POLICE ATHLETES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22988, 16 March 1938, Page 17

POLICE ATHLETES

AUSTRALIAN POLICY RETURN OF DOMINION TEAM The manner in which sports activities were fostered among Australian police forces was the subject of comment by Detective D. M. Whillans, of Auckland, manager of the New Zealand police team, which returned by the Awatea yesterday after competing successfully'in the recent inter-State police games in Sydney. Detective Whillans said the police authorities encouraged the men to take up some branch of sport and generous facilities were placed at their disposal.

Illustrating the important light in which sports ability was viewed, Detective Wrtillans said that men seeking admission to the force were asked what athletic qualifications they. held. In Sydney a huge sports ground, gymnasium and other facilities were available to the men, who 'held regular interdivisional athletic competitions. In proportion to the numbers competing, the * New Zealand team had been more successful than any of the State teams in the recent games, Detective Whillans said. That was in spite of the fact that most of the New Zealanders were heavily handicapped in their events. The games were the first at which New Zealand had been represented bv a team, although individual competitors had taken part previously. Next year it was hoped to send a larger team, including men for the tug-of-war contest, which was one of the most important events.