TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27291, 18 January 1950, Page 8

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

SWIMMERS FOR GAMES CRITICISM EXPRESSED Criticism of the fact that the Otago members of the New Zealand swimming and water polo teams for the Empire Games had had to make their own arrangements for travelling to Auckland was expressed by the secretary of the Otago Swimming Centre, Mr J. Wilson, at last night’s meeting of the centre,

“ The bookings should have been made by the Swimming Council or the Olympic and Empire Games Association,” said Mr Wilson, ’’for jio tin-pot club in the Dominion would expect its swimmers to make their own arrangements.” Mr W. C. Wallace said that the two water polo players from Otago who had gained selection had not received warrants for travel until attention had been directed to the matter. "Athletes have also had to do their own booking,” commented Mr R. A. Baker.

It was decided to write to the New Zealand Swimming Council protesting that members of the team had been left to make their ovvn travel arrangements to proceed to the games, a difficult matter at such a late date, and also to express disapproval of the indefinite announcements that had been made concerning the date of assembly of the team. In committee the centre considered a report from the manager, Mr D. Forsyth, and the chaperon, Mrs C. W. Ingram, on the visit of the Otago team to the New Zealand swimming championships at Auckland, and a motion was later carried, expressing dissatisfaction at the non-inclusion of Miss H. Forsyth, the national Women’s 220 Yards Breaststroke champion, in the games team. It was pointed out that she was the only national title holder over an Empire Games distance, either in swimming or athletics, who had not been included in the New Zealand team. t . .. It was resolved to protest to the Swimming Council at tlm shortness of the notice given Miss Forsyth of a special Empire Games trial after she had won the championship. It was said that this also affected other visiting swimmers, all of whom understood that no further race was to be held. . It was also agreed to convey to the council the centre’s • dissatisfaction with tire inconsistent way in which trials were arranged, and also at the fact that promising juniors were not given the opportunity of taking part in trials against senior swimmers, other than the one breaststroke race which was arranged at such shoit notice.