AMATEUR SPORT

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 148, 27 June 1929, Page 11

AMATEUR SPORT

N.Z. OLYMPIC COUNCIL

ACTIVE SUPPORT WANTED

The first annual meeting of the New Zealand Olympic Council, held last night, was not largely attended, there being barely a quorum. Consequently only routine business was attended to, while the election of officers was deferred to a later date. Mr. Amos stated thai he had learned much from the trip to the Olympic games at Amsterdam and lie had some important recommendations to make, but he would hold them over until there was a fuller attendance of members. Possibly the recommendations could be considered by a specially appointed committee. The following . were present:— Messrs. H. Amos, (chairman), T. G. Wilkes H. L. Austad, A. D. Bayfeild, H. Paton, G. Aldridge, P. Coira, and Camp. As the annual report covered a term of four years, it was of necessity merely a brief resume .of the jrincipal matters dealt with during that period. The council decided, stated the report, that the district boundaries should be the same as those set by the New Zealand iuigby Union, and an attempt was made to organise a branch at each point, but unfortunately this move did not meet with the expected success. Outside of the four main centres little support was forthcoming from the sub-centres, with the exception of a few enthusiasts. The formation of branches demanded the urgent attention of delegates as it was perfectly useless to rorm a branch and be saddled with a dormant committee. The council felt it waa essential to be assured 01 the future co-operation of the centres it success was to follow the work to be undertaken.

The funds appeal instituted, covering a m 6™™ f.rGtl^ st t0 all Prominent sportsmen in the Dominion, did not meet with the success anticipated, and it became necessary to institute public subscription lists In this respect the report recognised the special assistance given by the lubhc Service Commissioner, who had permitted lists to be submitted to all branches o£ the Service, the Police Department,- the New Zealand Amateui Rowing Association, the New Zealand Boxin" Association the New ' Zealand Rugby Lmpn, the New Zealand Swimming AsJeiation; and the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. It had to be admitted that the funds appeal was a failure in that 'the full representative team could not be sent. The council, however, felt that it was always the wish of the sporting public that the Dominion should be represented at the ft P\ C, G. ameS>, and t0 that end « was hoped that a scheme would be submitted to the general meeting which would to a I*l° ef en* re>?°ve from the council the task of collecting the necessary money t L Cin Pat?\ a team- The experience of the appeal showed that local sports bodies and the public generally could only be lequested to assist through local representative comnnttees. The council desired to express appreciation of the work of fi **?, bad assisted. Many had laboured with poor results, but collectively woerlV ff°f tS L? d r, esulted in at least one worJcts championship coming to the Do-

The report finished by the manager of the Olympic team, Mr. H. Amos, covered the history of the Dominion representation at Amsterdam, and further refeience could only reiterate that hiatorv Supplementing the report, the chairman; Mi. H. Amos, said that while the old council had done an immense amount of work, much remained to be done, particular n- *?l th regard t0 dißtrict C°™=ils, to secure the necessary co-operation of govW lDg r£r UeS and a c°-01-dwation o£ policj-. The council had succeeded (1) in hnancmg a representative team of seven dam 101 •1G °iD^h Otyapfed at Am IS fcio^frK^i^^re ot the members of the team; (3) in placing the finances of the New Zealand OhmNmv^rr/f 11 «P°? solid roundatfJS. Ual J ,6i aSS°Clai ion Lad a su^tanIml credit balance, there was no doubt that the various amateur spbrtin- assncations throughout the Dominion* wouW Sf tW*,* 0 Cc a more aotive iut«^t m the future than they had done in the ztal"™/ mUS + bf rec °Snised that if New lv at Itlf V h% re Pr u esen*ed adequately at international gatherings, arrangements must be made in am P l'e time for the selection training, and financing of to b/hX '?w fc-u Empire s P°rts ™°c t m,«d at J Hamilton, Ontario, in Aug- ■ 191°' a°d although there were four 3-ears between Olympic gatherings, as soon as one Olympiad was over it was necessary to arrange for the next There rnntr UO f ,disSatis- faction Brit«h and. Continental associations with regard to the holdings, the tenth Olympiad at Los Angeles, on account of the expense and time mvolved in getting there, and pressure was being brought to be^r to have the UnTd StT °l P* eaS^ern citi^°' the United States of America. It was to be hoped that New Zealand would bt re P.resented at the first Empire sports, particularly as every other part of the Empire would be represented. As -at the Piesent time the Dominion did not appear to possess any worß beaters in track and field events, summing and boxine the advisabaUty of sending I rowing teaS to Hamilton m,ght well be considered. From what he had seen at Amsterdam and heard from competent authorities, he was couH t ntM^ at- NeW ■ Zealand oarsmen could hold their own in international con-sn-v L ni peo?le uestio°ed the necessity tor an Olympic Association, but if the association did no more than unify the existing controlling authorities of amateur sporV it would be worth while. , M or £ Mr. Amos had every reason to believe that in the near future strong district Olympic associations would be formeoTin Wellington, Auckland, Christchuroh, and Dunedin, with the necessary co-ordinating local centres. With the co-operation of those bodies, the New Zealand Council will be able to foster amateur sport in New Zealand, and do much towards raism^, the.dominion's prestige overseas. tt a a °alaiJ ce-steet showed that £4631 17s id, had been raised, and the expenditure amounted to £3506 8s 56., leaving a credit balance of £1145 8s lid In seconding, Mi-. Amos's motion for the adoption of the report and balance?w\ Mr: ?• G- Wilkes (Auckland) said that he wished to congratulate the council on the'fine work it had done. His centre telt that the council had carried out its duties wonderfully well. The motion was carried unanimously A committee, including representatives of the amateur athletics, boxiug, swimming, and rowing associations, and the Kugby Union, was set up to go into the matter of revising the rules o f the association, and the meeting then went into committee.