OLYMPIC GAMES TEAM

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11655, 20 October 1923, Page 10

OLYMPIC GAMES TEAM

DOMINION’S ‘‘QUEEN’’ ELECTION TO RAISE .£20,004. New Zealand intends to semi the strongest of athletes available to the Olympic Games in Paris next year, ami, to defray the cost, which will be considerable. the Council ot the Olympic Games Association has decided to oiiganite a Dominion-wide ‘'queen” election. The scheme was outlined at a meeting of the council last night, when Air A. T. Davies was in the chair. It is intended to invite nominations of candidates from all sports bodies, and other public or semi-public bodies, including citizens’ committees and clubs or associations throughout the Dominion. The four centres, Auckland. Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, are to be regarded as separate electorates, and the country districts, including the various provincial towns, will constitute other electorates in their respective provinces. Taranaki and Hawke's Bay will each lie a single constituency. Marlborough. Nelson, and Westland, combined, will form another separate voting area. This method lias lieen suggested with a viewto making the voting as nearly equal as possible on a population basis. Each electorate may nominate as many candidates as it desires, ami at the conclusion of the voting period the winning candidate in each district shall receive the votes secured by the remaining candidates in licr electorate, and the hading queen candidate in the electorate which records the highest aggregate of votes shall be regarded as the winner of the contest. It does no! follow, therefore, that the highest individual record will win the contest. The prize to the queen of tile Dominion will take the substantial form of a' trip to the Empire Exhibition, to be held in London uexi year. Return fare from New Zealand to London will be paid, together with an ample allowance, tlic totul value of the first prize being assessed at .£4OO, Other prizes will be allowed the runners-up. An age qualification is to be set. and no candidate will he accepted who baa not passed lier nineteenth birthday. The Olympic Council hope to raise .£20,0' f by the effort.