CONCERNING WINTER SPORTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 258, 1 May 1912, Page 7

CONCERNING WINTER SPORTS

WHAT NEW PLYMOUTH LACKS. Chatting with a News representative yesterday, a visitor from Wellington, who takes a keen interest in athletics, expressed his surprise that such a football community as New Plymouth should be without proper training facilities in the shape of a well-equipped gymnasium. »To his mind the town could never hope | to get the best results from its foot- | bailers and followers of other field sports f while it remained without an institution | of the kind. By a gymnasium, he meant, !in effect, a covered-in football field 'on, of course, a reduced scale. As in the case of those provided at Wellington, and doubtless at other centres, it was essential that the floor should be composed of Mother Earth, with a substantial covering of tan—finely-shredded bark used in tanneries. On such a surface as this, no matter how forcibly he hit the ground, a player would stand no more risk of being hurt than on the football field. Inside a gymnasium football teams and players of kindred sports, fully stripped, were able to practise to their hearts' content under almost ideal conditions. Provided it was big enough, a gymnasium would permit r* - match being played in its entirety, except that goal-kicking would have to be omitted from the programme. Such a building could bo erected at New Plymouth for a =ma]l outlay. All that was | needed was practically a shell of galvanised iron, lined all round inside with match-lining to vc height of. say five feet. A shower-bath and a few gas-light's 'on-' cased in bulbs of reinforced glass—practically unbreakable—were all that would V required in the shape of furniture. As far as he knew, the gymnasiums in the vicinity of Wellington Were owned by football clubs, who in some cases let them on certain nights in the week to other sports bodies. In New Plymouth, however, the best plan would be for Rugby, soccer, and hockey enthusiasts to combine and erect a gymnasium, I which they would all jointly own and control. Each body could then be allotted certain nights on which to use the building. A News reporter brought'

the suggested scheme under the notice of several local athletes, and all agreed that the idea was a capital one. Of course, it is too late in the year to think of erecting a building during the present season, but what should be done is to convene a meeting of the various sports bodies at an early date, to decide on a campaign for the purpose of raising funds by way of a bazaar or like entertainment, or by whatever means might be thought fit. Given sufficient enthusiasm, it would be possible to glean enough cash to secure at least the option over a suitable site before the present season is over. Then next summer the erection of a building could be proceeded with in time for use for the 1 1913-14 season. For the present it behoves sombody interested to move in the matter so as to give the necessary lead.