A Trip Cancelled

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 507, 9 November 1928, Page 6

A Trip Cancelled

American Athletes will Not Now Visit N.Z. PELTZER FOR AUSTRALIA The New Zealand athletic world has been buoyed up with enthusiasm, believing that a team ° r three of the best athletes of the United States, Borah, Kuck and Lermond, would tour the Dominion this season. But, after much venting of prospects and possible arrangements, the news came through last week that the trip has been cancelled. As the advice came from New Zealand’s American representative. Mr. C. G. Krogness, it must be taken as authentic. The main reason for cancellation was that the Foreign Relations Committee of the U.S.A. Amateur Athletic Union had declined to grant any more leave than is allowed for the international rules, viz., 21 days. Mr. Krogness added, however. t:iat there was a suggestion that the tour could be made the following season. To say that the cancellation is unfortunate is to put it mildly. New Zealand, now eagerly bent on testing a whole lot of new talent, could have done with a visit from class exponents, as the Americans named undoubtedly are. It is passing strange, further, that America, which is looking for support from every country for the next Olympic Games, at Los Angeles, should stop such a tour as the one proposed. Despite the very definite advice from Mr. Krogness, Australian papers tell a different story. A New York cable, dated October 17, announced that the Foreign Relations Committee had approved of visits by American teams to New Zealand and Australia. Similar notification has been given Mr. E. S. Marks, secretary to the Australian Amateur Athletic Union. Mr. L. A. Tracy, the New Zealand secretary, points out that Mr. Krogness’s cable is more recent. But the New Zealand A.A.A. should make certain that the trip is off. Dr. Otto Peltzer, the German champion, is expected to visit Australia this season. If there is no hope of an American tour of the Dominion, the New Zealand control would do well to discover if an extended tour of overseas athletes, should any visit Australia this season, is practicable. Meanwhile, if the report of cancellation is authentic, New Zealand athletes will have to resign themselves to the usual round of club and intercentre events.