PHYSICAL FITNESS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21886, 12 September 1936, Page 8

PHYSICAL FITNESS

TO THE EDITOB OE THE PBSS3. Sir, —Your cable news this morning features, as far as Britishers are concerned, the most alarming statement made for years. Professor Percy Lelean. Professor of Public .Health at the University of Glasgow, estimates that physical unfitness is costing Britain about £220,000,000 yearly. Twenty-five years ago, on returning to New Zealand after enjoying four years of systematic physical training in the United States, I was astounded at the ludicrous methods used here in physical and athletic training; these methods still persist. I drew your paper’s attention to the matter and suggested a remedy by bringing physical directors from abroad and paying them with the odd 3d and ,6d that get in the way of the totalisator’s auditors on race day. Your editor aptly titled my . story “Painless Extraction” and left it at that. Two years later, representing Australasia in London, I found that the English idea of training amounted to two days on the track and five days in the pubs. I drew the sports editors’ attention to the state of affairs there, and they suggested-that as the advice was coming from the edge of the Antarctic, it did not interest them. This, coming from a country that years ago held every record on the athletic calendar and to-day is at the bottom of the Olympic honours list. Does this information in your issue this morning not confirm my fears of years ago and ever since? Just recently medical and dental experts from abroad have told New Zealand that its reputed physical fitness has disappeared—plus teeth and entrails. They were kind enough to leave the mental aspect out of the picture. , . Our present Government as preparing to create a world’s record for speed and efficiency in rearranging the laws of our Country. What an opportunity for it to be the first British land to place its citizens in a physical and mental condition to absorb and, obey its laws. In my opinion there never has been any attempt or inclination to form a system of physical, education, to carry a growing individual through the rough parts of life. We relied on the theory that New Zealand s soil and sun wouh let us pass the tape first; I but it is not so easy. . The European nations woke up in 1910 and realised that America had a proper system of physical training. Germany, France, Italy, Finland, Norway and Sweden simultaneously wrote to James E. Sullivan, then President of the A.A.U. of America, asking- it to send them physical trainers. He forwarded the correspondence to Michael Murphy, the greatest of all Olympic coaches, then athletic, coach at the University of Pennsylvania. He immediately selected Zombis former pupils, coaches to suit th e different nations asking for heiP- Whhm 1 months these nations came on tne athletic map, and have stayed there eV To-da n y’s' news definitely destroys any idea of seeking assistance from Great Britain. Let us follow the European nations’ example and procure directors of physical education from America. These men receive their degree of master of physical education after five years’ intense Our government proposes to spend large sums of money: on dental and medical treatment for the children. Why not go one better and give the child a system of training that will obviate the necessity for such treatment? My idea is to bring two such directors of physical education for the North and South Islands, their engagements to be for, say, five years. During that period they could certainly pick out a number of apt pupils who could carry on the system when their contract closed. • I quite realise that no lone effort towards this urgent reform will receive much- encouragement. It will have to come from some responsible organisation. I suggest the Amateur Athletic Association of New Zealand. Yours, etc., GUY HASKINS. September 11, 1936.