Youth committee to assist Games

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32635, 17 June 1971, Page 12

Youth committee to assist Games

The formation of a youth committee to play a part in the organising and running of the 1974 Commonwealth Games was approved at a meeting last evening of the Games organising body.

The committee, which is likely to have between 10 and 12 members, will work with the co-ordination of other activities committee, which is chaired by Mr D. B. Rich. The chairman of the organising committee (Mr R. S. Scott) said the idea of a youth committee arose out of approaches made by youth groups, which felt there was not a place for them in the Games organisation. He said that among youth groups there was a great mass of energy and if it could be harnessed would be of considerable value. Fund-raising and entertainment were two areas in which such a committee could be used. It was decided that in order to make the committee as representative as possible a public notice would be inserted in the newspapers asking interested youth , organisations to make written application.

The committee approved the acceptance of a joint offer by N.A.C. and Air New Zealand to market and sell all tickets for the Games and it also agreed to the advertising for a full-time execu-tive-secretary to work at the

Games headquartets and take care of day-to-day administration.

The position, which will be filled from September 1 this year to about May 31, 1974, will be advertised shortly. The salary was fixed at not less than $6OOO a year. A proven administrator with some experience in sport and preferably aged between 25 and 45 years is sought. A hint that the Games will close on a Saturday and not a Sunday, as had been suggested, was given when the meeting approved a recommendation from the reception and recreation committee that the Town Hall be booked for the Games farewell party on the evening of Saturday, February 2.

Later the chairman of the sports committee (Mr H. C Blazey) said the use of the Sunday in the first week was favoured by some sports; although there were problems, but not insurmountable ones, for track and field events to be programmed that day.

Mr Blazey said seven of the nine Games sports had worked out the number of days they would need and also the number of sessions, and with the other two sports expected to provide their details shortly it would not be long before a preliminary programme could be drawn up. A resolution put forward by Mr Scott that the organising committee give all possible assistance to the organisers of the Paraplegic Games which will be held at Dun-

edin immediately after the Christchurch carnival, was adopted. Mr Scott said some areas in which assistance could be given were publicity and the passing on of equipment.

In order to keep a close liaison with the University of Canterbury council, the organising committee intends inviting a representative of the council to sit on the committee.

The terms of reference of the sports technical committee were approved and two appointments made. They are Mr E. G. Pocock (boxing) and Mr J. W. Patton (badminton).

Other committee appointments approved were:— Manpower.—Messrs B. R. Walker, J. G. Strack, A. MacKenzie.

Publicity. Messrs M. Bowden, R. Fleck, C. Neal, J. B. McAlister. News media. Messrs R. T. Brittenden, L. Saunders, S. Hosgood, R. Allard, C. L. S. Cross.