SATURDAY’S SPORTS RALLY

Southland Times, Issue 24239, 24 September 1940, Page 3

SATURDAY’S SPORTS RALLY

FAST-MOVING TABLOID One of the most spectacular programmes ever to be presented in Invercargill was approved at last night’s meeting of the National Fitness Rally Programme Committee. In the absence of the chairman (Mr P. Linton Hodge), the area recreation officer (Mr L. W. Woods) presided. There were present Messrs L. R. Lopdell, A. J. Kingsland and E. R. Service and Miss Helen Black, of the head office staff of the Internal Affairs Department. The rally will begin at 1.30 p.m. with a tabloid sports programme for primary schools. This involves nearly 1000 children. The events have been fixed as follows: Boys, sack race, wheelbarrow race, and jockey race, girls, sack race, skipping race and threelegged race. In each event 10 children from each school will compete in the same heat, and the winner of each heat will run in the final. The march past and rally will begin sharp at 2.15 p.m. and will probably last for three-quarters of an hour. At 3 o’clock the general programme is scheduled to begin, and from then on there will be three or four events always in progress. The mam feature of this programme is the tabloid competition for men’s and women’s teams. Arrangements were completed by the committee by which 16 events will be taken at one time on three separate fields all on the main ground. As each team leaves the marshalling area it will proceed from event to event .till the cycle is completed. For the men this will be, first, the broad jump, then the 100 yards, the shot putt, followed in turn by the throwing the football and the 75 yards hurdles. During this part of the afternoon some 104 competitors will always be competing on the ground at any point of time. Another highlight,of the programme will be the exhibition of marching to be given by the bands, and this is set down to begin at 3.30. The Boys' High School Drum, Trumpet and Bugle band will contribute a spectacular fan march in front of the main stand, and considerable time has been spent in rehearsing this event. In other parts of the ground other events will be decided. In front of the old stand several bushcraft events will take place, and all the jumping events will be in this locality. On the croquet lawn there will be a croquet tournament, and on the tennis courts a display of tennis and badminton, featur-

ing leading exponents of both games. In front of the main stand a display area has been set up, and throughout the afternoon there will be a continuous programme of boxing, wrestling, dancing and cycling including many novel entertainments. t , During the afternoon the Womens Patriotic Committees will have charge of stalls in the grounds. The entire proceeds of the afternoon are to be 'devoted to the London fund for the relief of air raid victims.