SPORTS COUNCIL TO BE FORMED

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23770, 16 October 1942, Page 6

SPORTS COUNCIL TO BE FORMED

PRELIMINARY MEETING OF DELEGATES

A decision to form a Canterbury Council of Sport was reached last evening by a meeting in the city of about 45 delegates representing more than 30 sports bodies of various types. The election of officers and an executive was postponed until October 29 to allow delegates to report to their respective organisations. Mr C. H. Franklin, the chairman, read a circular which he had sent to sports bodies, stating that the Government, through the Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister of Internal Affairs, had intimated a desire to assist accredited sporting organisations in their efforts to build up the physical condition of the younger generation, and for this purpose had allocated about £6OOO. Mr K. A. Muff, Canterbury physical welfare officer, said that the Government’s primary interest was the promotion of the health of the community. There was no ulterior motive, and no intention to regiment sport. The Dominion was suffering from too many spectators—grandstand sportsmep—and not enough players. The aim of the present movement was, finally, to form a New Zealand Sports Federation for the promotion of sport, and this, when formed, would undoubtedly be in receipt of a considerable sum—he had heard about £6OOO. Early in the meeting. Mr A. E. McPhail and Mr E. V. Phillips (Canterbury Rugby Union) gave a warning of the problems likely to arise with cash and amateur interests both represented in the council, and in getting more boys to take up sport, and that the council’s work would not be merely a matter of receiving grants or giving grants to clubs. While later supporting the broad aims of the council, they asked for a postponement of the election of officers. Mr Muff said that Dunedin. Auckland, Wellington, Invercargill, and Waikato councils had been formed, and an idea of the problems could be obtained from them. Part of the executive’s work would be to interview children and help them into sport. Answering questions on cash and amateur interests, Mr Franklin said that any funds granted would be for the welfare of sports organisations and not for gain or paying out prize money. After a long discussion, Mr B. O’Neill said that some delegates seemed to be under two misapprehensions—one that the council would be conducting or controlling sport, and the other that the council would exist for handing out £lO here or £lO there. There would probably be little to give. Numerous ways in which the council could assist sport, including a suggestion that more playing grounds should be obtained for Christchurch for the future, were made by delegates before a motion by Mr E. A. Lee to form a council was adopted unanimously. A motion by Mr Phillips to postpone the election of officers was also passed unanimously.