Accommodation Shortage During Third Test

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31112, 15 July 1966, Page 12

Accommodation Shortage During Third Test

Although all eyes are focused on Dunedin, the venue for the first Rugby test on Saturday, football fervour has already gripped Christchurch. The desperate accommodation situation for the weekend of August 27, when the third test will be played, prompted the Canterbury public relations officer (Mr C. N. Todd) to appeal yesterday to Christchurch people prepared to take in paying guests to telephone the public relations office. Mr Todd said the situation had been aggravated by several other events to be held in Christchurch during the same week-end. The New Zealand women’s hockey tournament, the New Zealand interassociated table tennis teams’ championships and a national hairdressing competition would be held.

Mr B. Cottrill, relieving manager at the Government Tourist Bureau, said the accommodation situation was "quite impossible.” Many inquiries were being received and there was a long waiting list for accommodation. Some, cancellations had been received. “It is usually the same when' there is a large movement of people,” Mr Cottrill said. The president of the Canterbury Hotel Association (Mr A. F. G. McGregor) said test matches always meant full houses and usually the same guests booked into the same hotel every year. “Shakedowns” would help accommodate a few extra overnight guests. The Railways Department will run two additional railcars from the West Coast and a special express from Dunedin. A rail-car will leave for Greymouth at 11.10 p.m. after the Addington trotting meeting. Bookings for the interdsland ferry service already are heavy. The Union Steamship Company reports that because daylight sailings from Wellington are impractical, no additional trips will be made. Three special N.A.C. flights will fly to and from Dunedin this week-end. More special flights may be required for the third test. Already six charters have been booked. Three will fly from Palmerston North and one each from Wanganui, Wellington and Invercargill.