Appeal for unity on Games funding

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32521, 3 February 1971, Page 14

Appeal for unity on Games funding

It was not too late for Christchurch to opt out and hand the Commonwealth Games back to Melbourne, the director of the Commonwealth Games Appeal (Mr B. Michie) said in a statemen last night. "They will laugh like mad and be delighted—they know the value,” Mr Michie said. He was commenting on the attitude of the Paparua County Council . to the games. . Mr Michie, who is from Melbourne, is in Christchurch for 24 weeks as a professional fund-raiser, to raise money for the Games. “It has been brought home to me through the newspapers that there are divisions in Christchurch. I would hope that these divisions might be prepared to be less divisive for an event that surely transcends boundaries. The Mayor of

Christchurch is not raising $2,000,000 to mount the games—New Zealand is. Mr Michie hoped that all autonomous local bodies might sink their preferences and their "political aspirations” in the overriding concept of the 1974 British Commonwealth Games.

“If Christchurch, the venue, is divided, what hope is there for mounting them properly, in keeping with New Zealand’s international prestige? Surely you understand the eyes of the world, or the major part of it, are upon you.” New Zealand, he said, stood to profit from the Games by prestige and dignity; Canterbury by the inflow of money and tourism, and all New Zealanders by the competition and improvement in sporting standards.

“I would like to say—and please understand I am speaking for no-one but myself—that the Games came to New Zealand through the herculean, stubborn, dedicated efforts of a group of men, New Zealand men, only incidentally Christchurch men—l do not even know whether they are resident in Christchurch proper or any one of the surrounding counties. I do know they don’t think in such a small way.

“They think of Christchurch collectively, including all the contiguous local bodies. They seek the maximum planning value.”