SPORTING POLITICIAN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 546, 26 December 1928, Page 16

SPORTING POLITICIAN

MR. E. S. MARKS’S 14TH VISIT TO N.Z. ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS Mr. E. S. Marks. M.L.A. for North Sydney, New South Wales, is probably the best-known man in sport in Australia. In addition to his activities as a politician he is honorary secretary of the Amateur Athletic Union of Australia, president of the Amateur Boxins and Wrestling Union of Australia and vice-president of the New South Wales Rugby Football • Union and of the New South Wales Amateur Swimming Association. Mr. Marks first visited New Zealand in 1896 when he took a team of athletes to Christchurch. Since then he has paid periodical visits to the Dominion, usually with sporting ventures. This is his fourteenth trip to New Zealand. He is also New Zealand's representative in amateur athletic circles in Australia. Mr. Marks said yesterday that a suggestion has been made by New Zealand that the New Zealand and Australian athletic championships be held alternately in each country every two years. A vote is now being taken among all the male athletes in Australia and if the majority desires it the first of the championship meetings will be held in Australia in 1930 and the next in New Zealand in 1932. This is the outcome of New Zealand's break from the Australian amateur athletic body.

Mr. Marks said that Australia was looking forward to a visit from the All Blacks and he thought that their team would give the New Zealanders a good game. Rugby was coming back Into its own in Sydney. The union now had the cricket ground and he thought they would soon be getting their old crowds of 40,000 at the matches. "What can one say of the tests?” replied Mr. Marks in answer to a question on Australia’s losses. “There will be big changes in the next match.”