CENTENNIAL POOL

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26186, 9 August 1950, Page 3

CENTENNIAL POOL

SWIMMING

CHARGES AND SEATING ACCOMMODATION

CRITICISM AT MEETING OF CENTRE

The proposed charges for carnivals and club fixtures at the Centennial Pool, and arrangements for seating accommodation at the pool, were criticised at a meeting of the Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Swimming Association last evening. Mr D. Cain reported on a meeting with the baths committee of the Christchurch City Council which- he and the secretary (Miss D. Brown) had attended as a deputation from the centre. The proposed charge was £2O anight, in addition to 10 per cent, of the gross gate, he said. The deputation had pointed out that the centre could not afford to hold carnivals at that rate. It would be all right when there was a roof on the baths.

They had received the impression that there would be no seating left at the baths after the Centennial Games, said Miss Brown. The seating for the games was to be hired, and because of the cost would be pulled doWn again immediately. As far as the roof was concerned, it appeared that the council might have to hold a poll before a loan could be raised for the work. The roof could not be put on until the baths had permanent seating. The centre wanted seating for 4COO persons, but it had been told by the committee that this would be too expensive, as the size of the roof would be determined by the amount of seating. It appeared that if the tournament between the Australian and New Zealand universities to be held in Christchurch next February were held at the new pool the public would have to stand. Miss Brown said. There were also the Canterbury championships and possibly the New Zealand water polo championships, to be held in Christchurch next year.

Possibility of Bad Weather Members of the public were not going to flock to carnivals just because of the new pool, said Miss Brown, commenting on the proposed charges. They would have to be educated to carnivals first. If there was a roof on the pool the centre would be able to attract overseas swimmers, but it could not afford the charges for an open-air pool, because of the weather risk.

No provision had been made in the Centennial Games swimming programme for bad weather, said Miss Brown in reply to a question. According to the published programme, the swimming would be held on three evenings and one afternoon, but she understood that actually it was to be held on four evenings. It was suggested by a member that the sum of £5900 to be spent by the council for the construction of temporary dressing sheds could have been spent on permanent seating. She h?d endeavoured to prevail on the Centennial Games Committee to reduce the charges of £l, 15s, and 10s for admission to the centennial swimming events, said Miss Brown. The committee had declined to reduce the charges, on the ground that, as the programme had already been published, it was too late to make alterations. She had since written to the New Zealand Swimming Council informing it of the charges, to see if it would take some action. Miss Brown reported that all the countries written to had accepted invitations send mi sw immers to the Centennial Games. Th-a only country that had named the swimmers to be sent was England, Proposed to send Misses Margaret Wellington and Helen Yate. The other countries written to were France, Holtralia anada ' United States, and Aus-