SPORT CO-ORDINATION

Evening Star, Issue 22443, 14 September 1936, Page 11

SPORT CO-ORDINATION

NATIONAL COUNCIL PROPOSED [P»r United Press Association.] ROTORUA, September 14. The Minister o f Internal Affairs (Mr Parry) is at present paying an official visit to Rotorua district. He arrived on Saturday evening from Taupo and Tokaanu, where he inspected the trout hatchery and received several deputations from local residents. On Saturday evening he was the guest at a smoke concert tendered him by the sports bodies of the district under the chairmanship of the Mayor of Rotorua, Mr T. Jackson. In replying to the toast of his health, proposed by the mayor, Mr Parry said that he hoped to be instrumental in forming a national council of sport, a body which woufyl endeavour to achieve a greater measure of co-ordina-tion among the various sporting bodies. He hoped to see the day when certain days would be set aside for various sports in order to avoid the jostling which took place at present. The Minister said that it would be his aim, and that of the Government, to promote the growth of healthy sport of all kinds. He referred particularly to the efforts he was making to improve pheasant shooting by the establishment of a game breeding farm at Ngongotaha, near Rotorua, and said that ne was satisfied, after the investigations he bad made, that there was no lack of trout in the Rotorua and Taupo districts. The fish were in splendid condition, and he was convinced that a great deal of the talk about deterioration in the quality of the fish in the district was balderdash. Nevertheless. he was concerned to see that the quantity of trout food in the lakes was maintained, and to this end had established a special research department, which had the matter in hand. On Sunday afternoon, the Minister visited Rotoiti, where he presented a special flag to two sub-tribes of the Arawa. The flag was a gift from the Native Minister, Mr Savage, and was intended to replace an old flag given to these two tribes by the Government many years ago Mr Parry also read a message from Mr Savage, expressing the goodwill of the Government toward the Maori race, Mr Parry was received with traditional Maori ceremony, sitting down to a hangi, served in Maori style, and being presented with several Maori gifts. To-day the Mininster will be engaged on departmental business, and will receive deputations. He leaves on Tuesday for Waikaremoana.