COUNCIL OF SPORT
STRONG SUPPORT FOR PROPOSAL UNITED EFFORT URGED Unanimous support for a proposal that a provincial council of sport should bo formed in Dunedin was expressed at a meeting of representatives of sports bodies held in the Council Chambers lust night, and after the meeting bad been addressed bv the area recreation officer (Miss Diary'Martin), the delegates present approved ot the principle, and a provisional executive was sot up to draw up a tentative constitution and to eonvent* a further meeting after the delegates bad reported back to their respective associations. The meeting, which was convened by the Dunedin District Physical Welfare and Recreation Committee, was presided over bv the president ot that eommitce, Mr H. Harris, and the following bodies were represented Lawn Tennis Union. Bad in in ton Association, Cricket Association, Swimming Centre. Surf Association, Amateur Athletic Centre, Athletic and Cycling Union. Men’s Basketball Association. Women's Basketball Association. Table Tennis Association. Rowling Centre. Ski Club. Alpine Club, Women’s Cricket Association. Miniature Rifle Association. Men’s Hockey Association, Women's lloekev Association, Rugby Union. Ladies’ Bowling Association. Boxing Association, Cricket League, Football Association. Weight Lifters’ Association. Baseball Association, and Croquet Association.
The Chairman expressed his pleasure at the excellent representation of sports bodies, and explained that tbc meeting bad been eal'ed bv tl’o D"nedii> I’livsicd Welfare and Recreation Committee, and if a sports federation wore formed it would not be under any form of Government control, but would have complete control of its own affairs, the idea being that it should represent the interests of all sports associations in Dunedin. It would discuss various problems of a general nature, arising from the individual bodies, and by its united efforts should obtain results more far-reaching than would otherwise be the case. NO GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE Any suggestion of Government interference in sport was repudiated by the area recreation officer (Aliss Alary Martin) at the outset. She said it had already been suggested in some quarters that it was the 11 thin edge of the wedge,” but nothing was farther from the fact. The Dunedin Physical Welfare and Recreation Committee was an' advisory body to the Government, and it had been appointed on an individual basis rather than as the representative of any particular body. It bad convened the meeting, but the proposed Council of Sport would be the one most closely concerned with the various sports. Aliss Afnrtin outlined what had been accomplished in Invercargill, which already had a provincial council of sport, and referred also to the activities in Christchurch of the Pioneer Sports Club, which spoke with the combined voice of 35,000 participants in sport. If a provincial council of • sport were formed here, it, too, could speak with the combined voice of all the sports bodies in approaching the Government or other authority. AN " UNKNOWN PROBLEM.” “ We are inclined to talk loosely about the number of people who don’t participate in sport,” said Miss Martin, “ but actually it is an unknown problem.” They all wanted to see many more people participating, and one of the functions of the proposed council would be to obtain a survey of the number* of all people actively engaged in all forms of sport in Dunedin. There was no register of sports bodies, executive officers, and so forth, and if some such register were compiled it would bo very helpful, too. “ A big question in Dunedin is that of adequate facilities,” said Aliss Alartiu, and she added that this applied not only to sports bodies, but to the secondary schools. I have been surprised at the lack of playing facilities the secondary schools have in Dunedin,” she stated, and that was one thing the proposed Council of Sport could concern itself with in the making of recommendations to the City Council. A burning question with individual sports bodies, said Miss Alartin, was that of ground fees, state of some of the grounds, places where dressing sheds were required, and so forth, CONTACT BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND CLUBS. The desirability of establishing contact between children leaving primary and secondary schools and various sports clubs was also referred to by the speaker. There were many who were good players, but many more who were not, and it was dhe latter class from which many possible participants were
lost when they left school. Lists had been prepared by the Physical Welfare and Recreation branch, which provided for a survey of the children participating in various forms ot spurts, the. spurts they might like to take up, and such like, and if these lists were passed on to the associations the contacts thus established should result in a large number of children being brought into clubs or sporting activities of some kind who otherwise might be lost sight of. The speaker said tiiat some schools had excellent coaches, but where coaching was lacking the Council of .Sport might be able to assist by arranging with associations io piovide coaches to assist the teachers.
