ireland, and £12,873 in Scotland. The amount won in England and Scotland was divided as follows: —In handicaps, £188,552; in Eelling races (other than in handicaps), £39,523; and in weight-for-age races, £255,390. Before the recent meeting of the A.J.C was commenced the committee took the precaution to administer by circular and otherwise a few wholesome hints to owners, trainers and jockeys, and (says a. Sydney paper), to judge by results, the gentle but firm reminders were not thrown away. It was impressed upon jockeys riding at the meeting that any of their number found guilty of foul or careless riding, jostling, or crossing would be severely puniehed, and m order to make detection certain, one or both of the stipendiary stewards were specially detailed to observe the riding at different portions of the course. All jockeys were made to wear a thoroughly clean and appropriate dress, which included white necktie and collar, while no jockey has been allowed to carry more than 71b dead weight about his body during- a race. Any jockey infringing- this regulation, or any owner or trainer knowingly permitting any infringement, was liable to disqualification or the withdrawal of his license. The attention of owners and trainers was also directed to the regulation of the committee prohibiting the use of any plates or shoes that may be considered dangerous. Any person proved to their satisfaction to have violated its provisions would have been severely punished. A further notice issued was to the effect that any trainer whose racing gear was not in proper condition would render himself liable to a fine