Sports Reticle

selves into the hessian screened en closure, where they sit on the ground or stand. There are few seats available, but nobody minds —so long as those in front remem ber to keep their heads down.

Best positions, though, are often got by those who don’t pay to get inside the hessian they perch on breadfruit trees outside.

Usual time for a Nukualofa box ing match is 5 p.m., when light is good.

Four coconut boles support the ring ropes and a native string band keeps the crowd in a happy mood between the prelims. There is no smoking, because Tongans aren’t allowed to smoke in public.

is little doubt that there is plenty more material in the country that has produced Lave and Halafihi.

But It AH Depends

On If

From Norman Baxter, in Suva FIJI has nominated a team for the Empire Games to be held in Cardiff in Wales in July, but there are enough “ifs” and “buts” about it to allow one to venture an opinion that it is doubtful if even one of the team will leave Fiji shores.

Finance is the bugbear, as it always is with sport in Fiji.

Three men have been named in the team, and the cost of return passages is something more than £1,500. The only way to raise the money is by public appeal, and with a big appeal in progress at present for the Suva Youth Centre, with another likely for the Anti-Tuber culosis Trust Fund, the public might not feel inclined to dip in its pockets for more money.

It will be a thousand pities if Fiji is unrepresented. She had teams at the 1950 and 1954 Empire Games, and at the 1956 Olympic Games, and each time her athletes caught the eye.

First man in the team and cap tain is Mesulame Rakuro, a discus thrower, who just failed to qualify for the finals of the discus throw at the Olympic Games. Jo Tokona, a high jumper, who has bettered 6 ft 6 in. is second man, and Viliame Liga, a javelin thrower, is third.

Mesulame and Tokona represented Fiji at the Malayan Independence Games.

At least the cost of sending a manager will be saved. Mr. W. P.

Ragg, who managed the 195© in Melbourne, will be in Engles leave, and should a team Cardiff he will take over the; agerial duties.

535 Miles Round

And About

mHE Fiji Motor Club’s 53£ X Easter Rally is the kiii car race that calls for stf —but it also needs intelliiJ Run around the main islau Viti Levu, it means the 6 have to know how to navigas It is not surprising that thtr two cars this year were navy by experts, in John Common Director of Public Works, and) Haren, a surveyor (although i the first time Haren had ao done any navigation).

Instructions for each day’s c were issued half an hour I each car left the starting and with little time to plas addition to having to contend) an unknown number of secret c points, the navigators found t selves working overtime. To 0 the speed scheduled for a partf section meant running the rh coming to a secret check early, with a consequent loss « points for each minute.

Mrs. Audrey Woodlands, of Madang, had a runaway margin of eight strokes to win the Papua-New Guinea women's golf title the same weekend. —Papuan Prints.

That's the Papua-New Guinea golf c[?] ship trophy that Bernie Hack, of Lae, ing. He won it for the third time, Moresby in April, after a marathon [?] 72 holes with last year's title hold[?] Biddle, of Wewak. —Papuam

ty-one cars entered, and 25 d. But one had to withdraw ;ning before the start, so only asualties out of 30 actual s was pretty good going, uraged by the success of this first class rally, the Fiji Club now proposes to enter big programme of events the coming year.

h and Aussi

1 at Tennis

a Correspondent in Hollandia : a closer political and eco mic liaison already estab led, Papua-New Guinea and ands New Guinea decided nth to get together on the ield, too. d-May, a team of six P-NG players three men and omen—will fly to Hollandia k selected team from the ands New Guinea Tennis t will be the first inter . sports event in either ter is far as anyone remembers.

Netherlands side of the ssued the invitation.

\ Woodworth May

Return Visit

J. P. Shortall, in Auckland formon Missionary Chuck dworth, who successfully lantled the Tongan Torpedo land some time ago, and is k in the States, may be in o re-appear in Auckland timer, if the Auckland Box ociation proceeds with its plans. 0 be invited here are Joe 3 of Jamaica, and Johnny of Tonga, both at present and. Woodworth has noti ,t he would be free after ir. He has a series of fights IS until then.

Man Not

ed In the Ring

' looked like being an in :sting professional light wyweight bout between lefata and Semi Waisale at 1 on April 21, was spiked military authorities when led that Waisale, of Fiji, ot be given permission to e ring. He is a member of Military Forces, time ago Waisale was by Mike Ravula, but had ocivi Bau. Later it was an that lefata would fight Beaton of NZ at Palmer

ston North for the light-heavy weight title on May 19, for a purse of £3OO.

You've Got To Get

Publicity

From Frank Hoeter, in NG ANYBODY interested In arrang ing an Australian tour for any Islands sports team, should bear in mind that advance publicity is all-important.

That’s the lesson learned by a touring team from the Rabaul Base ball Association which visited Aus tralia not long ago. The plan was

for a 30-day tour embracing New castle, Sydney, Canberra, Mel bourne and Adelaide.

But because of the lack of pub licity, plus the reluctance of some sporting bodies to make grounds available, the tour was cut short.

It wasn’t a waste of time, though.

Towards the end of the tour, after getting used to the cooler Austra lian climate and the difficulty of playing under floodlights, the lads began to turn on some really good baseball. In their final game in Melbourne, they drew 9-all with one of the leading Victorian teams.

But future touring teams ought to plan well ahead. NG officials should first satisfy themselves that there will be a good publicity cover.