Sports Review

But someone else thought other wise. The charter was re-routed to accommodate football fans, and it was too late to make further arrangements.

But they did have one representa tive at the shoot who acquitted himself creditably. He was Bruce Turner who was recently transferred to Burns Philp at Lae, and shot as a member of the Kokopo Club.

He was third in the Territory Championship, and won three or four trophies and considerable prize money.

Bill McMahon, last year’s champion and a member of Port Moresby Club at the time, is now at Rabual and a member of the Kokopo team who stayed home.

For a while it must have taken members a bit of thinking to sort things .out, as many former team mates had now become opponents.

Phil Howell, original captain of Lae Club, came back as a Madang member and won trophies and prize money from his former team mates.

Lillyman and Wraight, also former Lae members now belong to the Port Moresby Club.

Prior to the start of the shoot, riflemen stood in silence for a minute for Gordon Murrell who was to have been a member of the Lae team, but was killed in the Lae air crash, on June 8.

They're Biting

OH Rabaul

From Frank Hoeter A RECORD catch was made one Thursday, in June, on Rabaul’s North Coast when a 212 lb stingray was caught.

Three of the local fishing enthusiasts were out in a 12 foot dingy when the ray was hooked on a 100 lb breaking strain nylon line. One hour 20 minutes later

ally played Moresby No. 1 in the final and were beaten 3-1 after leading 1-0 till midway in the second half.

Rabaul players carried away the trophies for the Best and Fairest (Mike Sewell) and for the player scoring the most goals for the carnival (Norm Godbolt).

Hockey appears to have captured the imagination of the Territory people and in the years to come should be one of the Territories major sports.

Basketball It's

On Again

From Pat Robertson BASKETBALL followers and com petitors alike have been keenly disappointed in Lae, NG, when after playing their first match a few months ago, they learned that Stewart Hall had been condemned.

Competition was abandoned, and the thrilling contests —barracked by supporters with glass in hand as the bar is only a stone’s throw from the hall —were missed by all.

However, the Hall has been re paired, a curtain raiser played on July 5 between the Lutheran Yankees and the Lae All Stars, and local teams are busy re-organising themselves after the long spell. The new competition is to commence later this month.

A Fairy Godmother

For Fiji

From Norman Baxter, in Suva ryVHE Fiji Amateur Athletic X Association must have a fairy godmother. For a long time it seemed an odds on bet that no one would represent the Colony at

the Empire Games in Cardiff July.

Just when all looked hopeless the money raised by public appt was sufficient to send one man, b not to bring him back —the Gover ment came to light with £250, whi assured representation.

Then in the space of two days t situation changed rapidly. The 1 British Empire Games Associati agreed to fly two members of t team back from London to Sydr —a gift of £5OO. The King’s Colle Brisbane, where one of the membi of the team, Viliame Liga, is] student, offered to contribute abc £175 towards the cost of sending t team.

That left Fiji in the position having to raise about another £! by public appeal, and Les Simpsi secretary of the Fiji Amah Sports Association, was confidf this money would come to hand.

The team will be made up : Mesulame Rakuro, discus throv who represented Fiji at the ll Empire Games, Vancouver, 1!

Olympic Games, Melbourne, a 1957 Malayan Independence Gam Jo Tokona, a high jumper of mi than average ability; and Viliai javelin thrower. The manager, 1 W. P. Ragg, is already in Engla on leave.

Viliame Liga, Fiji's champion javelin thro[?] who will be one of the Colony's three re sentatives at the Cardiff Games. A divffi[?] student, 26 and unmarried his vital statis are: 6 ft. tall and weight 14 stone.

Photo: Rob Wright, Fiji P

r ow They've Brought

he Horses In

>APUA-NEW GUINEA which has a reputation for trying anything once in the sports line has ded yet another variation to repertoire: There are now three locrosse Clubs, one in Port iresby and two up the Range at geri. fou don’t even have to have a rse —a pretty expensive item in ! Territory—to get into the iresby club. But you have got be a good rider—then the t is provided. 7he new club has been named the itaka Polocrosse Club —Moitaka ng the official name for what is [ally called, in old colonial style, Eight Mile. The established bs on the Range are Sogeri and taki.

>e Thankless Job

r Picking Sides

CRTS selectors the world over can never satisfy everybody.

Inevitably they are the target n criticism in public and private.

Suva rugby selectors are no iption and they brought coals re on their heads in nominating ers for trial to select a team

to tour Tonga in July and August.

With very little in the way of form to guide them—the season had only just started, and two playing Saturdays were lost because of the death of Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna— they blithely named 12 men to go before the national selectors, and ignored the claims of several for inclusion.

Perhaps this would not have been so bad had some of the most notable omissions not been international players who had represented Fiji with honour, and who were rapidly running into form.

The national selectors overruled them to some extent in calling on two players who were not nomina ted, but neither of these made the final touring side.

Incidentally, one of the most pleasing features, was the inclusion of 10 Nadi players in the side. The Nadi men who went to the trials were very fit and all deserved their selection. Suva had eight men only.

Pompey-Halafihi

Bout For NZ

From Peter Hall, in Sydney NEW ZEALAND reports have it that the Auckland Boxing As sociation is aiming for an open light-heavy bout between Yolande Pompey (Trinidad) and Johnny Halafihi, of Tonga.

I think that the idea is more or less wishful thinking on the part of the ABA. If they could pull it off it would be wonderful, but for an open-air fight, even in summer, the ABA would have to offer both boys, especially world-rated Pompey, a very solid guarantee.

NZ expects a 20,000 crowd on the basis of the recent fight between Kitione Lave, of Tonga, and Chuck Woodworth, of USA. This bout drew 15,000 for a gross of £6,000.

Naturally, the prices would be higher for a Pompey-Halafihi fight but an indoor fight in London would draw more at better prices.

Both boxers are great drawcards m England, and they would not have the added air expenses, etc., if they fought there.

Somehow I don’t think Pompey reputation against Halafihi in NZ, if he wants to stake it against him at all. Pompey is after the world title, and might not like to risk losing a fight against Halafihi, who would cer tainly like to have a crack at him • A between them is almost inevitable, sometime, but when it does come it will certainly be on Pompey’s terms.

He trains in London, does most of his fighting there and is that city s best boxing drawcard at the present time.

It seems obvious that he will want to have the best possible con ditions for his fight—and in NZ, Halafihi would probably have the edge.