N.Z. COUNCIL OF SPORT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 25 November 1943, Page 5

N.Z. COUNCIL OF SPORT

35 DELEGATES MEET IN WELLINGTON CONSTITUTION ADOPTED Wellington, This Day. Thirty-five delegates from all parts of the Dominion, representing provincial councils of sport and national sporting bodies, who conferred in Wellington yesterday, formed the New Zealand Council of Sport, adopted a constitution and elected officers. Mr W. A. Jenkins, president of the Otago Provincial Council of Sport and president of the New Zealand Swimming Association, was voted to the chair, and Mr K. A. Falconer (Wellington) was elected secretary. Much time was given to consideration of the proposed rules of the council. It was agreed to accept the draft drawn up by the New Zealand Cricket Council.

There was a long discussion on whether the council should embrace both amateur and professional bodies. No. 3 of the proposed rules contained the following: “The words ‘sport,’ ‘athletic games and ‘physical development,’ wherever used in these rules, and hereafter referred to as ‘sport,’ shall mean and include all forms of sport, athletic games and physical development, both amateur and professional, other than such as are conducted for the personal gain of the individual ptomoters thereOf.

Mr Baxter O’Neill (Christchurch), secretary of the New Zealand Swimming Association, moved as an amendment that the words “both amateur and professional” be deleted. He said that the objects of the Council of Sport were to encourage sport among the youth of the country. A great proportion of boys took part in no form of sport after leaving school, but engaged m activities, and the object of the council was to get them interested in some form of physical recreation. The council did not give “two hoots” whether they were amateurs or professionals so long as they took up some form of sport.

Mr D. E. Wanklyn (New Zealand Cricket Council) seconded the amepdment, which was carried.

The election of officers resulted as follows:—President. Mr W. A. Jenkins (Otago); vice-presidents. Messrs A. C. Kitto (Wellington) and D. E. Wanklyn (Christchurch); secretary-treasurer. Mr K. A. Falconer (Wellington); management committee, Mesdames H. D. Muir and Wilson, Messrs J. Meltzer, K J Hayr. V. L. Allen, M. M. Munro, D. T. Woodfield, and Captain C. L. Mullaney.