Aeroplanes from the West Plains aerodrome circled overhead.
Athletic and Cycling Union healthy
At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union held in Dunedin yesterday, the president, Mr J. Kennedy (Geraldine) gave a brief resume of the organisation.
He said it was inaugurated at Wellington in 1905 at a meeting at which there were eight representatives from different parts of New Zealand.
They had carried on under adverse circumstances in many cases, and today were in the proud position of having a large control of sport throughout New Zealand. It was pretty certain that within a reasonable time their control would be general. He could safely say that there was no other such body in the world as theirs, with such good rules, which conducted sport in the way they did. He said that Southland had 16 clubs in its centre, Otago 26 clubs, South Canterbury 11 clubs, North Canterbury eight clubs, West Coast five clubs, Marlborough and Nelson eight clubs, Feilding six clubs, Raetihi seven clubs, Taranaki 18 clubs, Poverty Bay 16 clubs, and Hawke's Bay six clubs. Mr Campbell from the Otago Centre putforward a remit to establish definite rules for the running of Sheffield Handicaps. It stipulated that the distance for such races should be 135 yards; that they should be run in heats of from three to five starters; that any man breaking twice should be disqualified, after being penalised one yard for each break away; and that the handicap limit should not exceed 14 yards. After discussion, the remit was adopted, with one amendment — that the number of starters in a heat should be increased to six.
Colonial reorganisation
London: The special correspondent of The Times writes: “The Colonial Office is considering a scheme for the reorganisation and administration of the Crown colonies and protectorates, which is designed to give them a greater amount of autonomy. The main proposals are the grouping of the various colonies according to their geographical position, under High Commissioners, who will shoulder some of the duties and responsibilities, especially regarding public appointment and finance which will now devolve on the Secretary of State.
It is anticipated that the change will ensure an important saving of expenditure. Groupings include the placing of Fiji, the Falklands, and all other Crown possessions in the Pacific under a High Commissioner, who will be stationed at Suva. The High Commissioners will be given complete control of the Imperial military forces, as well as of the local volunteers within their jurisdiction. They will be assisted by a council consisting of members partly elected and partly nominated by representative electors or vested interests, such as commercial, professional, and agricultural classes.
The privileges and prerogatives of these have not yet been decided. The native races will find representation on the council.’’ — ODT, 15.9.1921.
