JARVIS’S NOMINATION

Evening Star, Issue 21721, 16 May 1934, Page 13

JARVIS’S NOMINATION

SWIMMING COUNCIL’S EXPLANATION OLYMPIC COUNCIL HAD FINAL SAY That the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association did do its part in furthering W. J. Jarvis’s claims for inclusion in the New Zealand team for the Empire Games after the Otago Centre bad pressed for his inclusion was put forward in a letter received by the centre yesterday from the secretary of the council (Mr B. O’Neill), who all along had shown himself most willing to assist Otago. Replying to the Otago Centre’s letter putting the position outlined by the Olympic Council last week, Mr O'Neill wrote that the position with regard to the nomination of Jarvis was as ho bad already advised.

When Mr O’Neill forwarded Jarvis’s rci|iicst on at the Otago Centre’s request. the matter bad not been considered by the council for the reason that there .had been no meeting. At the last meeting of the council lie reported that Jarvis’s nomination and that of R. Frankhain (Auckland) had been forwarded to the Olympic Council. and his action was approved. Mr O’Neill stated that he also suggested to the Olympic Council that a trial race might bo advisable. The nominations of Crump, Frankhain, and Jarvis wore therefore all before the Olympic Council in proper order. The decision ns to actual selection rested with the latter body, and the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association was unable to take the mutter beyond the point of nomination. The Secretary of the Otago Centre stated that Air O’Neill’s letter had cleared the position, but in the letter lo the Otago Centro the secretary of the Olympic body had written as though Jarvis’s nomination had not been made bv the Swimming Council at all.

■ The position is further explained by a letter that has been received by the secretary of the centre from - one of the members of the Olympic Council Who was written to on the matter. This letter states that at tho meeing at which the team was finally selected the claims and performances of Jarvis and Frankbam were both put forward by Mr O’Neill in his covering letter forwarding the supplementary nominations, but the Olympic Council was of the opinion that there could be only one “ best,’! as it were, and as the. nomination of Crump was definite from the N.Z.A.S.A., while Jarvis and 'Frankbam were hardly the same, the selection went to the former after the performances had been thoroughly discussed, but in view of the fact' that Crump had jirovcd himself during the season and his performances were consistently good it was logical at tho time that lie should be selected. This member of the council said it was unfortunate that Jarvis’s lino swims came a bit too late, but said that Jarvis should aim at the npxt Olympic Games, as he had only to keep up' his present progress to be well in the running. He also pointed out that the Olympic Council had always opposed sending two men for one event just because tho required money could be found for the one not originally selected. Otago Centre officials who have been approached on the matter are of opinion that the Olympic Council’s decision would now appear to be final, but it seems to be generally agreed that haying regfard to tho fact that Jarvis did the fastest 100 at the national championships and to the very unsatisfactory nature of the start of the final, Mr O’Neill’s suggestion regarding a special trial ■ might have been favourably considered.