HUGE DEBTS ON GAMES

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28209, 22 February 1957, Page 6

HUGE DEBTS ON GAMES

DEFICIT MAY BE £360,000

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) MELBOURNE, February 21.

Some big Melbourne firms are owed thousands of pounds by the Olympic Organising Committee for goods and services, but according to one committee spokesman only the most pressing of them should be paid by the end of this month.

The games debts will take 12 months to pay, according to this spokesman. He estimated that the Games deficit would be £360,000 —the same as at Helsinki. He added: “And even our harshest critics admitted that the Melbourne Games were better than those, in Helsinki.” The manager of Dennis’s Catering Co. (Mr Frank Dennis) said last night that his firm was owed thousands by the committee. He said the firm had expected to be paid before the end of January, adding: “Although we have been pressing for payment for some weeks we have received no satisfaction.” Mr Dennis said he had been told by one Games official: “We can’t pay you, because, candidly, we just haven’t got the money.” He said many Melbourne businessmen were worried about thp committee’s inability to pay.