Sportsman of Year:
Kember Does It Again

Vic law student Gerald Kember, who has previously won the trophy in 1967, won it again this year from a field of notable Vic sporting personalities—Ollie Gilbert (rowing), Phil Rear (athletics). Rod Barltrop (golf) and George Stratigopoulous (fencing).

Kember has an outstanding sports record being a Vic blue in rugby since 1964, a cricket blue for several years, and an NZU blue in both sports. He was also in the All Black team which toured the British Isles in 1967 and was this year a reserve for the test against the Welsh.

About 130 Vic sports representatives and friends were treated to an entertaining night last Saturday at the Blues Dinner.

Archie Sievwright, the oldest surviving Vic blue, who gained his blue for the mile walk in 1914 and was awarded it in 1915, presented the blues certificates to the 54 odd Vic sportsmen and sportswomen who had been awarded blues.

The guest speaker was Major Bill Dyson of the Rothman's Sports Foundation. Besides being an NZU blue for waterpolo and playing 182 games for NZ Bill also spent 30 years in the army and is now the National Waterpolo Coach for Rothmans.

He pointed out that New Zealanders as a people were the worst offenders in the world, in his experience, at criticising sports administrators and sport in New Zealand was suffering because of this.

Alan Laidler, director of Vic's Physical Welfare Service, gave a very witty speech with many pungent, telling comments, before presenting the Sportsman of the Year Trophy.

One important point made in his speech was that sports facilities at Victoria are at present inadequate to cope with the booming student roll and something practical needs to be done about this.