AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 28, 2 August 1921, Page 10

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

SOUTH AFRICAN TEAM COMING

SPORTSMAN'S LIBERAL OFFER.

While the Springboks are endeavouring to lower New Zealand colours od the Rugby field preparations we being made in South Africa to send a team in search of athletic honours. Information received by the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association indicates that the proposed visit of a team, comprising the champion athletes of South Africa, to Australia and New Zealand is to be an accomplished fact.

Mr. C. A. Hadley, M.P., one of South Africa's enthusiastic sportsmen, has guaranteed to finance a team, consisting of I'ouv- athletes, three cyclists, and a manager, to the extent of two thousand pounds (£2000). Any profits over that amount are to be divided between the South African and Australasian Associations. The team is being sent under the auspices of the Olympic Games South African Executive Qouncil, with the consent and approval of the Transvaal Amateur Athletic Association. The athletic bodies concerned having ratified the conditions, ifs is expected that the team will leave Capetown early in' December. The Springboks' will compete at the Australasian championships to be held at Adelaide early in January, and wiil then proceed to Melbourne to take part in the Victorian meeting, after which they come direct to New Zealand, probably appearing first at Dunedin on 21st January. This date, however, depends on the big fixture at Adelaide, and might possibly be delayed a week. The other centres will follow at intervals of a week, while mid-week dates will be arranged for the smaller towns, where possible. Should they arrive to date they will sail finally from Auckland about 16th February for New South Wales and Queensland to complete the tour. The cyclists of the party are not visiting the Dominion.

Mr. R. Coombes, of Sydney, president of the Amateur Athletic Union of Australia and New Zealand, is expected in Wellington about the Bth or 9th August. He arrived in Auckland by the Ulimaroa from Sydney last night to attend the Waterloo Cup Coursing Championships, to be decided at Hamilton during the next week. In a letter to Mr. A. T. Davies, president of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, he stated that he hoped to meet the association and also tho New Zealand Olympic Council and Rifle Association during a- brief visit to Wellington after the Coursing Championships. Mr. Coombes will probably be in possession of later news concerning the date of the Australasian championships, and also with regard to the tour of tho South Africans. FOR MUTUAL ADVANTAGE. Mr. Hadley's offer was actuated by the fact that he considered that by sending a' team, of athletes from the Transvaal, which would include athletes of both Bxitish and Dutch colonial extraction, a great deal of good would be done towards overcoming the racial troubles at present existing; and, further, that the Union of South Africa and Australia and New Zealand would be brought into closer contact to mutual advantage. Although he .has agreed to finance the tour, he has naturally «;'-"-Mated that any profits accruing fivin t+ ;■ same should be usetl for the £ u i-p«se- of refunding amounts to be expended by him. The Olympic Games South African Executive Council points out that the net profits derived from tho tour, after the expenses of the team have been paid, will be divided'between the Union of Australian and New Zealand and South Africa. Mr. Hadley does not wish to gain any financial benefit, and has stated that if the net profits exceed the expenses, such excess can be equally divided between the Athletic and Cycling Associations.

Tho team to be sent from South Africa will be a thoroughly representative one. The names of Oosterlaak 'and Dafel, according to advices, have already been brought forward as candidates for selection in the proposed tour. Oosterlaak was prominent at the la-it OlympFicGames.

The New Zealand Council was unanimously of the opinion that the proposal should be accepted under the very favourable conditions offered, and therefore endorsed it, subject to the <kte of arrival in New Zealand being suitably arranged.

In view of the tour and the Australasian championships, the New Zealand championships will proba.bly take place earlier during the coming season—in Christchurch, about the- middle of December.