Sports Ministry supported

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32873, 23 March 1972, Page 14

Sports Ministry supported

The establishment of a Ministry of j Sport in New Zealand received support last evening at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Amateur Sports’ Federation.

The president (Mr W. V. Cowles) and the secretary (Mr G. Towart) will endeavour to arrange a meeting with the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk) and other Christchurch members of Parliament to discuss the feasibilty of such a ministry. The federaUon, comprised ot delegates from 12 amateur sports bodies, was discussing ways of raising finance to help send Canterbury members of the Munich Olympic team oversea when Mr B. Fraser (rowing) said Breuure again should be put on tie Government for a Ministry of Sport. Mr Fraser said the likely cost of sending the New Zealand team to Munich (estimated at 1120,800) was “peanuts” to the Government, ana yet small sports bodies and the tedentloa were “beating their heads” to try and find ways of raising enough m it l was then moved that Messrs Cowles and Towart meet ths members of Parliament. Mr S. Williams (swimming) said the Idea was excellent, but those concerned with the setting up of a ministry could not face reality. ■

He said sport did as much tor , the promotion of New Zealand overseas as any trade minion, or ■ visits to other countries by - members of Parliament. "These people only see us as ’ another organisation trying to ’ get into the Government's ' funds," he said. Earlier, Mr Cowles said that if the sports bodies in the federation did not get behind a fund-raising scheme, athletes would find the money out of their own pockets. Mr Williams said an oppor faulty presented itself now for all sports in the federation to adopt the concept of "each tor all. and all for each." In the past, people who should have given their support had not, and If they did not give the support, there was little use in the federation carrying re. Affiliation fees.—The meeting each, annually. Cheques received.—A cheque for 230 was received from the Canterbury Smallbore Rifle Association, being the proceeds from a sweepstake, end another for slo* was received, from an hockey players end weight-