SOLDIER ATHLETES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 12, 28 July 1919, Page 6

SOLDIER ATHLETES

bPROGRESS REPORT FROM LONDON. The following letter has been received bv the, honorary secretary of the Federation of the New Zealand" Patriotic Societies, Advisory Board:— * London, .Tune 6. "I am directed by the G.O.C. to convey to yon tho thanks of all ranks of the NeT Zealand Expeditionary Force for your handsome donation of i£3ooo for tho provision and furtherance of sport niunngst the troops detained in England durinir the demobilisation period.

On February 12 last I advised you that it was probable that by the ' end of March there would be no New Zealand troops in France, and this proved to be correct.

It was found, however, that owing mainly to the shipwright's strikes hert, the return of the troops to New Zealand had been considerably retarded, and as a consequence a number of the troops would be retained in England for some mniths before their/turn for evacuation to New Zealand would come round.

.As nothing more quickly breeds discont.».ir and unrest among a, body of health? men than having to endure a lengthy period of enforced idleness and the carrying out of long set parndes and training exercises under the conditions existing during the demobilisation could only tend to prove irksome, it was necessary to promote and encourage sports of all kinds amongst our troops here.

Some classes of sport, such as football, are not very costly to run, as they call, be made self-supporting, but a sport such as rowing is not only costly to initiate and maintain, but is quite non-produc. live as far as revenue is concerned.

As the G.O.C. had in view the, encournE?niont of rowing, running, and shooting ns well as football, it was decided to approach you, with a, view to obtaining the necessary financial assistance, hence the cablegram advising you that a grant o? up to ,£3OOO for the furtherance of spnrt amongst the troops detained in England would bo welcome,

A Sports Control Board, presided over, bv the G.O'C., is charged with the administration of moneys earmarked ' for scorfs purposes, and has in hand Hie question of the promotion of 6ports generally.

'1 lie following list of what the New Zealand Forces here Jcu'e already achieved this year will be ofinterest to you:—

Rugby Football.—Won international Service tournament and King's Cup; defeated Wales in international at Swansea : won Southern Command Cup.

Rowing—Won international rights on Hie Seine. Running,—Won great International Relay Race, 1 mile, in 3min. 30 2-ssec., lowering the British record by 2scc. We have in view for the future the following international events:— Roving.—Markov and Henley Regattas (King's Cup for latter), Olympic Games at Paris. Km ning.—Olympic Games at Paris. Shooting.—Paris International Shoot; Bislev championship and King's Prize.