A visitor to the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association's track and field championship meeting at Napier on March 10th and 11th was Mr. W. Talbut, a well-known Wellington identity. Mr. Talbut competed at the track and field championships when they were last held in Napier—back in 1895—but did not advertise the fact that he had returned to see the lads of 44 years later in action. Had he made his presence known he would have been an honoured guest instead of just a spectator.

A sensation at the meeting in 1895 was the disqualification of the winner of the 440 yd. hurdles, an Aucklander, for trailing one leg outside the hurdles. The winner, after the disqualification was F. H. Harley, of Wellington. So much bitterness was caused by this decision that a regular stand-up battle of fisticuffs was staged between the Auckland and Wellington representatives in the evening after the meeting. Things were much better this year.

The officials of the Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay centre went to no end of trouble to stage a meeting that should be taken as an example to other centres. Equipment was of the most modern type, spectators were kept informed of what was happening and a victors' ceremony, based on the Olympic procedure,

(Rly. Publicity photo.) Members of the New Zealand Railway staff assembled to bid farewell to Mr. Neil Edwards, of the Locomotive Drawing Office, who will represent New Zealand in the Davis Cup team in England. Mr. Edwards is seated (front centre) between Mr. G. H. Mackley. General Manager of Railways (left), and Mr. E. Casey, Assistant General Manager (right).

enabled the patrons to pay tribute to the winners and placed athletes.

Although the standard was generally high a disturbing feature was that few new champions were discovered. Frank Sharpley, hurdling champion, certainly broke new ground by winning the short sprint, but most of the titles were won by former champions or by athletes with several years of national championship experience. This applies to all the flat events, the three hurdling events, all the jumps, the shot, discus and javelin events, and the two walks. The only event in which a newcomer won a title was the hammer-throw, in which neither Spillane (champion) nor Leckie (former champion) competed.

But this rather pessimistic viewpoint is relieved when an analysis is made of the athletes filling minor places—mostly newcomers. Duff, an Otago sprinter, ran really well in the short sprint, Evans took the eye in the quarter-mile, Blewitt, of Christchurch, ran Boot to a close decision in the half-mile, Grey did particularly well in the pole vault and high jump, Davies ran an excellent half-mile to win the relay for Otago, and Wooles and Bickerstaff impressed in their events. To these lads New Zealand may look with confidence for a continuation of the high standard of track and field sport.

I travelled by the express from Wellington to Napier to see the N.Z. track and field championships and had as my companion Clarrie Gibbons, a former star miler in New Zealand sport. Gibbons won the one-mile title at Auckland in 1927, but the referee ruled that he had jostled Savidan when coming up the straight and the placings were reversed. This decision caused a great controversy, the general opinion being that Gibbons was victim of unfortunate circumstances.

However, Gibbons is a sportsman. He did not register disgust, but continued to take an active interest in track sport. Eventually he realised that he had passed the stage when he could be expected to hold his own against the younger milers and he then decided to concentrate on the marathon run of 26 miles 385 yards, 7 inches.

In competition over this distance he had raced well, without success and he was not fancied as winner of New Zealand's first marathon Championship. The favourite was George Austin, of Otago, who had not been defeated over the distance. Gibbons assured me that the most likely winner was Coulston, a young Otago athlete, but when the first runner entered McLean Park, after running from Napier to Hastings and back the public received a surprise to recognise Gibbons. He had run the race of his life to win by 360yds. from Austin. Coulston finished later—and as fresh as a daisy—but had eaten something which did not agree with him and this had upset his stomach in the early stages of the race.

Gibbons received the best ovation of any winner as he mounted the victory dais and received a silver cup for his success. The cheering was earned … and no finer sportsman has ever had such a reception.

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