BACK-PEDALLING CENTRE Will they repeat their Australian form ? Wanganui Union, the champion four.

NZ Truth, Issue 1212, 21 February 1929, Page 16

BACK-PEDALLING CENTRE

Will they repeat their Australian form ? Wanganui Union, the champion four.

Auckland Athletic Control Should Get On or Get Out (Fronr,"N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Eepresentative). During the last few years, all the athletic centres m New . Zealand have stirred" up clouds of dust m their career along the road of progress, with one exception— and that exception is Auckland! .

WHEN other places have been putting m concerted effort and attracting crowds, finding athletes and saving money,' Auckland has been back-pedalling and steadily slipping down the grade until now she is the worst-organised and least known of the five centres. ■ , ' . '■ , It is an accepted fact that athletic sport gains strength and makes progress through the enthusiasm and assistance of public-spirited men and followers. . ; The more supporters that are encouraged to take part .m: centre . and club affairs, the better it is. . ; > Thus'do clubs flourish and the public sits up. and takes notice. . . In Auckland however,, a .search through the club and centre officials brings to light few names of men of note who take . a real interest. . • In fact, many of those stalwarts- of the past ..who have done such a lot for Auckland sport have- divorced themselyes from, athletics entirely, and m a 6ity, of 200,000 people/ where all other sports stand in' the front rank, running and cycling might riot exist for 1 all the general public know or care. There are some keen young, bloods amongst the x'unners arid cyclists, who. if given their way and guided judiciously, would rapidly bring the sport back again. But . they ; complain , that, they are baulked at every step, arid all of: their actions and- opinionsiar©. regarded wiiti

contempt or suspicion by 'the controlling powers of the centre. In point of fact they contend, and it seems with a good show of reason, that the centre is a one-man show and all others who hold contrary views to the president or fail to accept his dictum m everything find things very difficult indeed^ It is alleged that the president writes all the correspondence, does all the . handicapping, arranges all programmes and is, with the assistance of one solitary off-sider, the whole box of tricks. ... ' '. So far as the Auckland centre is concerned, the old verse — "For I am the 'cook and the captain bold >■ , And the mate of the Nancy brig, . The midshipmite, the bb'sun tight, And ■ the crew of the captain's gig" —just about sums: up the position. If these statements are correct, and there is strong ground for believing .that they are, then, it is f small wonder that athletics m i Auckland languish when they \ should flourish. ' ? The sooner some definite steps are i taken by clubs to have matters placed *S on "the business-like and co-operative i : basis that applies m: other cities, the ? better it will.be for the sport and the ( competitors individually and collec- ■ •timely. ' " . . I

piqnahip ladder, so that, if Palmerston win, K.SiA. will lose their premier, position. It is probable that only two more matches will be played after the games now being played are concluded. ' . ■ , GOES FAST B. Geddes (Invercargill), will leavethe mark m . the 100 and 220 yards national • athletic championships accompanied by the faith of everyone who saw his run at Dunedin when he skipped over the .100 stretch m ten seconds; It will be his first appearance at <i New' Zealand meeting since his indifferent performance at Dunedin m. 1926. WORTHY RIVAL Miss V. Nichol, of Gore, whose spontaneous rise to the foreground has been the big whisper since ncr first; appearance m Dunedin a month or two: ago, is of the rignt temperament, to make the most of her chances at . ;the athletic championships at Wellington. . . At the ,Otago meeting Miss Nichol post-dated her place m the ladies' 100 yards .final on Saturday, by knocking 1/6. of' a second ofT Miss N. Wilson's recently registered Time -of 11 3/ssecs.

Donald, who retains his form wonderfully well, labored quietly and most efficiently to make the gathering a success. The youthful Palmerstonian, D. Robertson, showed very promising form during the tourney, and has the makings of a fine player. H. N. Watson, the G.O.M. of tennis m the Manawatu, was much missed. He is on a health trip to England and "Truth" thinks that a _yarn with Buster Andrews, the apple of H.N.s eye, will go .far towards effecting a cure. i\o club m the Dominion goes to greater trouble to cater for its visitors than does Dannevirke. "Its courts, twelve on one ground, are perfect, but the club has been hard hit by the loss of such splendid players as Cnntain Johnny Walker (transferred to Christchurch) and Norman' Green, the genial bank manager and his wife, nee Nancy Hartgill, who are now m Napier. Added to that, the tournament was held at trie end of a long chain of tourneys, when many players '.were compelled to return for the North and South Island gatherings. In spite of all, however, a fine tour-r nament took place, and the great interest, aroused by the clash between Don. France and Cam. Malfroy m the ! final" did much to compensate.

three cycling championships. He has shown remarkably consistent form this season, and on, both road and track has definitely asserted his; claim to be the best wheelman of the province. Chris. Olsen stepped out and won the half-mile title, but ' the time, 2min. 4 1/5 sec, was poor. The little ex-New Zealand champion is a fine runner, but lack of time m which to train is his great drawback. ■ Li. Meredith collected, the quarter flat m 53 1/5 sec, and Kerr-Taylor the quarter hurdles m -67 3/5 sec. The 1 latter will compete m Wellington, but will need to show very much better form if he is to stand any chance with Stan. Rarhson and Co. Jack Shirley cleared 44ft. sin. m the hop, step and jump and sft. 6%in. m the high jump. Neither performance is up to his best standard, and he may find it hard' to retain his -titles'. Shirley has had a fair innings for some years now, but, like everyone else, finds that Father Time is a tough opponent to hold down. - ; J. Lynch won the long jump with a leap of 21ft. 9% in., but otherwise there was nothing outstanding m the field events, the. form shown , being ■ little above the average.

HAS CONFIDENCE WITH *the freshness of his initial pi'ovinciai middle-distance .victories to. spur him on, Luchie ' McLachlan will be a conlldent starter m the quarter-mile and half-mile events at the Dominion athletic championships. His display m the Otago champion.ships the other week-end cemented the general . opinion, that the Civil Service Club member will be a hard problem for other contenders m the half-mile Dominion event. In the quarter-mile, his time was only 3 3/5 sees, outside the N.Z: record- established by G. A. Parker , (U.S.A.) m 1914. • STILL IMPROVING THAT Norma Wilson has lost none of her dash this season was made manifest at Wellington when she gathered m a big field m the 120 yds. handicap to win by inches m the> very fine time of 13 3/ssecs. > v ■ She just failed to get home in'jthe final of the 100 yds. handicap cut out m 12secs. Norma has a splendid style and is able. now to finish very strongly; a department m which, she was weak previously. There are any amount of men runners who would go hungry -very often if they had to race this girl for break-, fast evory- morning.