EMPIRE GAMES TEAM

Chronicle (Levin), 23 July 1949, Page 5

EMPIRE GAMES TEAM

( N.Z.P.A ,

—Reuter

Britain Plans To Raise Fnnds For 80 Atliletes

Ca&iHffht)

Received Friday., 8.50 .p.m. LONDON, July 21. At a meeting - of the Empire Ggmes Appeal Committee • field in London^ tfifi vveek plans were diseussed for raising a fund of £15,000 to cover-the expeii|es in coqnection witfi tfie'Britisfi athletics team for tfie Empire Games in Auckland. Tlie committ.ee is wprking on tfie assumption that a te'am of .approxiuiately 80 will be sent . ; from.. thfi country, The president of the apiioaj committee is the Secretary of State fo" Corqjuowwealtfi Belations, Mrv PhilRp* Noel Baker, and tlie vice-president m the .Earl of Gowrie, . ' - . The committee ineludes a nufnber of distinguished people. . It has-., glready. circularised amateur athletic cliibs in all parts of the conntry asking tfiem to organise local appeals^ The New Zealand Minister of Finance (Mr. NaslO during his visit to London diseussed questions eoncerning the Empire Garqes finances with Mr. Noel Baker, and assured the British authorities tfiat- New Zealand was anxious to receive as large a British team as possible. Mr, Nasli attended the English athletie championships at White City last Saturday and assisted in presenting the trophies. Argument Over Three-day Tests In addition to the controversy abput three-day tests for New Zealand tfip M.C.C. is now f aced with a further con- ' troversy about its decision to allhcate only three-day tests to-tlie West Tndi'es when they tour Britain next year. The adyocates of four-day tests are pointing out that during the winter of 1947-48 when an M.C.C. team under G. O. Allen visi-ted the West Indies it lost two of the four tests and the other two wero drawn. While it is admitted that Allen 's side was by no means England 's, it is recajled that the West Indies beat Wvatt's 1934 team which included Hammond, Leyland, Hendren Ames and Farnes. Oue critic remarked that as the West Indies are reported to have developed a battery of fast bowlers three-day tests might well prove to be more than sufficient! Triangular Athletie Contest • The Dutch Olympic star, -Mrs. Fanny Blankers-Coen, who dominated the women 's section of the Olympic Games in London last year, will be seen here again on August 20 when she will run in a triangular contest between Britain, Ihe Netherlands and France at the White City. It is unlikely that tfie French woman star, Mademoiselle Mieheline Ostermyei*, who won the Olvmpie discus and shot-putting titles, will be a member of tfie Freucfi teato, Mme. Ostermeyer has now afiandoried shot-putting in favour of piano playing and is studying to become a concert artist. No British Team for Sokol Tfie bad feeling wfiieti ha? developed between tfie countries -'behind tfie iron curtain and those in .tfie west over sporting matters, is likely to be aecen, tnated by the decision of the British Amateur Athletie Board to refuse to send a British team to the Sokol Games to be held in Prague (Czechofiovakia in September. A cable from the British authorities snnouncing this decision stated that they though t it upwise "in the present. cjreumstances " to send a team. Officials of the Amateur Athletics Board steadfastly refused to explain or expand this statement. It is, however, an open seeret that the Britisli authorities fear a repetition of political ineidents and •"hat they are determined not tq allow their teams to become objects of politieal demonstrations. It was the Sokol Organisation which demanded the withdrawal of the Czech tennis stars Drdbny and Cernik from the Swiss tennis championships last week. Plans had been made to send a team of 60 British men and women athletes to Prague.