PROFESSIONAL ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 11 August 1909, Page 63

PROFESSIONAL ATHLETICS.

By Spobt.

The annual general meeting of delegates from athletic bodies to the Otago Centre, N.Z. Athletic Union, will be held on Wednesday evening next, the 18th inst., and promises to be well attended, notwithstanding that country football week is not being held this year. Those affiliated bodies -within easy range of Dun-edin should endeavour to be directly represented, or, failing that, they' should try to secure the services of a suitable person to represent them by proxy. Many little matters can be aired at a general meeting such as this, of which opportunity should bo taken. I can only express the wish that the meeting will be entirely successful, and that any little defects may be remedied in order to further advance the sport not only in Otago, but in the Dominion generally. The following is the third annual report and balance sheet to be presented to the meeting : — During the year 30 societies and clubs were registered as against 34 the previous season, or a decrease of three, while six permits were issued, as against five. Tho number of competitors registered at the different sports meetings totalled ' 442, or a falling off of 39, on the total for the previous year With ! the issue of a one day's special registration ticket of Is during the incoming season we hope to see a /narked increase in the number of "egistered competitors. Messrs Keast, Hobbs, Fenwick, and M'Kay ably represented your executive at tbe conference of centres, held in ! Dunedin on December 31 and January 1 last. Tihe ohampionships were held in connection with the Otago Caledonian Society's gathering on January 1 and 2, and were- well managed by the officials of that body. Your executive entertained the visiting delegates, championship winners," and the executive officers of the Otago Caledonian Society at a social function, during which the medals donated by the centre and others, and the championship certificates- were presented to the winners. As will be seen by the accompanying balance sheet, the finances of the centre are still in a very sound position, being a true balance sheet of the finances of the centre to date, the credit balance in the bank being £24 2s 3d, while the balance of assets over liabilities is £31 13s 9d. The thanks of the executive aTe due to the Kaikorai Band Committee for providing prizes at one of their popular summer evening concerts, to Meesrs Oliver (Kaitangata), Kitchen (PaJme-r-ston), Stevens (Cljde), Varcoe (Cromwell), Fenwick (Waitati), and Collie (Dunedin), who represented the centre at various sports meetings during the season ; to the press for reporting meetings; and to the secretaries of the affiliated bodies in registering competitors, and in assisting the executive in carrying out their duties. Tour retiring executive trust the good work being done by the N.Z.A.U. and it 6 different centres will be further advanced by the energy and enthusiasm which the incoming executive will throw into the duties of their position. It is the intention of tbe ingoing executive to deal in a stringent manner with all unregistered meetings. The decision of the Otago Centre, League of N.Z. Wheelmen, to continue under their present constitution surprised me greatly, for it was given me on what was considered excellent authority that they were tired of the old order of things, and • intended doing what they, almost to a man, considered was in the best interests of cycle racing— at least, so far as- -Otago was concerned. It will be interesting to now watch two things, whether the N.Z.A.U. will assume control of that particular branch of sport, and if they do not to what extent the league and its centres will put , their hous© in ord-or." Probably a remit to be considered at the union's Otago Centre meeting next week will throw some , light on what will eventually happen in j the direction indicated. Tom Longboat is still winning races. On > Empire Day in Toronto he met T. Coley, the ex-Biirchfield Harrier, in a 20 miles match, but tho latter was no match for Longboat, who lapped him at 9, 14i, and , 17i miles, and finally gained the four laps —a mile— in the last straight. The official time was lhr 55m.m losec, but the intermediate times are peculiar. For that reason , wo «?ivo them:— One mile, smin 4eec; two milfp, 16.31; three miles, 15.47; four miles, 21.21; five miles. 26.43; "six miles, 31.36; seven miles. 37.16; eight miles, 44.53; nine miles; 49.41; 10 miles, 55.22; 11 miles, 61.6- 12 males, 67.19; 13 miles, 73.14; 14 miles, 78.57; 15 miil«33, 84.48; 16 miles, I 90 47 : 17 miles, 97.52 ; 18 • miles, 103.2 ; ' 19 miles, 109.18 : 20 miles, 115.16— 1 hr 55min 16»°c. Now, it will be. noticed that the mile takes 4.53, seventh 5.40, eighth 7 37 ninth 4.48; then again, the seventeenth t?k.->s 7 5 a.nd the eiahteenth 5.10. They may be all right, but they look rather uncertain. On tho previous Saturday Percy Sellen, whose "talus was a bone of contention in thp Canadian athletic world, ran Henri St. Vvos. and the old Salford Harrier J. D Marsh. 15 miles. &allen set a. hot pace, nnJ ran St. Yvps off bis legs at 62 mile*, while Marsh dropped out at 11 miles. Sellon ran 10 miles in 54min 2sec, and 15 in lhr 22min 56sec. so he is evidently in the front rank of disbance men. But where will Canada be in regaard to stayers when the n^xt Olympiad comes round? Longboat. Meadows, " Simpson, Coley, Sellen, and 1

' many others have crossed the border- lin«. and the Maple Leaf will have to find a ne\f batch of amateurs before the next great "Marathon" comes round again. — Sporting The West Coast Centre of the N.Z.A.U. | are apparently very keen on the next I championships, for at a meeting held recently quite an unusual amount of enthusiasm was shown in considering the offer made by the head executive. The Greymouth Trotting Club are assisting in bringv ' ing the affair to a head, for they hay« guaranteed £15 towards the prize fund, i and state that £100 can easily be guaranteed in the town. Their members are co-operating in canvasaing the three wards, i and it is well on the cards that Greymoutb, l will put forward a meeting that will do credit not only to their own town, but to the whole of the Dominion. The annual meeting of the Wairarapa. Centre, Athletio Union, was held recently, and was well attended. The- report showed that there were nine bodies affiliated, while four permits had been issued. During the season competitors to the number of 141 had been registered. The balance sheet shower a total expenditure of £25 19s Bd, while the receipts, including a balance from last year of £19 14s 4d, totalled" £49 19s 4d. leaving a credit balance to date of £Zt 19s Bd. It was resolved io , advise the N.Z.A. Union that this centre j was prepan&d to guarantee 10s towards two i trial issues of an official calendar; also it* , favour of having one- povernkig body for , all athletic events, whether running, jumpi ing, dancing, oiping, chopping, cycling, o* ' swimming. The secretary, Mr C. A. I Tabuteau, was voted £10 10s for his ser< vieas. Amongst the business to be considered j at the annual meeting of the Otago Centr< ! N.Z.A.U figure the consideration of hand* iner over the control of piping and dancing to the association formed for that pure pose : the question as to whether the uniorf. j should assume control of cycling in th< Dominion, or amalgamate with the Leagu^ of Wheelmen to control nil classes of sport} and the affirming the principle of drawing up a set of rules to govern Sheffield ham dicaps. The Hawke's Bay Highland Society haf had a prosperous year, the balance of assets over liabilities now having increase* to £744 10s.