DOMINION’S OLYMPIC TEAM

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 129, 29 February 1928, Page 6

DOMINION’S OLYMPIC TEAM

ORDER OF MERIT NEEDED CONFERENCE TO BE HELD In case sufficient money is not raised to send all the nominated athletes to tiie next Olympic Games the New Zealand Olympic Council is calling a meeting of the bodies interested for next week to settle a general outlet of merit for the team. This action was decided upon at the instance of the actingchairman (Mr. J. W. Heenan) at last night’s council meeting. "People are asking when the Olympic team is going to be selected,” said Mr. Heenau. "If the money is available the team is already selected. We have received four nominations .of swimmers from the New Zealand Swimming Association, two nominations of boxers from the New Zealand Boxing Association, three athletic nominations (which are automatically reduced to two by Rose's retirement) from the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. Also, we have the nomination of a rowing crew, consisting of ten men, a cox, and a trainer, from the New Zealand Rowing Association. Who Is Going? “If funds are available all these men will be sent. This council does uot come into it at all. Who is the best athlete in any particular line is purely a matter for the associations themselves, and thb men will be sent provided that the money ia there. Recently there has been internal discussion among the representatives of two bodies on the subject of the nominations. With this we, as a council, arc not concerned. However, this further question arises, and now becomes the real issue: iu the event of sufficient funds not being available, who is going? “There is onlj’ one thing to do: wo must call the conference of representatives of tho selection committees of each national association, together with one or two representatives of this council, to come to some arrangement as to the order of merit of the whole team. The New Zealand Swimming Association says that Aliss Stockley comes before Aliss -Miller, but we know nothing as to whether the Swimming Association considers that S. A. Lay comes before Miss Miller, or the rowing section. This is a matter to be settled by agreement, if possible, or, failing that, by the Olympic Council. To Settle the Matter. “I move that a conference be called for Tuesday of next week, one representative to ba nominated by each national association from its selectors, with two representatives of the Olympic Council, to settle the order of merit as between the representatives of the different sports. The business of this conference will be to settle the order of merit of the various athletes nominated. “In the case of the first string of the boxing team I may say that the New Zealand Boxing Council has put in sufficient money to send this representative to the Olympic Games.” Members agreed to the conference, and appointed Alessrs. H. Amos and J. W. Heenan the council's representatives at the meeting.