COUNCIL OF SPORT

Grey River Argus, 31 March 1943, Page 3

COUNCIL OF SPORT

We learn that the first steps have been taken towards the formation of a .Westland Council of Sport. The West Coast Centre of the. New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association has circularised the West Coast controlling authorities ot the various shorts clubs, setting forth the objects, of the Council and enclosing a copy of the proposed constitjition. A meeting of delegates is to be called as soon as word is received as to when Mr W. A. Jenkins, of Dunedin, will be available to address a meeting. Mr Jenkins, who is president of the Otago Provincial Council of ..Sport, has assisted in the formation or Sports Councils throughout the South Island and m v\ ellmgton and it is.hoped that he will be able to visit Greymouth s-o that the representatives of West Coast sports bodies may lave the benefit of his valuable experience and advice. Mr Mutt, Physical. Welfare Officer of Christchurch, is also to be invited to attend the inaugural meeting. The Council, when formed, should be able to accomplish a great deal in the interests of sport on the West Coast fpr there arc certainly many matters which will require its attention. All the affiliated bodies will no doubt have proposals, suggestions and requests to place before the Council and in the interests of the community generally we would suggest a few of the more vital matters which merit the early attention of the proposed Council In the first place, there is a decided lack of sports grounds on the West Coast and difficulty is experienced even now in accommodating the various sports requiring fields for their activities. It will be a paramount duty of the Council to arrange for the. acquisition by suitable authorities of land in or near the boroughs of Greymouth and Hokitika, and probably in other localities, for the purpose of recreation and sports grounds, sufficient to accomm'odafe the greatly increased numbers who, it is hoped, will be actively participating in sport after the war. Secondly, Grcym'outh has a fine swimming bath, but the bath buildings arc, to say the least, hopelessly inadequate, and out of keeping with the bath itself. Here the Sports Council can assist in making efforts to secure funds for the purpose of erecting bath buildings -which will bo a credit to the town, not a disgrace. It is the Governnfent’s aim that every person in New Zealand shall be able to swim and this object cannot be attained unless adequate and decent facilities are provided. Possibly in this connection, the Sports Council could assist in efforts for the provision of learners’ baths at tjie schools. Greymouth does not possess gymnasium facilities and we would suggest that this lack is a matter which should concorki the Council of Sport. There is vacant land at the site of the Municipal Baths. Why not. plan new bath buildings to incorporate a large, modern, well-equipped gymnasium in the one building scheme Scientific exercises adopted to suit the requirements of workers in the various types of industry play an important part in any planned scheme of physical fitness, and for this purpose a gymnasium is essential. Factories in the Soviet Union have their own gymnasiums where time is allowed for the -workers to indulge in exercises which have been, especially evolved to relax the muscles they are using in their work and to develop those "muscles which would otherwise not be used. Industry has not yet developed, to an extent where such means would be justifiable here, but the same ends can be attained by the provision of adequate facilities and competent instruction in a public gymnashim. We make these suggestions in the belief that they are matters vital to the health and physical fitness of the community and that as such they will be considered as soon as the proposed Council of Sport has been inaugurated. We express the hope that “1T WON’T BE LONG NOW.”