The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, JULY 21st, 1921. THE OLYMPLAD.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 July 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, JULY 21st, 1921. THE OLYMPLAD.

The Olympic Games now in full swing in Paris, are occupying much public interest because ot tho prowess of the competitors. Some phenomenal performances are being put up and arrest Public attention. These, games have un interesting history and the authorities have endeavoured to preserve as far as jiossible many of the original characteristics. Jn ancient Greece the Olympic Games were a religions festival and Vere .'the outstanding event in the Helenie world. Time was reckoned by Olympiads—the four years’ period between tho celebrations of the Games—and the Olympiad was named after tho champion. During ! the month in which the games were held all enniites were laid aside, and a sacred truce was proclaimed throughout Hellas. When, on one occasion, this truce was violated, the offenders were considered to ho guilty of unspeakable impiety. The Competitors came from all porta of Greece. They Had to be persons of good repute and

had to swear solemnly that they were properly trained and that they would not indulge in Joul play. The latter oath is still taken. At Olympia the strictest -amateurism prevailed. The modern athlete may receive a cup or a trophy, Put the prize at the Olympic Chimes was an olive wreath. However, as victory was deemed to collier a signal honour upon the State of which the hero was a citizen, he was usually rewarded with public privileges and immunities when he returned home iu triumph to Jay the Olympian crown upon the altar in the principal temple of the city. The games survived many conquests ot Greece, and eontiimed to ho celebrated until late in the history of the ltomnii Empire, though with diminished glories. Material splendour there was in plenty, hut professionalism was recognised—the Homan K'niporoms .bestowed magnificent gilts upon the victors—and the religious element wholly disappeared. In 391 A.l). the festival was abolished by Theodosius “for all time.” Some years ago the Games were revived in Athens, and since then they have I icon held periodically —although in 1010 they lapsed on account of the war—in various European cities. At first they were on a com paratively small scale, hut they have constantly increased in magnitude) and this year they are a most imposing affair. If an ancient Greek weio to visit Paris now, he would be unable to credit the evidence of Ids senses. The fanfare, of the heralds, the procession, the “kakoiirgoma”, or solemn oath, lie might recognise. But the rest would seem very exotie to him. In his day only persons of pure Hellenic blood could participate, and the competitors hailed from the ten or twelve little States which constituted Hollas, But at Fails there are many who are not even of European blood. Fortv-fivc nations are represented, and the contestants come literally from the ends of the earth, from lands the very existence of which our Greek had never suspected. The contests themselves would bewilder him. Tn his day there were twenty-fourj at Paris the number is far greater. Koine the running, leaping, javelin throwing. gymnastics, and so Forth—would he quite familiar to him. Others to which he was accustomed lie would miss. 'Where, for ‘example, is the long-distance race in which tire runners wore the full equipment of heavy "armed soldiers; where tile six contests open to hoys; where the various chariot races, with their teams of horses, mules, or foulsP And some of 'lllO contests would strike hint as bizarre, even grotesque. He 'would see stalwarts racing iu miniature galleys of exceeding narrowness and thinness. Tlte rhythm and the perfect unison of the oarsmen’s movements would delight him, but the spectacle Would surprise him. He would see white-clad athletes hitting at a hall with a curious instrument—a framework of wood, and strings made out of the intestines of some animal. He would see men in multi-coloured costumes kicking, to all appearances aimlessly, a leather sphere. Tu fine, when he returned to the nether world ho would have a strange tale to tell hi.s fellow-shades. Bui there is one thing lie could lejHirr that would give them .satis! action. ’I lie spirit *if generous emulation, the keen rivalry is just as strong as it was 2500 years ago. For a time, after their revival, the Olympic Games were regarded with a degree of disfavour by sporting bodies in op r tain countries. The management was not invariably all that it might have been. Officials were accused of partisanship. Oil certain occasions the proceedings were marred by unfortunate incidents. The superstition that true sportsmanship is the monopoly of the British peoples died hard. N T o doubt the prejudice against those Games may once have Ik'oii justified; but ve are- assured bv those who rfro competent to speak that it is so n longer. Mr P. .T. Baker, for example, author of an article on the Games in a recent number of the “Empire Review,” is well qualified to hear testimony. He has competed in the Games twice—in 1012. and again in 1920. when he captained the English team. “Tt is certain.” lie writes, “that there was not” (in the days to which we have referred) “the atmosphere about the Games, nor the traditions that already, in the brief interval which has elapsed, they have genuinely acquired. It is now no figure of speech to speak of the spirit of the Olympic Games. That, spirit is a real thing. Tt is felt by every team, and by every individual competitor who takes part in tliein. And it is that spirit which makes it now almost morally impossible for a competitor however excitable and however anxious to win. to resort to tactics to which the representatives of other nations could object.’’ And Mr Baker is firmly convinced that the spirit which now prevails makes the Games something more than a series of athletic contests. “The Olympic Games, let us recognise the fact, are nothing loss than a democratic league of sporting nations.” and. as such, an effective agency for the promotion of goodwill and understanding

