EMPIRE GAMES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20541, 16 February 1935, Page 8

EMPIRE GAMES.

Plan to Hold Athletics at Melbourne. CAPTAIN HUNTER WILL HELP. CSpeclal to the ** Star.") MELBOURNE, February 4. The success of the Centenary Games has caused Victorian Amateur Athletic Association officials to look ahead and more international competitions may be seen in Melbourne. At a dinner in honour of the teams the hope was expressed that the British Empire Games would be held in Melbourne. The manager of the New Zealand team (Mr H. Towers) said that arrangements were now being made with the Victorian association for a team to tour New Zealand in 1937 and for a return visit by a New Zealand team in 1939. Referring to a suggestion by Mr G. Langford that the State should provide a £IO,OOO guarantee for Empire Games to be held in Melbourne in 1938, tjhe manager of the British team, Captain Evan Hunter, said that the Victorian Association was capable of organising such a meeting, and that Melbourne was a most suitable city, with the necessary facilities. If an application were lodged, he, as secretary of the British Olympic Empire Games Association, would do his best to ensure that it received favourable consideration. The need for a special ground for track and field athletics was emphasised by Mr Langford and Captain Hunter. They agreed that to obtain the best results, and to gain sufficient funds for any ambitious athletic project, a suitable ground was essential. They said, too, that all spectators should have to pay for admittance. The Finns, said Mr J. B. Fawcett, had been surprised by the high standard of the Australian competitors, but they considered that Australians should turn seriously to the study of field games. Lesson to Critics. Captain Hunter said that the failure of the British athletes to strike their true form, although they had worked hard, was a lesson to overseas critics. Australian athletes were as good as their Australian performances indicated, but they, too, had great difficulty in striking form when they travelled abroad. In his opinion our sports meetings should begin with more running events, to waken enthusiasm earlier. He thought, too, that more heats would serve to “ warm up ” both the athletes and the spectators. The New Zealand team had been one of the best to go abroad, and some of its members were likely to be in the next Olympic team, said Mr Towers.