Financial outlook encouraging

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32587, 22 April 1971, Page 14

Financial outlook encouraging

“I can assure you that the appeal is in good heart,” the appeal chairman (Mr J. K. McAlpine) told a meeting last evening of the 1974 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee.

He said that appeal com-i mittees had been set up in 18 1 of the 24 districts New Zea- . land had been divided into, I and only in Buller and Mana-1 watu had there been doubts expressed that the targets' set were too high. “Possibly, on a population : basis, Buller’s target of $6OOO is too much and $4OOO might be a more realistic figure.” Manawatu’s target was $16,000 and the problem there was that other appeals were being held. With monies promised, the appeal fund stood at more than $150,000, said Mr McAlpine, and most of this had come from spontaneous donations. DIFFERENT AIMS Earlier, the committee’s chairman (Mr R. S. Scott) had gone to some pains to point out the difference between the Games appeal and Games fund-raising. “The appeal is a direct approach to the public throughout the country for money and will complete its action phase towards the end of July. “Fund-raising, on the other hand, is the implementing of the various schemes to raise money which have been suggested by many people; and they will continue over the next three years. “The appeal you might say is the eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation and the fundraising will incorporate the ‘funnies’,” he said. MONEY COMING IN The finance chairman (Mr M. F. Hunter) also painted a rosy picture in regard to the contributions so far made by the Canterbury local bodies under the five-year capitation scheme. He had no doubts that the $200,000 estimated to come

•in from this scheme would be realised, said Mr Hunter. Already in hand was $22,926 for 1970, $441 for 1971, and one council had made its 1972 payment of $261. The Christchurch City Council had a cheque on the way for $36,000, which represented its 1970 and 1971 contributions.

The Kaiapoi Borough Council, one of the three local bodies which had turned down the scheme, had indicated that it would be reconsidering the matter and he was hopeful that the other two the Geraldine and Waimate borough councils, might do the same. Mr Hunter also said that he understood the first instalment of the Government’s promised contribution of $200,000 was on its way.