Swimming To Back Bid For Empire Games

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30287, 13 November 1963, Page 32

Swimming To Back Bid For Empire Games

“I think it’s terrible—l think its fatal," said Miss D. Brown last night when the Canterbury Swimming Centre’s management committee learned it was not intended that support for obtaining the Empire Games of 1970 or 1974 for Christchurch should be confined to the participant sports. Empire Games Promotion (Canterbury) wished it to be clearly understood that its request for support applied not only to the sports actually participating in the Games, but also to all sports minded people interested in the prospect of bringing the Games to Christchurch, said a letter from the secretary of the Canterbury Progress League (Mr H. R. Pool). The assistance of these persons in promoting and running the Games would be invaluable, said the letter. Miss Brown said the organisations concerned should be able to bring the Games to Christchurch without hav-

ing to rely on sports such as Rugby. It could be held that rowing and bowls were not Empire Games sports, as neither was to be included in the Kingston (Jamaica) programme in 1966, said Mr J. H. Johnson. By the time New Zealand obtained the Games sports such as yachting could be included.

Rugby should not be decried as it was once an Olympic sport, he added. “I'm not decrying Rugby.” replied Miss Brown. “Let us say tiddleywinks.” The committee decided that the centre should become a member of the society and Mr Johnson was appointed official representative.