JOURNALISTS REFUSED ADMISSION TO GAMES SWIMMING POOL

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 February 1950, Page 6

JOURNALISTS REFUSED ADMISSION TO GAMES SWIMMING POOL

AUCKLAND, Last Night (PA).— Overseas journalists visiting Auckland to report the British Empire Game> tonight, wore refused admission to the Olympic Pool al Newmarket, alter t.'icy had declined to give an undertaking not to publish the times put up by English swimmers against a team of Aucklanders. Aoout a dozen journalists from Engi L.nd and Australia declined to give th- undertaking and accordingly were denied admission to the pool. The occasion was a privately arranged carnival designed to provide the members of th? Englisn team with racing practice be-ore the opening of the swimming events of the Games on Saturday. A number of races was held, but no ceremony was attached to the proceedings. Mr A- J. Kingsland, the starter, who is also the official starter at the games, did not use a gun and no platings were announced. In some of the events only two swimmers competed. The principal feature was a number of bystanders who took unofficial times on their personal stop-watches. Several of the overseas journalists heard of the proposed carnival today, and during the afternoon one or two raised the question of admission to the pool to watch the events. This was referred to the chairman of the organising committee of the Games, Mr C. Rex Moore, and several members, who decided that the request of the English swimming manager, Dr. A. D. Kendall, that no times be published must be respected. When the jour* nalists reached the pool shortly before 8 p.m. they were refused admission.

Mr W. O. Stockley, chairman of th? Auckland Swimming Centre, was then brought to the door. In answer to requests of the journalists that they be allowed to enter, Mr Stockley said he had been instructed that no journalists were to be allowed into the pool except on an express understanding over the publication of times. When this undertaking could not be given Mr Stockley said he regretted that he must obey his instructions. He then returned to the office and the journalists remained outside.

After waiting for a few minutes the journalists had a free look over the northern wall of the pool before they returned to the city to cable their accounts of the incident.