State Aid Sought For Ploughing

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30933, 14 December 1965, Page 22

State Aid Sought For Ploughing

Financial assistance is to be sought from the Government by the 1967 World Ploughing Contest Committee.

Twenty-one members of the committee, meeting in Christchurch yesterday, accepted a suggestion by Mr E. J. Croy, of Ashburton, that as New Zealand is to be the host nation, the commitee should seek the Government’s support.

“Thia is an International fixture,” said Mr Croy, a former New Zealand representative at the world ploughing championship. Earlier in the meeting, the chairman of the programme sub-committee (Mr H. A. Magson. of Rakaia) said: “We are quite in the dark as'to what we will be able to spend.” The committee spent a considerable time yesterday determining the functions of the sub-committees.

It is also awaiting a report to be presented at the New Zealand Ploughing Association’s executive meeting in Wellington today by Mr Ross Murray, of Rotorua, manager of the Dominion’s representative at the 1045 world championship. Royal Visitor?

To give the 1987 world championship the “greatest prestige possible,” the committee will suggest to the

New Zealand Ploughing Association that approaches be made to the External Affairs Department with a view to having the Duke of Edinburgh officially open the contest at Lincoln.

■ A recommendation to this i effect was passed unanimously ; on the motion of Mr Croy. The 1987 contest will take place on May 12 and 13, but the suggested itinerary will cover 10 days from May 6 to May 14 with a tentative tour of up to four days to follow. The itinerary will also be considered by the Ploughing Association in Wellington today. The championship Is expected to attract crowds of 8000, according to the chairman of the ceremonial subcommittee (Mr G. Middlewood, of West Melton). The principal function will be the presentation of the “golden plough.” The committee decided that the presentation dinner should be limited to 800. Accommodation Lincoln College expects to accommodate overseas officials and competitors, according to the committee's deputy-chairman (Mr A. L. Coleman, of Ladbrooks). Mr Coleman, who is chairman of the programme subcommittee, said that he and Mr T. F. Carter met the college director (Dr. M. M Burns) and two members of the staff recently. i The college, he said, could . not accommodate New Zea-? land officials. The college would have marshaliing yards, repair services, and engineering facilities. Practice plots were also expected to be available. The committee, after Mr Coleman’s report, decided to set up a competitors* subcommittee to deal with transport, accommodation, interpreters, and general liaison. As overseas competitors will bring used ploughs, the committee decided to write to the Department of Agriculture for information on precautions which may be required. The Tourist and Publicity Department was giving the 1967 championship very good support, the secretary (Mr C. N. Todd) said. Mr Todd showed members copies of posters and folders the department planned to print Air New Zealand was also interested in obtaining material which it could distribute. Other support had been offered by the Travel and Holidays Association, the South Island Publicity Association, the Department of Agriculture, and the Post Office.