Miss Martin said that the proposed council could also interest itself in the matter of adequate facilities for indoor sporting clubs, which often had difficulty in getting sufficient space, and in addition to work of the nature outlined, she said there was the possibility of a definite combined war effort by ail the -sports bodies in Dunedin. Something was being done 'already to raise funds, but she thought there might he scope for a good deal more, both in the development of physical fitness and in the raising of money. She mentioned the effort that was being made in Invercargill. where a minister pageant was being staged to-morrow in which fj,ooo athletes would take part. HEADQUARTERS FOR SPORT. Dealing with the lack of a central headquarters for sport in Dunedin. Miss Martin spoke of the activities of the Pioneer Sports Club in Christchurch. which had behind it 35.0U0 sportsmen in Canterbury. This had clubrooms where all sports bodies could meet, but the various sports bodies in Dunedin were compelled to meet in various offices and odd rooms. The advantage of some such place was fairly obvious, and a provincial council might consider the acquisition of some rental premises as a sports headquarters. These were but some of the activities a council of sport might undertake, but sin? was, satisfied that from its activities nothing but good to sport could be achieved. SUPPORT FOR PROPOSAL. Mr D. C. Jolly (Rugby Union) said he was vciy much in sympathy with the movement. One of the best points brought forward was the matter of grounds, concerning which most sports bodies in Otago had had difficulties in recent years. One of the biggest problems was the provision of grounds for the younger players, and in his opinion the proposed council could do something by presenting a united front in its efforts to obtain adequate playing facilities for each sports finely. A point made by Mr W. A. Jenkins (Swimming Centre) was that at least ]-3 per cent, of the priniarv schools of the city had gymnasiums which were “ white elephants." If the Education Board would grant the use of these it, might ho possible to arrange for capable gymnasts to take classes in various parts of the city. Miss Martin mentioned that the secretary- of the Education Board had informed her that all the gymnasiums in Dunedin and the country could ho made available for such a purpose providing the various parents’ committees agreed. Possible coaching schemes could he arranged in the various gymnasiums.
Mr D. C. Cameron (who was present representing tlie Cricket Lone-tie ns veil ns in In’s canacity ns n moinlier of the Physical Welfare nnd Recreation Committee) said lie was sure the Ifducat'on Hoard would sun-nort the scheme if the 'gymnasiums- enuld ho used, for -at present. the. gymnasiums ns s"ch were a liability to the schools and the hoard. Mr Cameron added that Dunedin was particularly fortunate in having Miss Martin appointed hero as area reereation officer. for they had all been creatlv iinnressed hy her enthusiasm. He felt that the ' sports_ federation would meet a want in the eitv a’ l '] that some n-nnd WO'dd evolve ont of it. Mr fJ. A. Marlin (Cricket Assocmtion) also supported the nroposal. Ho said that Dunedin had fine grounds, and thov had been improved hy the efforts of the sports bodies themselves. He declared that it was as much the dntv of the City Council to provide playing areas for the growing youth as it was to -provide (lowers. Air C. W. Clark (Amateur Athletic Centre) ' said that tlie proposed headquarters for sport would fill a muchneeded want. Mr R. W. S. Rotting (Rugby Union) said he was much interested in the provision of adequate playing areas for schools on the hill, and if the federation did nothing else lint assist in this direction its formation would be justified. Some time ago, a deputation from the Rugby Union and the secondary schools concerned had approached the City Council to sec if something could ho done to develop Jubilee Park as a Rugby area for schools on the hill, and all they were told was that the cost was prohibitive, and that it would he much hotter if the schools concerned bought a -playing area themselves. “That was actually the end of the move wc made to improve the playing areas,” concluded Mr Rotting.
Messrs G. AUQucen (Athletic and Cycling Union), R. Fulcher (Boxing Association), AT. Haig (Football Association). S. Gilkisnn (Alpine Club), T. H. Atnlholland (Hockey Association). IT. S. Reid (Rowling Centre), and J. Robson (Cricket Association) all expressed themselves in favour of the proposal, and a motion expressing the approval of the constituent sports bodies of the iprinciplc of the formation of a provincial council of sport was carried unanimously, a provisional executive being sot up to draw up a tentative constitution and to convene another meeting after delegates have reported to their respective associations. The committee consists of Alessrs H. Harris, VJ. A. Jenkins, D. C. Jollv, R. Fulcher, C. W. Clark. AT. Haig, G. A. Alartin. H. C. Isaacs, Airs C. Sonntag, Al'ss AI. A. AlTvenzio, and Miss Alary Alartin.
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Evening Star, Issue 23692, 27 September 1940, Page 4
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1,687COUNCIL OF SPORT Evening Star, Issue 23692, 27 September 1940, Page 4
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