PHYSICAL FITNESS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 181, 18 August 1937, Page 7

PHYSICAL FITNESS

Setting-up of Advisory Council by Government CONFERENCE" DEC1SI0N (By Telesraph— Presa Associatlon.l WELLINGTON, This Day. Thc selting-up of a National Council of Sport and Recreation was considerod by a conference to-day bctwocn reprosentatives of Dominlon sports bodles and tlie Ministor of Intemal Affiairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry. | Following a long discussion by the ^elegates, Mr, H. McCormick, president ,of the Now Zealand Olympic and Brlt* lish Empire Games Association and sec'; iretary of the New Zealand Amatenr Athletica Association, moved: — 1. Tl;at the conference agree that jthe nfttional aetion is necessary to inculcato a wider rcalisation that physical. jfitness and physical recreation have a| tvital part to play in promoting a healthy mind and human happiness. 2. That the conference is of the opin- ' ion that, beeause of tlie wide scope of its activities, the national character of ; ,any council of sport and recreation can best bc secured by the direct appoint* ment of same by the Government as an| advisory body and not by eleotive rep'. resentation of sectional national intercsts and recommends to the Government aecOrdingly. 3. That the conference considers the whole qucstlon of sport and physical recreation generally of such national importance in connection with the nation,al use of increased labour as to warrant Ihe immediate attention of the GdVern-j >ment and people generally. The motion was seconded by Mr. F.' .Dunn, of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association. On the ipotion of Mr. P. Coira, it was agreed that the basis of national sport in New Zealanc| should be the British Government 's proposed schemo, It was decided that the setting up of a committee to W6rk with the Minister should ba left to tho New Zealand Olympic and British Games Council. Dr. IV. R. Fea (Timaru) said greater facilities were wanted than existfed to-day. He reforred particularly to swimming facilities. Death by drowning was a scourge in this country and he thought there was no doubt in this respect great value would result from. the conference. Improvcment in the general standard of health would result in a barrier being raised against discase. Miss Stevenson, national secretary of the Y.W.C.A., speaking from the pOinfc of view of the needs of women and girls, said that oue great noed was the Cstablisliment of a sound course of physical instruetiOfl fo# teachers. Mr. G. J. Sceats, Waitaki BoyS' High School, stressed the importance of the work in sChools. Tho roots of the suc cess Of sports lay in the plastic period of youth. He thought tho present edu* eational system, althOugh doing good work, smacked too much of what was was ealled scholastic. Greater stress was laid on the development of tho mind and the body as a teaching subjject had becn grcatly neglectod. Tho mind and body wore not scparatc Cntitlcs and tliat, he thought, was one weakness of the British proposhls. Mr. J. W. Heciian, Under-secretary of Ihe Dcpartmcnt of Internal Atfairs, said he thought there whs a possible danger of enthusiasm and earnestnesa putting too much stross on the words "education and sport." They must stfive for the maintenance of the spirit of play, and that was the basis of the enjoyment of life and even in the most r £ompetitivo formi «£ sport ..the. play; »