POLITICAL CONTROL OF SPORT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 5, 1 October 1943, Page 6

POLITICAL CONTROL OF SPORT

Denial By Minister REPLY TO REMARKS BY MR. S. S. DEAN An emphatic denial, that the Government had any political.aims so tor the control of sport was concerned wa= made by the Minister of Internal Affaire, Mr Parry, when addressing. delegates from 12 provincial councils ot sport assembled in Wellington yesterday. Mr. Parry said he -had oeen at a complete loss to understand the attitude ot Mr. S. S Dean, representing rue New Zealand Rugby Union, who was reported as saving that he would like an assurance that there would be no political control or interference, and that no patronage should be accepted from the GovernmeThe Minister stressed that be had no wish to see political interference in sport, and that was also the attitude ot the Government. Their concern was first with the physical welfare of the people. Allegations that the. Government contemplated the regimentation of sport, or making sport compulsory, were nonsense. There was no thought ot btate C Government desired to have absolutely no part in the organization or administration of sport, said Mr. Parry. Its concern was in the broad aspects ot the matter, with the best means of Providing for the people’s leisure, to assist them to re-create their mental and physical fibres. This involved assistance by way of grants for grounds and so on. The - Government realized it would nave to find a large sum to secure recreational areas after the war Mr. Parry added, however, that unity was essential among the sporting organizations. ’ He noted from the report of the opening day’s proceedings some confusion and differences of opinion. He wanted an assurance of unity to support him in his representations to Cabinet. He supported the idea of a national council as-a body to which he could refer matters for advice, and from whom he would receive advice. A sub-committee consisting ot Messrs. Meltzer. Kitto and Falconer . was appointed to recast the constitution on the lilies of the amendments moved, and also to draw up a report of the proceedings for submission to the national bodies. Several matters raised by delegates were approved as noti'ces„Qf l ,motion to be discussed at the next meeting. These included the encouragement of the teaching of sport in schools, and approaching the Government for financial assistance in tiding the new organization over a period. Two subjects on the order paper, one at the instance of Waikato relating to the taking over by the Housing Department of land used for recreation, and-the other at the instance of Otago relating to the distribution of equipment, were held over till the next xneetTlie meeting concluded with tributes to the Wellington provincial council for its work, particularly in respect of equipment. to Mr. A. S. Falconer, its secretary, and to the Otago provincial council and its secretary, Mr. R. S. M. oin-r-iair. through whose initiative the conference of delegates had . largely been brought about.