NATIONAL COUNCIL OF SPORT

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 300, 15 September 1936, Page 15

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF SPORT

Hon. W. E. Parry’s Aim By Telegraph—Press Association. Rotorua, September 14. The Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Perry, is at present paying an official visit to the Rotorua district. He arrived on Saturday evening from Taupo and Tokaanu, where he Inspected the trout hatchery afd received several deputations from ideal residents. On Saturday evening the Minister was the guest at a smoke concert tendered to him by the sports bodies of tlie district under the chtilrmahship of the Mayor of Rotorua, Mr. T. Jacksou.

In replying to the toast of his health proposed by the Mdyor, Mr. Parry said that he hoped to be instrumental in forming a National Council of Sport, a body which would endeavour to achieve a greater measure of co-ordination among the various sporting bodies. He hoped to see the day when certain days would lie set aside for various sports in order to avoid the jostling which, took place at present. It would be his aim and that of the Government to promote the growth of healthy sport of all kinds.

The Minister referred particularly to the efforts he was making to improve pheasant shooting by the establishment of a game-breeding farm at Ngongotaha. near Rotorua, and said that he was satisfied after the investigations he had made that there was no lack of trout in the Rotorua and Taupo districts. The fish were in splendid condition, and he was convinced that a great deal of talk about the deterioration in quality of the fish in the district was balderdash. Nevertheless, he was concerned to see that the quantity of trout food in the lakes was maintained, and to this end he had established a special research department which had the matter in hand. On Sunday afternoon the Minister visited Rotoiti, where he presented a special flag to the two sub-tflbes of Te Arawa. The flag was a gift from the Native Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage), and was intended to replace an old flag given to these two tribes by the Government many years ago. Mr. Parry also read a message from Mr. Savage expressing the goodwill of the Government toward the Maori race. Mr. Parry was received with traditional Maori ceremony, sitting down to a hangi served in Maori style and being presented with several Maori gifts. To-day the Minister will be engaged on departmental business and will receive deputations. He leaves tomorrow for Waikaremoana.