NATIONAL COUNCIL OF SPORT

Southland Times, Issue 23140, 5 March 1937, Page 6

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF SPORT

PLANS OUTLINED (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 4. Plans for a National Council of Sport were butlined by the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) at Parliament Buildings today to a representative gathering of Dominion sports executives. The proposals are to be submitted to the various organizations and the Minister will call a further meeting after June 30. “I have called you together in order to discuss the formation of a national body whose object is the encouragement and development of all sport with the co-operation of all the different sports bodies and the co-odination of all their activities,” said the Minister. “My considered opinion is that the foundation of a system of national physical well-being must be in the schools. Children will be taught real physical education, including something about their own physical make-up.” The Minister went on to say that the Minister of Education, whose responsibility this was, would be represented on the National Council. For the sake of continuity of organization he would control the physical education and instruction of children so long as they remained at school. In the plans for the inauguration of a National Council of Sport the Government considered that existing organizations need not be interfered with. Provincial councils would link up with the National Council. The council would consist of representatives of sports bodies with the Internal Affairs Department represented; The work of providing national playgrounds required urgent handling. The national body would have to control pavilions, gymnasiums, swimming- baths, places of educational instruction, and libraries and organize parades and demonstrations of physical fitness.