T.A.B. PROFITS FOR SPORT

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29334, 13 October 1960, Page 16

T.A.B. PROFITS FOR SPORT

Auckland Coach’s Suggestion (Aew Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, Oct. 12. A scheme for using all the profits from the Totalisator Agency Board to finance amateur sport in New Zealand was suggested by Mr J. C. Bellwood, an Auckland athletics coach, today. He said he wanted to lend “moral support” to Mr A. L. Lydiard. who advocated State aid to sport to fight delinquency. “At present a great percentage of the profits from the T.A.B.— and they are considerable—are given to the racing clubs, which do not really need the money.” said Mr Bellwood. “If the profits were used to help sport, the general public would just be getting back that which • had been taken from it. It would, in fact, be an investment in the community." Mr Bellwood said that, at present, far too much time was being wasted by the tremendous resources of voluntary organisations in trying to raise finance. In the past, voluntary youth, sport and church organisations had done a good job, he said, but they could not cope with the vast changes which had taken place. An ideal set-up, according to Mr Bellwood, would be that which operated in Sweden. "There, all cultural and sporting projects are co-ordinated and financed by lotteries. In this way sports with little spectator appeal can flourish.”