POISE AND POSTURE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 142, 17 June 1937, Page 10

POISE AND POSTURE

NEW ZEALAND LACK

OUR GIRLS AND SPORT

(By Telegraph—Press Association.*

AUCKLAND, This Day.

Remarking that girls lacked poise and posture in New Zealand, Miss Elsie Bennet, general secretary of the Young Women's Christian Association, Auckland, said, in the course of an interview today, that young people ought to be taught more about these attributes. "I am definitely opposed to regimentation—there is enough of that in industry—and unless the avenues of sport are left open the last chance of this generation for initiative will be blocked," she said, referring to the contemplated setting up of a national organisation for the control of sport m New Zealand.

It was unusual tp find good posture in New Zealand, she added. "People from abroad have remarked on it."

A contributing factor was that interest in sport was seasonal. Girls, for example, took up basketball violently for a few months and then dropped it. Spasmodic participation was likely to be detrimental. It was desirable that recreation should be rational, and sustained throughout the year.

National camps for wider participa tion in recreation appeal to Miss Bennet. The sports side should not be over-emphasised and people should not be dictated to as to what games they should play. "We have seen that in Germany and Italy. The nation that indulges most in sport is not necessarily the most sporting nation.",