CEREMONIAL START OF OLYMPIC GAMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 181, 1 August 1936, Page 9

CEREMONIAL START OF OLYMPIC GAMES.

BERLIN DISPLAY.

Saturday Given Up to Pageantry. OLYMPIC FLAME AT FRONTIER. United Press Association.—Copyright. ( (Received 1 p.m.) BERLIN, July 31. Four years of preparations for the greatest event in the world's athletic history will reach a climax when the last runner bearing the torch from Olympia reaches Berlin at 12.30 p.m. to-morrow in readiness for the lighting of the Olympic fire which burns throughout the Games, writes the Berlin correspondent of the Australian Associated Press.

Heir Hitler will arrive at the stadium at 4 p.m.,. and the Olympic bell will then call the youth of the world. This will be followed by a procession of the teams, an address by the president of the organising committee, Hcrr Hitler's opening address, hoisting of the Olympic flag, releasing of 120,000 homing pigeons, a salute of artillery, singing of the Olympic Hymn, arrival of the torch relay runner, lighting of the Olympic fire, and taking of the Olympic oath by a German competitor on behalf of all athletes, after which the teams march out.

Saturday's programme is exclusively ceremonial. Competitive events will commence at 10.30 on Sunday. Thus the State has set what should be an •impressive show even for a land to which ceremony and display have constituted the breath of life for the past three years. It is certain that nothing Germany can do to prevent discord at the Olympiad will not be done. What will happen afterwards is a subject too profound for discussion in this heady air. New Zealand Manager at Dinner. The vastness of t'nn crowd, says the Sun-Herald news service Berlin correspondent, which has poured into Berlin is best judged by the fact that 3,500,000 admission tickets have been sold. It is impossible to buy further seats for the Olympiad, and the organising committee, to minimise disappointment, has placed a chain of amplifiers in the streets through which every proceeding of the Games will be described.

Dr. A. E. Porritt, manager of the New Zealand team, will attend Herr Hitler's lunch to-morrow in honour of members of the International Olympic Federation, who will precede the Fuehrer in the procession to the stadium. .

The Olympic sacred flame was wildly welcomed on arrival at the German frontier.

Brazilian representatives are not participating in track, field, swimming or rowing events owing to a team dispute. The* Spanish hockey team also has withdrawn, but the remainder of the team will participate.

The Olympic Committee postponed until 1937 an American proposal that all women competitors should be medically examined.

IN TOKYO IN 1940. OLYMPIC COMMITTEE DECIDES. (Received 1 p.m.) BERLIN, July 31. The Olympic Committee decided in favour of Tokyo as venue of the 1040 Olympic Games by 30 votes to 20. However, the venue of the preceding winter games will be decided next year.