Letter on Games

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33156, 21 February 1973, Page 1

Letter on Games

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Feb. 20. The Commonwealth Games organising committee’s continued policy will be to prevent the Games project from becoming the predominant issue in the controversy over the Springbok tour. This was stated tonight by the committee’s chairman (Mr R. S. Scott) in a circular letter to the New Zealand Olympic and British Commonwealth Games’ Association.

The letter was also sent to games area chairmen and other bodies connected with the organisation of next year’s Christchurch games. A meeting of the association tonight received the letter without comment. Mr Scott said: “The executive is firmly of the opinion that the organising committee should leave any initiative in this area to the Government.

“It is believed that the Rugby Union in any event would not favourably consider any request from the organising committee to amend its plans out of consideration for the Commonwealth Games. “If such a request was made and irrespective of whether or not it was agreed to by the Rugby Union, it is likely that the organising committee would simply be exchanging one major problem for another.

“We should continue to leave it to the Government to represent the interests of New Zealand and New Zealanders. “Meanwhile, we should continue unchecked with our primary objective of planning for the successful running of a fully-attended 1974 Commonwealth Games,” Mr Scott said.