ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1074, 13 March 1911, Page 2

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

FESTIVAL OF EMPIRE. PROGRESS OF THE FUND. A mooting of tho committee which has in hand the matter of raising funds in order that New Zealand may bo represented at tho Coronation Festival of Em-' pire was held .on Saturday evening Mr. A. Marriott presiding. There were also present .Messrs. M'Yilly, Ciiaffoy, Hill, J. 11. Pollock, ami 13. Guise, hui). secretary. The secretary read a letter from the Prime Minister's Office stating that it had been decided to give a £ for £ subsidy up to J.'500 to assist in sending a team Home. It was stilted that the gross takings at the Opera House boxing competitions on Friday amounted to J;9l 175., the expenses being roughly .£96. The entertainment at thu King's Pictures is expected to bring at least X 25 to the committee when the returns are all in. The secretary stated that tho bank book of tho committee showed a credit of X't7 3s. Gd. Tho amount in sight at present is .£lO7. It was decided that if sufficient funds could be raised Opie, of Canterbury, would bo sent with tho New Zealand team. Several speakers expressed the opinion that there would bo no difficulty in raising the funds in Canterbury for Opie. Mr. E. L. Chr.ffey was deputed to co-operate with tho various sports bodies in Canterbury in the matter of raising funds there. It was also decided to ask Mr. W. S. Corby to make a special 'effort to collect funds in Wangauui. Similar action was taken in regard to Nelson (Mr. S. Emerson), and Hastings (Mr. Hazard). It was decided to write to tho New Zealand Rugby. Union, Wellington Rugby Union, New Zealand Football Association, and tho Wellington Football Association asking them to assist the fund. Mr. Hill remarked that amateur sport in New Zealand lived a precarious sort ot existence—(Mr. Pollock: "Quite right, too.")—and even a small donation of a couple.of guineas would be welcome. If possible a deputation will wait upon the New Zealand Rugby Union. It was stated that the Selection Committee of the New Zealand Council had selected Dr. Raskins as one of the New Zealand team and ho will leave Auckland for America by the Mamika on March 15. Haskins in going Home via America will receive the same allowance as tho men who go direct, he himself making up the difference. . It was decided to ask tho New Zealand Swimming Association to formally choose its representative as it was pxnected that there would he sufficient funds in hand to >end M. E. Chamnion, of Auckland, if he was chosen. Chamnion will probablv go Home in the Corinthic. . The New Zealand members of the A"sf'ralncian team will be provided with distinctive badges emblematic of New Zealand.. Rome discussion took nlace as to whether Australia or New Zealand should hold the Fiinpire shield in the event of the Australasian team w'nninrr it. This mat(■"r will be discussed further at a later date.