OLYMPIC GAMES

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 111, 8 February 1928, Page 13

OLYMPIC GAMES

GERMANY TO BE WELL REPRESENTED GREAT FORCE OF ATHLETES Bi Telegraph.—press association. (Copyright.) (Rec. Fenruary 7, 7.10 p.m.) Berlin, February 6. With customary thoroughness Germany is mobilising not far short of a battalion of athletes to contest events at the Olympic Games, where they will outnumber any nation. Champions like Peltzer, Koernic, and Houben are competing in sprints and middle distances and are supported by sixty-five men and twentywomen in light athletics, and forty swimmers. Germany is well represented in heavy athletics hockey, football, fencing, cycling, rowing, boxing, and gymnastics. The women’s contingent totals 276.— A.P.A. and “Sun.” DOMINION’S REPRESENTATION EFFORTS TO RAISE £lO,OOO Immediate appeals are to be made to the New Zealand public to contribute .£lO,OOO so that the Dominion may be adequately represented at the Olympic Games at Amsterdam in July .and August of this year. This decision was reached at a meeting of the councils of the Olympic Games Association last night. By invoking the aid of the Press and governing bodies of affiliated sports clubs throughout tho Dominion, the Olympic Games Council hope to achieve its objective of .£lO,OOO by March 20, when tho subscription lists will be closed. It was decided to have suitable subscription lists drawn up and printed, also to ask the Government for permission to circulate them throughout State Departments. The council hopes to despatch a rowing team totalling twelve, which will include tho eight, coxs, and a coach and two extra men, two boxers, two or more athletes, and four swimmers, together with a manager. The matter was introduced last night by Mr. J. W. Heenan, who said that the association had to get right ahead with its appeal for funds. Three out of the four national associations were likely to bo represented, mid had. made definite promises of sums amounting to .£lOOO. The boxers, swimmers and athletes had provided moneys which had to be dealt with in a particular way. Ho moved that a letter be sent to the editor of each newspaper in New Zealand asking him to open up a subscription list on behalf of tho Olympic funds. Air. A. D. Bayfield said it was agreed that an appeal should be made and be would second the motion. Ho thought, however, it would be better if donations were unrestricted.

Mr. Heenan said that tho Boxing Association and other sporting organisations were governed by their own rules, and moneys they donated had Io be utilised for their own particular field of sport. Aloncys received in the public appeal should go (o tho general funds. He thought that tho howling clubs might do something to assist the dispatch of a team, and that rowing clubs might appeal to old oarsmen to give io tho funds.

The motion was then carried unanimously. “The whole problem of finance,” said Air. Heenan, "centres around the rowing section. A batch of twelve is to bo provided for. Wo have a standard of rowing in New Zealand that has never been so high as it is to-day. flowing was the Cinderella of sport. It. did not receive much in the wav of a gate, and was a costly sport with regard to upkeep.” Air. Heenan added that he thought tho bulk of oninion in New Zealand was in favour of sending tho best possible team away. The chairman. Air. IT. Amos, said he agreed with Mr. Bayfield in his opinion that the general public ought to know’ what the representation and its cost was to be. He thought tho public would then be hotter satisfied, and know what tho association was aiming at. It fvas then decided to move in the direction of making efforts to raise the amount without delay.