Games village to open Jan. 10

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33417, 26 December 1973, Page 8

Games village to open Jan. 10

The Commonwealth Games village at Ham will be opened on Thursday. January 10, five days later than was planned.

[ The change was made by [the Games Organising Com[mittee when it was found I that the arrival of the first I team, Ghana, would be delayed nine days to January 14. A group of Kenyan. Ugandan and Nigerian athletes and team officials will now be the first arrivals in Christchurch on January 10. The organising committee’s i chairman (Mr R. S. Scott) [said it was originally thought [that only Kenyan and Uganidan competitors and officials were arriving in Christchurch [on January 10. But he said [he received a cablegram yes[terday saying that the first [contingent of the Nigerian [team of 30 would arrive the [same day. . Mr Scott said the decision [to postpone the opening of I the village until January 10 was made at an executive meeting on December 24. “The gates at Ham will be closed, and the security system will now come into operation five days later,” Mr [Scott said. He said it was a little disturbing to the committee to have to make changes to the [plan, “but no doubt, we will have to make other adjustments from time to time.” I Mr Scott said that because [of the changes of arrival by 'the first teams, there would [be a heavy influx of competitors and officials into the [village, rather than a slow I build-up. [ Within three days about [9OO people, or nearly half of [the expected total, will arrive at Ham. I Mr Scott said half the [United Kingdom contingent

would arrive on January 12.[ and the remainder would be! at the village on the 14th. [ The first British arrivals would be preceded on the I 11th by various other teams. [ The New Zealand team will; settle in at the village on[ January 13. Mr Scott said one prob-, : lem would arise with the per- [ [manent staff hired to work at! [ Harn, during the Games. “We [have committed ourselves to hire staff from January 3 and they will now be living at the village for seven days before it opened. - “The 30 chefs have overcome their problem. They will use the seven days to pre-cook a lot of the food and put it in the freezers,” [Mr Scott said. “This way it [may save some expense.”