ATHLETIC TEAM

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 97, 18 January 1935, Page 11

ATHLETIC TEAM

New Zealanders Depart For Melbourne CAPTAIN APPOINTED The appointment of Mr. J. B. MacFarlane as captain of the atnletie team which is to represent the Dominion at the Centenary Games at Melbourne was announced yesterday, when the team was entertained at morning tea tit the Grand Hotel by the Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. The team left later in the day for Sydney by the Wanganella. In wishing the team every success, Mr. R. W. McViliy, president of the New Zealand A.A.A., expressed the hope that the members would uphold the best traditions of the Dominion in the field of sport. Previously, he said, New Zealanders who had g'.ne abroad had not only done well on the field of sport, but they had also maintained the credit °f the Dominion off the field. As an indication of that, he noticed in the newspapers a letter written by an old New Zealand sportsman, who said that, among the ODD athletes who took part in the recent British Empire Games, the New Zealanders stood out for physical appearance and conduct on and off the field. ■ The team would meet strong opposition, and they could not be expected to win every event, but he urged them to strive to win fairly and squarely. He felt sure that the team would return with their escutcheon as clear as when they went away. Mr. H. L. Towers, managit of the team, said all members appreciated the honour that had been awarded them by being selected to represent New Zealand. They would meet string opposition, but they felt they would- rather be beaten by top-notchers than by mediocre fields. The team did -not make any wonderful promises, but there were two which the association could rely on being fulfilled. The team would act on and off the field as New Zealand teams had always done, and they would also do their level best on the track. The view that the selection was as good as could have been made was expressed by Mr. A. C. Kitto, president of, the Wellington Centre, and also the selector, who added that he felt confident that the team would make a name for itself. -Very high honours could not be looked for, because the team would be competing against some of the world’s best athletes, but it would help greatly in building up a young team which would be worthy of holding Its own in the next Olympic Gaines. Opportunity was also taken by Mr. Kitto to present a fountain pen to Mr. T. J. Crowe on behalf of the Wellington Amateur Athletic Club.