ATHLETICS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 21, 25 July 1939, Page 5

ATHLETICS

NORTH ISLAND TOUR

SOUTHERN PROPOSAL

A letter was received at last night's i^eeting of the Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association' from the South Canterbury Sub-Centre proposing a North Island tour by a teair of athletes and suggesting a meeting at Wellington. It was decided to reply that Wellington favoured the idea of holding the meeting, but that the date suggested was too far ahead to make definite arrangements. Mr. A. C. Kitto presided. The South Canterbury Sub-Centre had under consideration a proposal for an athletic tour of several of the North Island centres during the coming Christmas and New Year holiday period, the letter said. The proposal was to get together a team of about 24 athletes, including four to six women and a similar number of juniors. The rest of the team would be senior track and field athletes. An endeavour would be made to include in the party C..H. Matthews, A. T. Anderson, Miss D. Strachan, and Miss Betty Forbes, and possibly one or two other prominent Canterbury athletes. It was proposed that the, tour should .commence at Masterton on Boxing Day and that the team should go on to Napier. Rotorua, and Hamilton They would return via Wangahui. arriving at Wellington on January 4: The Wellington Centre, it was suggested, could arrange a meeting on Saturday. January 6, at which they could compete. The sub-committee thought that the tour would be of immense benefit a,nd would give valuable experience to the young athletes.

Notification was received from the Town Clerk to the effect that the City Council had granted the association the use of • the Basin Reserve on four days during the period of the Centennial Exhibition on the usu,al conditions, the council to collect 15 per ceiit. of the gross stand and gate takings on each occasion. dates were November 11, 1939 (secondary schools sports), March 2, 8, arid 9 t 1940 (athletic sports); also a date to be arranged for a visit of American athletes. v The harrier sub-committee was granted £15 towards the expenses of sending the Wellington provincial harrier team to compete at the national cross-country championship to be held at Hastings on August 12.

It was decided to ask the. reserves committee if Hataitai Park could be made available for October 2. The Labour Day Celebrations Committee of the Wellington Trades and Labour Council was granted permission to hold an amateur sports meeting at Newtown Park on Labour Day. The Wellington City. Mission appealed for a donation towards 'a fund to erect a boys' hostel as a memorial to the late Rev. T. Field en Taylor. "In view of the support always accorded Mr, Taylor by the sports bodies, I am sure we shall have your ..good wishes in this project," the City Missionar wrote. They were anxious to provid? a gymnasium on the roof of the building, thus enabling the boys to take part in regular physical training activities The necessary alterations in the design of the building in Taranaki Street would cost £1500, and it was in this they sought assistance. The V.M.C.A also appealed for assistance. *■■ "I think it is only right if we are in a position to help these bodies that we should do our part" said Mr Kitto. .

It was decided to give the City Mission and the YM.C.A. £2 2s each. Discussion took place on the possi bility of getting lighting for the Basin Reserve. The coming season would be a busy one, it was stated, and night meetings would be very popular with the public. "We'll be losing a fortune by not having the ground lit." said a member. ,

Lower Hutt had paid £2000 to have their ground lit. said Mr. Kitto. and he guaranteed that that amount would be made in five years. I* Sydney, he said, the grounds were lit /at nteht and the oeooie went there in thousands. It would cost about £?500 to light the Basin Reserve properly It was decided to endeavour to arrange for electric lteht meetings this season The nentr«- is to offer to purchase from the City Council some globes which -have. been used previously for lighting the ground.