BRITISH EMPIRE GAMES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20587, 28 November 1936, Page 16 (Supplement)

BRITISH EMPIRE GAMES

PROGRESS OF SYDNEY PREPARATIONS

“Australia is expecting the biggest contingent of athletes for the British Empire Games in 1938 to come from New Zealand.” said Mr Dudley Hellmrich, manager of the Australian swimming team, which is at present in New Zealand in an interview concerning the coming Games at Sydney. Mr Hellmrich is one of those who have been permanently appointed to the Organising Committee of the British Empire Games, and he has been on the Executive Committee ever since it was formed. The venue of the sporting events has been decided, Mr Hellmrich stated. The track and field athletic events will be decided on the Sydney Cricket Ground, which has a very fast grass track, the swimming will take place in the new Olympic pool at North Sydney, the cycling will be held at Henson Park, Merrickville, the rowing will almost certainly be held on the Parramatta, and the boxing and wrestling will be at the Stadium. Merrickville is a great district for playing facilities, and Henson Park was originally an enormous brick pit. The council sloped the sides, levelled the bottom, and drained the ground, which is now one of the finest recreation grounds in Sydney.

The New South Wales Government has granted £lO,OOO towards the cost of running the Empire Games, and Mr Hellmrich said that the intention was to grant to each country competing a certain sum for travelling expenses according to the size of the country and the grade of the athletes. It was proposed that there should be one official for every three athletes, and, with the exception of the marathon, representation from any one country in a particular event would be three. While the assistance given by the Organising Committee would only apply to a certain number of athletes, Mr Hellmrich said It was hoped the teams would not be confined to that number, and it had been impressed upon him before he left Sydney that he should do all in his power to see that New Zealand had the largest representation. The Agricultural Society’s ground in

Sydney was being utilsed to house the teams, and the pavilion there would be altered, bedrooms, dining rooms, billiard rooms, and rest rooms being provided. This was 20 minutes from the city, five minutes from the running track, half an hour from the baths, and an hour from the rowing course. The rowers, however, would probably be housed on the river.

Mr Hellmrich mentioned that, within five minutes of the Agricultural Ground on the Municipal Golf Links, the Sydney City Council was going to lay down an athletic area. A cinder track would be laid down, and this would probably be available for training purposes. He mentioned that the Sydney Cricket Ground had just erected a new pavilion to house several thousand people.

Every inducement is to be given to people to visit Sydney for the Games, and for £1 Is a special souvenir ticket will be available admitting to all branches of the Empire Games.