Vote “Far Beyond Wildest Dreams"

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32354, 21 July 1970, Page 26

Vote “Far Beyond Wildest Dreams"

The announcement that .Christchurch had been awarded the 1974 Commonwealth Games was enthusiastically received by local officials of the nine sports involved.

One aspect of the Games which has delighted some officials is the boost it could mean to their competitive ranks. The chairman of the New Zealand Swimming Association (Mr J. A. Donaldson) summed up the feeling when he said that the Games in 1974 would be a terrific incentive to swimmers and would bring many young persons into the sport.

Mr J. H. Johnson, who Is spokesman for Commonwealth Games Promotion (New Zealand) while other members of the executive are

overseas, said the vote of 36-2 in Christchurch's favour was beyond the society’s wildest dreams.

Many people, and organisations, had played a part in Christchurch’s success, but it was perhaps indicative of the efforts of the six men in the Edinburgh delegation that the support was so overwhelming, he said. With the vote won, the Edinburgh delegation has begun compiling reports on all aspects of running the Commonwealth, Games, Although no major decisions would be made until the delegation returned from Edinburgh, a fund-raising firm would be engaged immediately to find the $250,000 that the society had undertaken to raise as its share of the costs, said T Johnson. DELEGATION’S TASKS

Some of the immediate tasks after the delegation returned would be establishing a permanent secretariat, the expansion of committees, meetings with local bodies which promised financial support, and discussions with local bodies on facilities. Mr Johnson possibly shed some light on why England voted for Melbourne.

After his visit to Christchurch last year, Mr K. S. Duncan, secretary of the Commonwealth Games Council for England, w, >te to the Christchurch promotion body that holding the games in January and February, as planned, would give rise to many difficulties. He suggested a change to November or December.

Such a change would have enabled Northern Hemisphere athletes to come to Christchurch with a full season of competition behind them. The Edinburgh delegation had been given the power to change to November if other member countries had insisted on this, Mr Johnson said. “It would seem that most countries realise that we

have to go away out of season, and are willing to reciprocate in 1974,” said Mr Johnson. GOVERNMENT AID URGED The Government should underwrite the financial commitment for the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, the secretary of the Christchurch ' Metropolitan Ratepayers’ Association (Miss R. D. Hay) said yesterday. “The association feels that the awarding of the Games to Christchurch could be of considerable benefit to the city and to New Zealand if the Games are properly and successfully conducted,” she said.

“It appears, however, there is no doubt that an enormous rate burden will be imposed on the city ratepayers as a result of the extensive preparation necessary. “The association feels very strongly that the 53,000 ratepayers, already loaded with a crushing burden, will have to assume a further large debt. This will be. in many cases, of impossible proportions, to meet the already large commitment accepted by our very extravagant City Council for the Games.”