Games bookings

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33451, 5 February 1974, Page 12

Games bookings

Sir, —We read in your paper praise for the booking system in operation for the Games. I made application by post two weeks before the first day’s events, and was sent an application form by return. A week later I received a receipt, but no tickets. On calling at the office, I was obliged to stand in a queue only to be requested to go up to the sixth floor to join another queue before finally being handed the tickets. A person I know from Rangiora had the same experience, and on making a phone call was told that there was no intention of posting the tickets, and as a result, those concerned missed two hours of the first days’ events. We understood that the 10 cents charge on each booking would cover postage charges and was designed to save crowds of people flocking into the small office.—Yours, etc., ONCE BITTEN. January 28, 1974. [Mr J. E. Davies, vicechairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (Public Services) replies: “Bookings for the Commonwealth Games events opened for sale to the general public of New Zealand as [early as February 1, 1973. From within seven days of the commencement of the Games, it was considered highly desirable, in the interests of mail applicants, to hold any available tickets for collection at the Games [tickets office. In the week immediately before January 24 [the Games tickets office 'came under severe pressure and, although supplemented

• by additional staff, the queues c • of late applicants were con- I siderably in excess of a planned expectations. Any r (inconvenience occasioned is c (sincerely regretted, but was c (unavoidable.”] c