SHALL ROSE GO?

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12404, 25 March 1926, Page 6

SHALL ROSE GO?

DEPARTURE POSTPONED MAY LEAVE BY AORANGI FROM AUCKLAND NOT SUFFICIENT FINANCE—YET Hints were yesterday thrown out at the meeting of the council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association that unless the fund for sending Rose abroad made more rapid progress in the course of the next week the position would be that they would have to sond Rose with a companion. The chairman, Mr R. W. McVilly, vetoed this idea, and said he would rather abandon the matter altogether.

However, things are not quite so serious as indicated in the above paragraph, for, as Mr J. W. Heenan said, it is only 15 days since the decision was arrived at to send Rose to England and the Continent—and possibly America—this in response to public opinion after Rose’s great performance against Hahn that “Rose ought to he sent to meet Nurmi.” It required a day or two to put things in motion, an organiser was got to work two days later, and in thirteen days they had raised about £6OO (an approximate figure and on the safe side). The meeting was called.for the purpose of ascertaining the position of the fund and arranging the street days, otc., and it was reported that Wednesday, March 31st, had been approved for the street day collection, when the badges will be sold. When the various collecting lists had been gone through and other sources of revenue approximated it was found that the amount in hand was about £575. In face of this Mr Heenan submitted that while the public response to the appeal was sufficient to warrant the departure of Rose himself, the amount in view was not sufficient to enable the council to send Rose and another by the Makura on the 30th inst. Under the circumstances it was desirable to delay Rose's departure for a fortnight, and he should leave by the Aorangi from Auckland on April 13th. This delay would not prejudically affect Rose’s chances of competing in his best form at the English A.A.A. championships on July 13th, as he would be going straight tlirough to England afteT sailing from Auckland instead of spending a fortnight in America. It was true he would miss the opportunity of a few training runs, but that would be made up* for by the opportunities for exercise in the gymnasium on board the Aorangi. Further, the extra fortnight would give both Rose and his companion more time to arrange their private affairs, and the council a sadly needed opportunity of considering carefully details of the tour. This statement met with the approval of tho council, and the suggestions contained in it were adopted. Mr Heenan: If funds in hand are not sufficient by April Kith to send Rose and a companion we must send Rose by himself. The chairman: No we won’t. We will call it off. We can’t possibly send Rose on a world tour by himself. “GETTING THE WIND UP” Mr Heenan suggested that some of the members were getting over anxious about the finance. They should wait until April Ist before “getting the wind up.” By that time they would ’be able to get reports. in from the association and other bodies which were helping, and the amounts that were on the subscription Jists. The chairman pointed out that there were the proceeds of the street day collections to come, and these would augment the fund very considerably. Finally Che meeting was adjourned until to-day to consider the question of appointing a companion to accompany Rose on the tour. ART UNION HELP Subsequently the chairman was ap* proachea by the “Times” representative on the subject of an art union. He stated that the tennis and rowing associations were now running an'art union, and had agreed, if it could ho arranged, to devote half the proceeds over a certain period, probably three weeks or a month, to the Rose fund. He (the chairman) had seen the Minister for Internal Affairs and others concerned, and the matter had been satisfactorily arranged. As a result of this the fund should benefit very substantially. It was also possible that Rose would be able to attend an athletic meeting in Auckland prior to leaving by the Aorangi.