CASH ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 71

CASH ATHLETICS.

By Sport. I

FIXTURES. , January" 22. — Caledonian Sports, Wanganui. February 5. — Evening Sports, Caledonian Ground. February 12.— Caledonian Sports, Takapau. February* 19.— Caledonian Sports, Napier. February 20. — Caledonian- Sports, Waitara. - February 26.— Running Championships, 'New Plymouth". '~- v February -28: — Athletic « Sports) Cambrians. March- 18. — Athletic Sports, Invercargill. Tha ~ Otago Centres, of the New Zealand : Athletic Union and' League of New' Zealand Wheelmen have drawn up the programme for the second combined * evening sp'orta under their auspices. The, date has been fixed for Wednesday, February 5, be--ing a week.' later than the date as first decided upon, owing to the ground having been-engaged for the 29th~ inst. . " - The> poster, which -is now being oircur lated, comprises, three events, two being running and the other a cycling event. The . runnings events." are- over distances 1 of" 100 v and 435 yds; Hob fanner being-- open.^only to - runners ' not -having previously _ won a first prize- of over £3. This, naturally, only -«ppHes-;tb peas.; 1 as- a cyclist, for instance, --who" 1 might have . won over that amount 'is not debarred fronr entering- for this novice race. The entry fee is only Is; so a good entry should foe. received! ' The prizes are - £1 and: 10s. : - The open race is, not 'so -richly endowed 1 as was the event- put" on in December last, but still is well worth- the winning,- the prize being £2 and 10s. Runners will recognise that -it is more to keep' them, in form, and to bring- an fresh .. men that the evening; gathering is held. Under the circumstances the prize money is K at. secondary- consideration. A nunSßer of country entries -are expeoted;-thi§ time, so the evening's sport has every promise ' of ■beings very attractive. • Entry fee ia only Is 6d, and entries close" on Saturday, ■ February 1, at the Otago Sports Depot. At the annual meeting of "the Marion. Athletic Club, held recently, the report; and balance-sheet) showed that, despite the ' wet weather and a postponement, . the gathering- resulted in a credit, balance of £11 19s lOd, the principal receipts being: — Gates £33 lls 6d, nominations and acceptances £42 18s 6d. The chief expenditure being £56 15s for -prizes. It was decided to nold sports on .March 17, and to give £90 in cash prizes. v - The- sculling ~ match for the Championship "of the World between Webb and Tressider has been - finally fixed for Tuesday. February 25,, the day before the . New Zealand Athletic Union's running championships at New > Plymouth. The fixture ' should ' be the means of attracting a large crowd to the latter place, and already inquiries ' are being made as to the train arrangements' between Wa*hganui and New Plymouth' at the time of the coming "big" events. As. the date for the seullinjt 'ace I" 13 only just been decided- upon, it is yet earlyto expect the railway authorities to have drawn up' their time?ta.ble. Certain it is, . however, that a special train will run from Welling*ton to reach Wangenui; ire plenty of time for the race and returning- the same; night. Special train may be- expected to New Plymouth," to allow of athletes end others getting to. the latter place the night preceding the championship athletic fixture. With the present .rime-table one could get to Hawera the night of the sculling race, and to New Plymouth before 11 a.m. the day of the sports, February 26, There will be no need of any "fear of unsuitable train arrangements- at -the time mentioned, so all we can do meantime is to wait patiently. The projected trip to Maoriland -of Champion A. B. Pestle* and bis- -trainer, J. Todd, has now been: "knocked in the head" -by the sail to -South Africa of the at/hletes named- - What their intentions there may be is not given, out.. The following in! a recent, issue of Sydney Referee does not throw much light on the position:—"There is to be a big professional mafcoh on the Rand next month, the, winner to be pitted against A. B. Postle— for the worldfs title according- to the. promotersCommenting on this paragraph,. "Argus, in tihe paper referred to says: "Thia, is a bit vague, as no names are given;' but I presume the promoters are the syndicate running- handicaps at the Smit Bfcreet erounds, Braamfontein", of which" J. P. O'Connell (Tbowoomba) and W: T. . Sec- , combe" are leading members. But who the I man is that is likely 'to have a chance I against Postle I know nofc'% * Good entries have been received for the Wanganui Caledoni-ui sports on January 22. In the 120 Yards Sheffield there are 18 entries— L. Corfey, on 7yds (virtual scratch); with a limit of' 12yds. The 22ft Yards has, 16 entries— P. ' O'ShannasseyJ back-marker; on 10yds, end a limit, of' 19yds: - "The "440 Yards has 14 entries, -the Half-mile- 15, and r the Mile 13. Altogether a good day's sportr is expected;. -- - " , . '.- I hear it is very probable that the annual Meeting and conference of delegates to the , New Zealand Athletio- Union. <u»raai«ed to

take place on the 25th and 26th, will no^ not open till the night of the 26th, so as to allow visiting delegates an opportunity of visiting the Webb-Tresidder match on the 25th and the sports at New Plymouth on the following day. If this arrangement can now be brought about it will give delegates- an opportunity of witnessing what might not be again seen in New Zea- . land waters— viz., the race for the sculling championship of the world. j J". Stuntz, a member of the New South' Wales professional football team which; last winter played the "All Golds," wa< in good form &t Stawefl (Vie;) 'on Boxini Day. He" - won -the Grand Handicap, oft "7yda, the first' p*rize being, worth £30. H* was also second in the 220 Yards Anniver« sary Handicap, and third in the 75 Yard* Sprint Handicap. Oat of £§00 due in entry fees to th«( Eftham Axemen's Carnival on Boxing Das pnly £4 18s remained unpaid' 'at the enq( p£ the fixture, and that by "four chopper* i who did not attend. During the seven I years of the existence of 'the carnival closg on £1000 has been receivebV "in fees, onlji about £10 being lost— truly a great record I | Mr A. J. Kitchen, secretary of the Pal* merston Caledonian Society,, has received | a^plan of the approximate cost of extending! the • running-. "track on the show grounds. •Mr Allan, C-E.,- estimates to provide a | track 260 yds' round ,it" "would require i 1700 ' cubic yards of 'material, while-a track 280 yds would &n additional; - 2400: cubic yards." Mr AllanV suggestion wilF *c considered at a special meeting of th< Caledonian Society on 4he 27th inst. •'