Sportsman's Notebook PREPARATIONS BEGIN FOR EMPIRE GAMES

Press, Volume C, Issue 29508, 9 May 1961, Page 21

Sportsman's Notebook PREPARATIONS BEGIN FOR EMPIRE GAMES

In an effort to encourage persons to cross Australia by oar to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, which will be held in Perth next year, the Western Australian main roads commissioner (Mr J. Digby Leach) has given an assurance that the Eyre highway will be put in the best possible condition for the period of the games.

Mr Leach plans to maintain a gang of road workers and grading machines on the highway when traffic to and from the games will be at its maximum flow. Preliminary grading will be done when the July-August rains firmly set the road surface. Automobile clubs in six Australian states are now planning a system of patrols by mechanics in travelling workshops. These will be placed along the highway’s 1719 miles between Adelaide and Perth. Few persons realise that this route is one of the longest highways in the world « « « Forward To Bark An interesting change in the composition of the Linwood senior Rugby team for its last two games has been the playing of S. J. Havill. formerly a back-row forward, at centre three-quarters. Havill was the Linwood No. 8 for the last two seasons and toured the North Island with the Canterbury team last year.

His switch to centre was not made without good reason. The side was in need of a player to fill the position competently, and Havill had the qualifications. Before joining Linwood he plaved at centre for Teachers’ College and for the Canterbury senior reserve representatives.

In 1954 Havill captained the Hokitika District High School first fifteen from the centre position, and later played in the three-quarters for Excelsior, the champion West Coast Rugby side. As centre for Linwood he has been playing inside his brother, right-wing R. A. Havill, and flne understanding between the two has been evident. Whether Havill stays in the backs remains to be seen, but with the emergence of F. Jacksen as a lively flanker it is possible that he will continue to serve as centre. * •> « N.Z. President

Mt R. Morrison, of Whangarei, the newly appointed president of the New Zealand Rugby Referee’s Association, has been a referee and administrator for 28 years. He is a former Taranaki and Poverty Bay representative, and turned to refereeing in 1932 when he retired from playing. Mr

Morrison • was an active referee until 1947. controlling many provincial matches and flrst-clasß Army fixtures during the Second World War For 14 yeans up to 1947 he was a member of the North Auckland Rugby Union. He served on the Whangarei Rugby Union for a period also. (t • * Ski Titles Bill Day, who has represented Australia three times at the Winter Olympic Games, will captain the Australian men's ski team when it competes against the New Zealand team. Miss Jane Tinsley, of Melbourne, will captain the Australian women's team. The New Zealand team of 10 men and five women will contest the New South Wales and Australian ski titles a>t Cabramurra from August 12 to August 19. The New Zealanders will also race against an Australian team at Thredbo from August 21 to August 28. * * * League Team Principal features of the first Auckland Rugby League team of the season, chosen to play Canterbury on Saturday, are the non-eeleotlon of two Kiwi plavers. M. Paterson and R. Cooke, and the inclusion of only two Maoris who played in the Maorinakeha fixture Two former Auckland Rugby . representatives. H. K. Emery and R. Harrison, failed to gain places. The team is: G. R. Phillips, B T. Hadfield. R. Billington, N. L Denton, G. P Turner, W. Sorenson (captain), P. Schultz. L. Cliff. R. C. Ackland (vice-captain), T. Hammond. J Constable. J. Patterson. T. Reid. Reserves: M. Paterson, R. Cooke, R. Harrison, B. Castles.