PORTS WRITERS CRITICISE – INTERVIEW WITH HALBERG

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27407, 21 July 1954, Page 13

PORTS WRITERS CRITICISE - INTERVIEW WITH HALBERG

iffILETICS

fSpecioi Correspondent N.ZJ.A. with Team)

VANCOUVER, July 19. eorouver sports columnists today criticised what they call the Escurtain" put between CommonJ?? athletes and the newspapers. claim that Commonwealth athIse L 0 no longer talk freely to re*£7 but many talk now only their managers. S-Toutburst followed an interview ‘r-nadisn press had with the New jer, Murray Halberg, last night. ’Vancouver "Sun'’ columnist, Stew.UcNeill- says: ‘“The British Empire - Commonwealth Games Federation topped its talk ban on the slim 15 .Sers of Murray Halberg.” third fastest miler in the fionweaith and a dark horse runcould steal the mile gold Sal from John Landy and Roger Sster, Halberg was only allowed “zS to the ‘Sun’ in the presence of 7am manager. Mr Alex Ross. The screening of questions put to Isnciy-haired. frail-looking miler, Tjed in Murray remaining as much 7«tion mark as he was before he Sri <® Sunday.” “Sun says that Halberg was showed to reveal any of his train - J programme. “Before being interMurray indicated that he was iinshape to run the kind of race , F iU have to do to win the British Lpjre Games Gold Medal. He said

% been raining a lot at home and ■gd to do his running in the

Goiher Vancouver “Sun” columnnicK Beddoes, says: “New heights tapism were scaled on Sundav a the ‘Kaiser’ of the New Zealand p. Mr Alex Ross, applied the federE s gag rule with novel interpretaof his own. sct only did Mr Ross refuse to alr ‘ the New Zealand miler, Halberg, answer questions freely: he also at Halberg’s side during the into make sure of it. ■Halberg is a school teacher and the .fspapers, therefore, assumed that t yew Zealand leaders would respect ! intelligence enough to let him prer questions without an official pediment in his speech. The point is that athletes like Halrg are news for the press and more portent possibly, promotional and gs values for the Empire Games. The ton Empire Games is 200.000 dol■s shy of its objective on ticket sales, can do without a muzzle on competi■s who might attract paying clien-

tocouver’s other evening daily, the ncouver “Province” quotes Halberg saying he would be doing his best itot Landy and Bannister, but kes no comment on the alleged ass curtain.” Only Canadian reten were present at the interview, ire Australian and New Zealand icrters covering the day-to-day acities at the Empire Games’ village iy that a “brass curtain” has been rcsed. They say they have not been used information from Mr Ross and New Zealand section managers. Mr Ross’s Comment [r Ross, asked to comment on the server “Sun” columnists’ reports, 1 the New Zealand Press Associate -My point of view is that with zany reporters here bailing ath--5 up at every turn, their training Jd be interefered with. Ihe opinion is based on the fact : most of our competitors are young have to be protected from emrsssnent. And they are entitled be protected. k is my wish and I am sure the =y of everyone who has the good 2e team and success at the Games tin mind that the athletes have as it interference as possible at this zal stage of their training. In e words, anything that detracts : their singlemindedness of pursis to be discouraged.” r Ross added: “However, we have

the fullest desire to heir, «. ■n every way we ° “ eI P th e press has had anything bit' th» N ? formation provided hl* hl*! fuUes t mh r ~ -

MANAGER’S ACTION SUPPORTED (New Zealand Press Association) Tw. o , WELLINGTON, July 20. s action had the full an L Austa <i today, when ™,F ed to c 0 ? 11116 !!! upon the Vancouver mln?g g er. CntlCising 016 New Zealand Mr Austad added- “It in iin Q with the policy adopted some years Plan'd CalTi ? d With-It New Zealand sporting teams in recent ‘The policy was formulated because of unsatisiactory experiences All “e'nbers of the New Zealand team on th l ev tl wm, E l 1 A ned . an und ertaking that either ld not comm unicate with th. FI d J° °F news P a pers without manager ‘ and approval o£ th e team * aC j that other countries apparently adopt the same principle is nCe th** they, too, have found it desirous and necessary.”

N.Z. FLAG RAISED AT VILLAGE OFFICIAL WELCOME TO TEAM (Special Correspondent rru XT rr VANCOUVER. July 19. The New Zealand flag and the emblems of the Gold (Boast and Fiji were raised over the Empire Games Village in a brief, impressive ceremony before the. camp headquarters this morning. New Zealand’s was the fifth national flag raised at the village, and it is flying now alongside those of Australia, oouth Africa, Southern Rhodesia, Fiji and the Gold Coast. Max Carr, the New Zealand team captain, accepted the flag and hoisted it slowly to the mast head as the three teams paraded and a small crowd of visitors and officials stood to attention for the playing of “God Defend New Zealand.” Carr also received the New Zealand name plaque which will be carried at the head of the parade of athletes of the Commonwealth on ■ the opening night of the Games. New Zealand, as host to the Commonwealth for the 1950 Games, will be given the honour of leading the parade around the Vancouver Games Stadium. This morning the New Zealand team paraded in the dress uniform it will wear then—the girls in white shoes, skirts, berets and black blazers, and the men in black blazers, grey slacks and white panamas. The team manager, Mr A. Ross, re plying to the official welcome to the New Zealanders, spoke of the “lasting and vivid impression” this morning’s ceremony would leave with his team Ho thanked the Canadian Games officials “for the hours, weeks and months you have laboured in our cause.” Mile Runners Meet Soon after this morning’s ceremony the miler, Murray Halberg had his first meeting with John Landy. the world record holder. Halberg, the distance runner E. W. Haskell; and another New Zealand mile candidate, W. Baillie,

who was second to Halberg at the last New Zealand championships, had a few minutes’ talk with Landy and were photographed with him. Landy, who is not as press shy as the New Zealanders, said he enjoyed the meeting with them and looked forward to seeing them on the track. The New Zealand rowing coach, the former singles champion, W. A. Stevenson, of Auckland, left for Seattle this morning to borrow a boat for the New Zealand four from the University of Washington. The New Zealanders’ boat is on board the delayed Waitomo, which is not expected to reach Van couver before the Games begin. The New Zealand oarsmen will leave today for the Vedder Canal, 50 miles away, where they will be quartered in Canadian Army barracks. The New Zealand fencers took a brighter view of life this morning after an unhappy few days of putting up with makeshift equipment. They have by arrangement with the teani manager, bought the best available gear in Vancouver to replace their equipment in the Waitomo. If the Waitomo arrives in time for the Games they will use their own foils, but in the meantime a Canadian sewing machine manufacturer has given them the full use of his workshops to turn down the blades and fit them to their own handles. They went off to training this, morning with their new equipment.

500 FLAGS SENT FROM NEW ZEALAND (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 20. Aboard a Canadian Pacific Airline’s DC-6B airliner when it left Whenuapai for Vancouver tonight were 500 New Zealand flags that will be used to decorate the streets and buildings of the city during the Empire Games. Weighing 6001 b, the flags were declared through customs as worth

£l5OO. They were let through free of s duty. Most of the flags were used during ) the Royal tour. Collected from all 1 over New Zealand, they were packed s in Christchurch by the Department of ;. Agriculture and sent to Auckland. Also aboard the aeroplane were Ausi tralia’s quota of flags.