Fifty Years of Progress 1880-1930

FIFTY YEARS OF PROGRESS At the Annual Meeting in r9r 3 the Committee reported that the new agreement between the A.A.A. and N.C.U. was working very satisfac– torily, and the settlement of the dispute had undoubtedly exercised a beneficial effect upon meetings held during the past season. A notable event was the acceptance of the Quintin Hogg Memorial Cup, presented by the Polytechnic Harriers as a perpetual trophy for the Relay Champion– ship. Mr. P. L. Fisher, to the regret of the meeting, announced that he would have to retire in the following year, but he would continue the duties until then to give the Association time to find a successor. It was recommended that in races at distances exceeding 200 yards a minimum interval of thirty minutes should be allowed between the pre– liminary heats and the final, and in races at distances exceeding 400 yards, a slightly longer interval. It was carried as a recommendation, but a proposal to make it compulsory was lost by ro6 votes to 56 on a poll. A proposal that affiliated Clubs should forward copies of their balance sheets annually was defeated, a delegate remarking that the proposer had mistaken the Offices of the Association for the Companies' Registration Office at Somerset House ! In r9 r4, owing to the large entries in recent years, it was decided to hold a two-days' Championship Meeting, on Friday and Saturday, July 3rd and 4th. The Association decided to join the International Amateur Athletic Federation, which had held a Congress in Berlin in August of the previous year. The profit on the Championships continued to increase, viz., £6r6 r rs. rod. The greater part of the Annual Meeting was devoted to a discussion of the first-claim rule, which was becoming a matter exceedingly difficult to interpret. Then came the War, and the cessation of athletic activities in this country. At a meeting of the General Committee on October 17th, r9r4, it was evidently thought that the War would not last very long, as it was decided to hold the Championships in London in 1915, although, in view of the crisis, full powers were given to the Championships Com– mittee to abandon the Championships if necessary. It was decided to enter into an alliance with the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada. It is interesting to note that a hearty vote of congratulation was passed to ir Montague Shearman on the honour which had been conferred upon him by his appointment as one of His Majesty's Judges. In 1915 an Emergency Committee was appointed, consisting of six members of the General Committee, two each from the orth, Midlands and South, together with the Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer of the Association, for the purpose of carrying on the business of the Association during the continuance of the War. At tne Annual Meeting in 191 5, Mr. P. L. Fisher retired from the office of Hon. Secretary, and Mr. Harry J. Barclay was unanimously elected to succeed him. It was decided that athletic meetings confined to members of His Majesty's Forces should be promoted during 1915, and a sum of £100 was voted for this purpose. sr D2