N.Z. GAMES OFFICIALS TO STUDY SELECTION METHODS

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28133, 23 November 1956, Page 22

N.Z. GAMES OFFICIALS TO STUDY SELECTION METHODS

Members of the council of the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association will investigate systems used by other countries to select their Olympic representatives, while they are in Melbourne for the Olympic Games. Before his departure for Australia this week, Mr H. I. Austad, chairman of the association, refused to comment on the New Zealand selections or the changes that might be made in future methods of selection. He did say that council members would endeavour to ascertain how overseas systems could be applied to New Zealand. Mr K. S Duncan, secretary of the British Olympic Association, will be one of those consulted. Discussions will also be held on all matters relating to athletics and New Zealand will be represented by five delegates at a conference of the International Amateur Athletic Federation being held in conjunction with the Games. The delegates are Sir Arthur Porritt. Messrs Austad. G. S. Leeder, G. T. Wiggs, and A. L. Stevens. The New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association had arranged for standard plans for cinder tracks to be obtained from the 1.A.A.F., said Mr Austad. when asked about the necessitv for such tracks in New Zealand. Cinder tracks must come to New Zealand, he said. The obligation to provide cinder tracks in New Zealand would become greater as the general standard of athletic performance in New Zealand became closer to that of the rest of the world. Mr Austad was very interested in Canterbury’s plans for a cinder track. In many overseas countries athletics was a big spectator sport and many of the major tracks used for major home and international competitions were privately financed, he said. With

the opportunity for international competition in New Zealand severely limited, unless regular matches with Australia could be revived, there was little likelihood of athletics attracting major gates similar to Rugby and on this account the prospect of private finance appeared slight. Mr Austad said the New Zealand athletic association had been progressive in its attitude towards the need for international tours so that New Zealand athletes would have the chance of competing against outside competition, and to this end the matte? of exchange visits with Australia would be raised by New Zealand delegates at the Games.