ASSISTANCE FOR SPORTS CLUBS

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24743, 7 December 1945, Page 3

ASSISTANCE FOR SPORTS CLUBS

PHYSICAL WELFARE GRANTS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, December 6. When the Estimates were under consideration in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon Mr W Sullivan (Opposition, Bay of Islands) ssked for information on the vote of £IO,OOO under the Internal Affairs Department for grants and subsidies for purposes of physical welfare and recreation. He asked what organisations would receive payments, on what basis they would be made and for what purpose. The Minister of Internal Affairs Ithe Hon. W. E. Parry) said the allocation of grants from the fund was a very involved problem linked with the purposes of tha physical welfare branch, which had been discussed earlier in the session. The Minister said it should not be supposed that cne district would be dealt with more f&vourably than another and, on the other hand, not all organisations in every town could be assisted immediately. His first idea had been that this money should be used to assist various clubs. It was not suggested that sports grounds could be provided or equipped out of this fund. As far as the clubs were concerned, they might be church clubs or not. That was a matter of indifference to him as long as they were doing useful work in the community on a reasonably permanent basis. The question of grounds and memorials was being deferred until some agreement was reached between locai bodies and others on the national drive for the provision of permanent war memorials which he would like to see take the form of places of culture, of physical recreation, and of training for the youth of the nation. While the sum granted was insufficient for the full purpose envisaged, it should meet the most urgent needs this year. Mr Parry said when a club applied to him he would ask it to make representations to its local body and sports authorities in the district as to what they could raise. Then that amount would be subsidised by the Government. He indicated that those clubs which were in a less favourable position' financially would receive greater assistance.