Christchurch ‘Provincial’

Press, Issue 32333, 26 June 1970, Page 15

Christchurch ‘Provincial’

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent) MELBOURNE. Melbourne can offer more than Christchurch for the 1974 Commonwealth Games —so delegates voting at Edinburgh next month to decide the 1974 venue will be told by Australian officials .

“We will tell delegates that Melbourne offers better facilities for both athletes and visitors than does Christchurch,” said Mr J. Patching, secretary of the Victorian Olympic Committee, yesterday.

Mr Patching said that Christchurch had to be regarded as a provincial centre. “Melbourne is a capital, a big city, more sophisticated and more experienced, and I think can offer a greater depth of welcome,” he said. There were already many, many Asian and African students and technical people liv-l ing in Melbourne. Tbe city! had an excellent record of co-! operation and liaison with them. This would provide a good foundation for a welcome to Asian and African athletes and visitors if Melbourne succeeded in its bid for the Games. Mr Patching said he did not wish to belittle Christchurch. "But over-all, I think we could do a better job in staging the Games.” Melbourne started with the advantage of having held the 1956 Olympic Games, and many of the facilities used for them are available for 1974.

A five-man Australian dele-

gation in Edinburgh will put Australia’s case for the Games. Two days before the start of the Edinburgh Games and a day before New Zealand’s “beer and oysters” lobbying function, Australia will hold a reception.

Delegates and teams’ officials—“including New Zealand, of course”—will be invited, according to Mr Patching. Melbourne beer—“the: best in the world”—and a good range of Australian cheeses and wines will be laid on. Mr Patching said that the reception, to be held in the : Australian Immigration Centre in Edinburgh, would I have been held whether or not Melbourne had been bidding for the Games.

League School Team.— The A Rugby league coaching school team to play a New Zealand XIII at Auckland tomorrow is: G. C. Ladner (West Coast); M. P. Brereton (Canterbury), P. Orchard (Bay of Plenty), R. Wilson and B. Lowther (both Auckland): t. Patrick (Otago) or F. Schuster (Auckland): G. R. Cooksley (Canterbury); R. Walker (Canterbury): D. Gailey (Auckland). J. Hibbs (West Coast): H. Tatana (Auckland). McKinnon (Wellington). W. Burgovne (Auckland) or R. Davey (West Coast). Reserves: E. Orchard (Bay of Plenty), E. Kereopa (Midlands).