NEW YEARS, DAY SPORTS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3371, 27 December 1919, Page 4

NEW YEARS, DAY SPORTS.

i Another notable indication of a re~ .tu‘rn to pro-war condit‘ion of mind, as lwell as of things in general, is the resuscitation of the New Year Day icarnivai by the Taihape Athletic Club_ This is ‘the great athletic cvcnt of the year for the whole Taihape district; there are most enjoyable sports held “in surrounding settlements, but this is the central affair at which gla.sia.tors from rural districts meet to determine the championships for the year. Almost from the very earliest times of which we have definit history simi» lar sports and competitions have been held. Whatever the means of locomotion may ever have been, or over may -be, nothing in that conneefion ever has, or ever will, continue tohold its popularity and interest like «the trials of human fleetness or.‘ foot, ‘agility, strength, and manly prowess, isuch as have been held since the bommencement of history, and will ere.tinue to be held so long as two young 1111811 are left to compete one against ?the other on“t-his old earth. limo:--N car racing ‘is paling into insiignificauce ‘ before the now. fastlzr .-y‘leVe§_Qpillg aeroplane; it aids»science_:zs appliufl to mechanics‘ to hold.-motor ra.ces, but it is“ essential. to devolopment of human health and endurance to. hate

such contests as will take place on the

Recreation Ground, on New Yeats’ Day. Next Thursday, Taihape p.=u~ ple will be enjoying almost pr-eci.-;..~.1_v similar athletic competitions, Olympic games,Aas those that were t.:rking place in'Greece, when that country was in the van of the World's. civilisation, 776 years before the birth of Him whose anniversary the whole ()hl'i.~'tian world celebrated ycs‘;er«‘lay. For

nearly three thousand I-’e-are il'H3Se‘ ‘athletic competitions have been held. ' I and they will continueto be lir.-.1..r.l ti‘.-ree ‘ thousand years after our tim-_>., if this 3 old world lasts so long. The training ' of the youth of the nation was an important matter, and the most splml:li«,i_ national festival of the ancient Greeks was that periodical conlp«.:titi.on lrnewn to them as the Olympc L-’alues,' but better and more generally known in our time as Athletic Sports. In fact so much importance did ancient c-iv:’lZi-lsations attach to the (lc‘;'elopliier.-t cf the strength, fleetness of foot, and agility of their youth that the Olympia, the place where these great athletic competitions were held was considered to be sacred. }‘}nC(ll'iT.il,?,’3lllßllt of physical culture is U 0 1-1395 5"§1li30I"C----ant and essential in Taihape now than ‘it was in the Peloponuesus, -zlosc on I three thousand years age; physical culture is more necessary than physical, science. for human .‘:eult'll must precede education. We are at times in our-history inclined to lose sight‘ of the real, the natural proportion of ‘things, but surely there ~;=houl'rl never; be any semblance of our neglect tel encourage that culture that will render % the physical frame of man of the highest degree, all that the Creator‘2nten«;l—ed it should be. If all this is as we interpret it, the "most popular event of the year should be the periodical Athletic Sports, as their prototype, the Greek Olyrnpiali Games. were three thousand years ago.. The greatest prize, the most" coveted trophy, in those old times was a crown of.laurel; a few laurel leaves Woven into a! chaplet, which were placed upon the head of the most successful athlete Fwith great ceremony The prizes to {be won next Wednesday do not consist iof laurel leaves, for there are many ;pounds in British. .currency, besides very valuable trophies,’ to be won by various competitors in the ..different events. We look forward to far greater publieinterest being displayed in the annual athletic competitions now that they have recomnl‘enced, for‘ we have learned what a life and death ‘matter, health and strength, the‘ utmost that physical culture can ac-' complish is when such a- war as that’ which is now in the past, was present. The Athletic Club is doing everything possible to make the first after-war competintiong particularly attractive and no effort is being left‘ unexerted in providing all the convenience and comfort possible for those attending. from the country. it remains for townsmen to be present in such numbers as ' will constitute a hearty welcome to country people. A If settlers in rural‘ surroundings are to accept the town’.-—= various invitations. something 1110103 than mere giving the invitation is. necessary. _ ' !