Aust. Rejects Christchurch, Backs Edinburgh For Games

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31029, 7 April 1966, Page 1

Aust. Rejects Christchurch, Backs Edinburgh For Games

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) SYDNEY, April 6. Australia today decided to vote for Edinburgh instead of Christchurch, as venue for the 1970 Empire Games. The conference of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association voted 11-2 in favour of Edinburgh, The main factor against Christchurch was the date proposed for the games if they were held there. Delegates said that the suggested November 24December 3 period would clash with Australian school and university examinations. The suggested dates for

Edinburgh were July 1825. The athletics delegate, Mr L. Treacy, moved that Christchurch be supported, and said that this, would be one of the few occasions when Australians could compete in their own summer season. “I would rather not comment,” said Mr A. I. Cottrell, general chairman of the Commonwealth and Empire Games Promotion (Canterbury), when told last evening of Australia’s decision. “We will probably hold a meeting of the executive committee tomorrow, and I would prefer not to comment until after that meeting.”

“The Australian vote against us is a discouraging factor, as we were looking forward to their support,” said Mr C. L. S. Cross, chairman of the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association, in Wellington last evening. “The dates suggested by Christchurch were considered very carefully indeed.” Asked whether in view of the Australian vote other dates could be considered, Mr Cross said: “No doubt the Christchurch sponsors will look a', alternative dates, but everything seemed to be right for the ones chosen originally.”