FESTIVAL OF EMPIRE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 40, 17 February 1911, Page 7

FESTIVAL OF EMPIRE.

THE SPORTS GATHERING. NEW ZEALAND'S REPRESENTATION. The Mayor, Mr. T. M. Wilford, today received the following telegram from Sir Joseph Ward : — "With reference to the request of the deputation of <the allied sports bodies for assistance towards sending New Zealand representatives Home to the Festival of Empire, the Government will give a £ for £i subsidy up to £500 — that is, if that amount i 3 subscribed the Government, rwill give two hundred and fifty, or, if any less amount, half the total of 'ilie ?ame." [The sense of the message is somewhat 'distorted by the obvious contradiction it contains. Probably it is intended to give a 10s subsidy on every pound collected up to £500.] A SATISFACTORY OFFER. [BTt TELEGEAPH — PEESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, 16th Feb. Mr. Walter Johnston, secretary of the New Zealand Swimming Association, one of the bodies interested, when informed of the Government's decision to give a subsidy of £ for £ up to £500 to send champion athletes to the Festival of Empire sports gathering, eaid he felt that tie offer was a very liberal one, and was completely satisfactory. It was .hoped that the sum of £250 would be raised privately, and ■that the Government subsidy of the same sum would enable four representatives, three athletes and one ewimIfier, to be sent from New Zealand. AN AUSTRALASIAN TEAM. Bj Telegraph. — Press Association. — Copyright, SYDNEY, 16th February. At a public meetirig it was decided to co-operate with Victoria and New Zealand in arranging for an Australasian sports team to take part in the Festival of Empire. A subscription list has been opened, and it is hoped to obtain Government assistance.