SEVENTH OLYMPIAD.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 October 1920, Page 3

SEVENTH OLYMPIAD.

NEW ZEALANDERSfS PERFORMANCES. THE DOMINION OBITIOISBD, Interesting details ec neeming the performances of tte New Zealand competitors at the Olympic Games are contained in' the latesl mail advices from England. The Wellington Post's London correspondent states ttat George Davidson (Auckland) made a good show in the 200 meters race. In the first round lie won his heat easily In 22 3-sseo.; in the second round ho was also successful, wining his heat by a few inches In 22 4-ssec, boating Charles Paddock, of the United States; in the semi-finals te was placed fourth, with Murchison (TJ.S.A.) and Edwards (England) first and second respectively. It was a tery close finish, the time being 22 2-Sscc. The final was won to Woodring (U.S.A.), in 22sec. Tho finish was a close one, Davidson being placed fifth, with Paddock (U.S.A.), Edwards (England), and Murchison (U.S.A.), second,.third, and fourth respectively. A well-known English authority made the following reference to the New Zealand competitors: "One young sprinter who did very well was G. Davidson. He had not had much time in which to train in Europe, for arrival from the Dominion had been belated, though ho had done some work en route at Durban, where he was said to ( have run 150 yards in 14 3-ssec. Davidson 'ls one of the best young sprinters 1 have seen for some time; ttere are all tho posslbllttes of a world's amateur champion about him, and there is no necessity to question the 9 4-ssec. which had been recorded for him In a New Zf.i'and race. What is more, he runs a • good furlong, and when on Thursday he nosed out Paddocar from first place In a heat of the 2flfl mftres the little American heartily congratulated tim, and the pair walked away with the Californlan's arm round the New Zealander's shoulders."

The short-distance, hurdles (110 metres), in which Harry E. Wilson (Wellington) was J.ew Zealand's representative, rffoilucec" a sensational hurdler in Earl Thomson (Canadal. "Wilson's effort may be considered a very creditable perfontnance," writes the Wellington Post's correspondent. "He was placed third in the semi-finals, being beaten by the two Americans, H. Barrow and W. Smitn in msec. The final, In which Wilson obtained fourth place, seems to have been an easy victory for the Canadian, Thomson, who created a new record—l 4 4-osce." A special contributor to the Daily Telegraph stated:

"Thomson, who is a Canadian, is the most wonderful hurdler ever seen. It is not posible to find in all athletic history a man who possessed such phenomenal speed, or one wlro took fences flying as he doe?. lie Is a freak. Even to run at lightning sp«ed, as he did this afternoon, seemed ridiculously easy; he kind of played ninepins with the Ave men, representing America, New Zealand and Sweden, who were great and distinguished hurdlers. Like Thomson in tho heats, H,irold Bnrrow (America) had equalled the, record; Walter Smith and Fred Murray, his fellowcountrymen, Wilson, New Zealand, anrl Chr'stlonsen, Sweden, mry bo regarded as treaienrious fallows, hurt from the crack of the pistol to the breaking of the tape they were almost as selling platers to a Derby winner compared with Thomson."

QUESTION OF ALMONTES. In his return to England from the Natiuua' Federation's Congress, Mr. E. Nordon (Christchurch), representing the New Zealand Swimming Association, expressed great indigoation at the treatment accorded tl:e members of the New Zealand Olympiad team In the matter of financial allowances. "It tool! mo two days to find them," ho said, "and when I did manage to locate them, in an obscure hotel on the waterfront, I found them very downhearted. I was informed that, outside the steamer fare, eacli competitor was provided with the munifloient sum of C6O, out of which had to be defrayed the expenses of the whole of the trip. They stayed en route at Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Durban, at the last-mentioned place five days. They arrived at Antwerp about two days before tho commencement of the flumes. They had to pay the huge fees demanded by the hotelkeepers at Antwerp, and wlten the giimcs are finished they will hare to remain In Great Britain for six weeks before the steamer Nestor, by whicb they return to New Zealand, sails from Glasgow. And all this has to be done on £(10. The authorities i,n New Ken land cannot understand the position in Great Britain or the Continent, ur they would never have sent our team away with such a ridiculously small allowance. "When one considers that small countries like F.sthonia. Czecho-Slovnkia, and Finland." said -Mr. Nordon, "could I'ave a properly organised management, and also when one considers the way the English team was treated one wonders what chance our men could have under such conditions. The English representatives were housed in a school at Antwerp. Tiiey had professional trainers. They bad tlielr own cooks, and everything was done to ensure the athletes going on to the field In tho best condition." -Mr. Nordon paid a trl'mte to tho work of Mr. A. Marryatt, chairmen of the New Zealand Olympic Council, and suggested that a larger Government subsidy and a more generous response from the neople of New Zealand ivere wanted.

On being acquainted with this matter, Mr. jrarryatt stated that when the tenm left New Zealand, Mr. H. E Wilson, the manager was bonded £BI) for Incidental expenses on the trip, and was given credit notes'for £3OO on account of expenses while at Home. At Durban, the local committee gave Mm £2: l. ".Mr. Wilson was instructed to cable us," said Mr. Mnrryatt, "for any further requirements and asked for and received a further sum of £101) while In England. His Instructions were that all keep and reasonable ont-of-p**kei: expenses of the team were to be paid by hton, and, in addition, he had to give each a sufficient sum for incidentals on Ihe return journey. As we lave received no further call from him, we are justified in concluding that the amount lie lias received has proved sulTlclent." However, an instruction was sent to London to pay a further sum of £lin) If required. The fund was still substantially in credit, and, after payment of the balance due on the return passages, it was hoped to show n credit. Arrangements had been made lo ac.crenmodate the N,ew Zealanders with the Soull- African and Egyptian Olympic ream at one of the schools provided and advice was received that suitable fond had been arranged for all athletes. It. km intended by the New Zealand Olympic Council that the team should stay In England as long as possible prior to the games, anil ,il was unfortunate that the boat bad been delayed iwelve days on the voyage Home.