PROFESSIONAL ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 58

PROFESSIONAL ATHLETICS.

By Sport. 1 FIXTURES. October 13.— Labour Day Sports, Outram. October 13.— Athletic Sports, Herbert. November 9.— Caledonian Sports, Palmerston. The first monthly meeting of the new executive of the Otago Centre N.Z.A. Union, to have been held on the 7th inst., ' fell "through, I understand, for want of a ! quorum. Notwithstanding the fact that the president (Mr C. E. Xeast) was laid up, and that one or two other members were prevented from attending for wellfounded reasons, it is significant that the ' executive as elected at the annual meeting Tieeds early re-modelling. I had' intended to say nothing on this question, but from what has come to nry hearing since the annual meeting, and the subsequent lags ing of the first meeting of the then appointed new executive, I am forced, writing - from an impartial view, and for the welfare of the centre, the . unioir, and the sporting public, to express my. views on the personnel of the Otago Centre. The "'latter is at present composed of 11 members — a president, two vioe-presi'Jents, secretary, and treasurer, and seven, members of committee — of -whom five form a quorum. " Of these 11 gentlemen three do not live in Dunedin city, the nearest residing some 20 miles' distant. Two living in the city have, I understand, expressed their intention of resigning forthwith, so only six remain, from whom a quorum of five is required. Of the six left it has been freely given out that at least two do not intend acting in the positions to which they were appointed. . The question now arises, Why was all this apparent informality allowed at the annual meeting? As pointed out previously there were 12 nominations for the seven positions on the executive, so it cannot be said that there was lack of competent men, as each of those rejected jvas well up in the interests of the sport, • and determined to, if elected, gfve his time wholly in the interests of cash sport. I do hope, when a meeting is held, that those present will take it into their own hands to appoint those defeated at the annual meeting to the positions since rendered vacant. The executive of the New Zealand Athletic Union have practically entered into reciprocity with the leagues controlling oash athletic sports in the States of West .Australia and South Australia. It is only a matter of time when all Australasia will be bound together for the purification of the" sporT. The Otepopo Athletic Society is sure to again command very extended patronage from peds. and sports in this city for their annual sports at Herbert on Labour Day. The programme is more attraihve than in former ye-irs, and may be scon at the rooms of the secretary of the Otago Centre . (D. F. M'Kay), Jetty street. | I have been awaiting anxiously developments between the League of N.Z. Wheelmen and the N.Z. Athletic Union in respect to some understanding between the two bodies regarding the control of cycling in the Dominion. It seems to me that it is time something was done in this direction, as we are now within a month of the opening of the 1909-10 season. In regard to thf- visit proposed to be made to the Dominion by champion A B | Postle, serial inquiries have been made from me by sports and critics ro same. All I can say is that if Postle does come to these shores his visit, must necessarily be under the auspices of the N.Z.A. Union, from whose secreta*y (D. J. Concoran) all information concerning same should be < available. I Thus the Johannesburg Sqnday Times of July 25- ''The athlete who looms largest in the eye of the Rand — and we may sa' of the whole Continent — and at the present time is the versatile runner, Jack Donaldson, Arthur Postle's rival. Many judges of the sport are emphatic in their opinions that Donaldson will prove the greatest runner from 100 yards to 440 yards that the world has seen. He is a clean-limbed, flat-backed, lean-flanked Australian, and is but 23 years of age. Stripped he stands sft Biin. and scales lOst 101b. The feeling that he would improve induced the younpr Victorian to come to South Africa and secure a match wirh Pottle or Day, but both runners had sailed for England. One of Donaldson's first Stadium performances was to cover the ?20 yards in 22^sec, knocking half a spcond off Postle's time. Other fine efforts culminated in a heat and semifinal of the fourth Stadium Hundred Yards, bein;? covered in 9 4-ssec, and ■flic final in 9 3-ssec. Postle's time and tho world's record being lowered by 1-5-or DonaMnon is very keen on meeting A. B Postle oi , holders of world's records for a 220 yards |

to 600 yai-ds series of matohes. When_ the details of the recent Postle-Day match come to hand Mr Naylor will cable, on behalf of Donaldson, a challenge for £500 for a match of 200 yards to quarter of a mile. Should nothing result Donaldson will leave here about the end of the year .to try to make matches in England." " "