N.Z. ATHLETES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16492, 9 November 1927, Page 6

N.Z. ATHLETES

“CAN HOLD THEIR OWN” HOME TEAM’S VISIT SUGGESTED (Special to the Herald.) - AUCKLAND, this day. “I am quite satisfied that our New Zealand boys can hold their own in any kind of sport.” With this conviction Mr. H. Fry, vice-president of the Amateur Athletic and Boxing Association of Wanganui, returned to New Zealand yesterday by the Marama after making an extensive tour of the Old Country, during which he came in contact considerably with the successful Dominion crieketers.

While in England Mr. Pry took the opportunity of discussing the prospects of getting English athletes toJ tour the Dominion, and while in Lon-4 don visited the Stamford Bridge ing and saw Lowe, the long-distanc4 runner, in action. He also saw Dr.' Porritt, of New Zealand, who has registered some wonderfully good times on the track at Home, arid who will probably return home if a team of English athletes can be induced to make the trip. Lord’ Burleigh, who is very fast over hurdles, was one of the men mentioned as being possibly willing to accept an invitation to visit the Dominion in\he near future. v “It is my icfea that we should encourage English athletes to come Out without paying t. attention to other countries. In/this way I think wo would get much more satisfaction,” added Mr. Fry. He explained that the English athletes ranked with the best in the world, and in the recent contest with America had only been beaten in the field events. TEAM FOR OLYMPIAD FUND OF £7OOO NEEDED (Eer Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. Proposals for raising funds to sefld a New Zealand* team to compete at the next Olympic Games were outlined by Mr. organiser of the New Zealand Olympio Council, who stated that it. would cost £7OOO to send four men. He said the council would appeal to the Government for help, when it was' shown that the public were supporting the proposals. Mr. Forrest was assured that Auckland would do its best to help in raising the funds. The chairman said the feature that appealed to him most was , the raising of a fund of £20,000 to pro- , vide more grounds and stimulate train- V' ing. The actual sending of a team to, l|> the next Olympiad appeared to him be a secondary consideration.