OLYMPIC GAMES

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 175, 12 April 1923, Page 3

OLYMPIC GAMES

REPRESENTATION OF NEW ZEALAND

SWIMMING CENTRE MAKES A MOVE'

BY TELEGRAPH. —PHESS ASSOCIATION. Christchurch, April 10. At a meeting of t'ho Canterbury Swijmming Association to/aight, the chairman (Mr. H- S. ’Williams) said that the matter of Dominion representation at the next Olympic Games required attention. Canterbury claimed that it had a swimming representative in Miss Sljand, but the speaker was referring to all branches of sport. Some steps should be taken to get a fund going, so that money would he in hand when if was needed to send a representative team away. He thought the centre should get in touch with other sports bodies with a view to making a combined effort. Mr. C. Atkinson said that until recently New Zealand had been a portion of Australia in regard to Olympic representation. Since then it had become a nation, and the Olympic Games controlling body had decided to allow the national controlling athletic bodies to nominate their own competitors. There was no need to bother about tho other sports, for the New Zealand Association could send direct representatives. The centre should make a move, to assist the council'and raise a fund."

The chairman considered that if the Government was approached it would probably subsidise any amounts raised to send a team of New Zealand athletes away. The Government would probably not recognise ong sport more than another, . ,

Mr. Atkinson moved: “That the centre write to the council and give then every, assistance in raising funds to send, swimming representatives to .the Olympic Games.” The .chairman thought that the centre should look further than swimming. A 'thoroughly 'representative team should be sent away, but if the Swimming Council niade a move it would, awaken the other bodies. In any case, funds wqro necessary.

Mr. L. Annqnd said that a permanent OJympic fund should be started, and then the council would have money to work on, not only for 1924, but in future years. Mr. Atkinson’s motion was carried.