sontod to Parliament- on Friday. An outline of the report appeared in the prfevious issue. The report is an adverse one so far as tbe local bodies are cou*ernod ) and it is not too much to say that as far as the terms and reasoning of tiro report in question are known from the brief telegraphic summary, tlio conclusions of the Commissioner are nothing less than astounding. It would not be fair to traverse the report on tlie bare itttonnatiou to hand, but there are certain aspects of the question which will bo worthy of notice nud comment. It is over a year since the Commission sat, and looking to the negative nature of tlio report the Government is certainly to blame grievously for withholding the report so long. It shows very little concern on tlie part of the Ministry for the welfare of tlie local bodies affected, or else it indicates that Ministers were disposed to shelter eventually behind the report- as a screen to avoid performing what they had promised the local bodies in tne matter. The Ministers must accept the blame also for the lloyal Commission boing the inadequate instrument it lias proceeded to be. When the Commission was appointed, the promise was made verbally that the order of reference would cover, what is known as hack royalties, and that it would be determined what was due to local bodies for amounts no appropriated to them in terms uf the law. It is understood the amount involved is a very considerable sum, and is ail increasing quantity. Yet when the Commission sat the order of reference did not cover that highly important aspect. In view of tlie present report submitted it seems more necessary than over that the whole question of the arrears of payment should lie reopened, and tlie local bodies will fail in their duties to the ratepayers if the matter is not further pressed by all the means in their power. Apart from this the gen«ral trend of Mie report seems to indicate that tlio originating basis of the law affecting timber royalties has been ignored by the Commission. Also, th© report ignores the unfairness of the notion of the Government to the local bodies (and incidentally to the ratepayers) in tlio confiscating action which appropriated legitimate revenuo from the local bodies for the expensively conducted Forestry Department. And the Commisxionor goes further and in pursuit of that policy seeks to lake for all time the local revenue from standing timber and appropriate it to bolstering up the extravagantly run department controlling what are now styled State Forests. The law is ignored by the Commission as laid down iiv Parliament in 1905 and ‘subsequently, and the equities of the ease are brushed aside also. The Commissioner in his report appears to pursue the same line of biased attitude as lie did in the conduct of tlie Commission. From the very outset the Commissioner did not appear t« grasp tin* legal history and sequence of lawful administration of the principle under which royalties were assigned to the local bodies, and that ignorance of the legal position has boon carried into the compilation of his report, which as far as the, telegraphic precis is concerned, seems to ignore absolutely the legal position, and the true equities of the case at stake.

Tin: buttle for timber royalties on tbe part of the local bodies ba.s been a lone drawn out conflict. For fully ten years now the councils have been seeking their own. The intervention of the war period delayed the adjustment in sight just at a time when the case for consideration was coining to be appreciated. 'When the negotiations were being resumed down came ' the State forest policy with its confiscatory clauses, which penalised unduly counties such ns Westland with its native wealth of standing timber. It wiil ho recalled that about fivo years ago the lion. Minister in charge of the Forestry Department met the local bodies at Hokitika, and in the course of the discussion promised financial relief. The Prime Minister has made similar promises. Not any of the Ministers have attempted so lar to fulfil those promises, which suggests that the Ministers were quite insincere in the matter. As all the Coast local bodies are affected, .it will he for the local bodies to again marshal their forces and attack tlie Ministry !>v deputation and otherwise. Their lawful claims are being ignored. Xo equitable conu-fideratdon is being shown them. Finally the definite promises of Ministers to make good lost revenue one not being carried out. If the local bodies are to he treated by the Government of the day in this manner the position calls for very serious consideration on the part of members. They are there to watch tlie interests of tlio ratepayers concerned, and if the latter are not receiving a fair deal from the Government, it is time to make a public protest which will he effective and he recognised throughout the Dominion. We have held all along that the confiscatory policy governing the ndniinistrntion of the State forests is a gross injustice t» 'Westland, and is penalising the district more unfairly. Its tinllier wealth is being exploited to prop tip all expensively managed State Forest Department, which is conducted at. a cost far beyond its possible returns. To foster a fad the country is paving dearly, and the heavy end of the cost is falling on such districts as AVeslland where the forest wealth is being taken compulsorily from the local people for their developmental works, and transferred to holster up the accounts of the State Forest Service, so elaborately conducted under the present regime, ll the ratepayers of this and adjoining districts are alive to the serious effort upon local revenues, they will Isuniting to back up the local bodies in making a resounding protest. so that the people from one end to the other of the Dominion will realise the groat injustice being put upon the communities affected. Tt. is at least pleasing to notice that the leaders of both he ’.liberal and Labor parties demanded a discussion in tlie House on tbe report- in question. Messrs Wiltord and Holland should be thanked for t.hcir advocacy of the rights of the local bodies, and the latter should see that the complete story of the <.-isc is told on the floor of the House as a further means to make public tlie unfair action of the Government in the matter.