River race—‘no can do'

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33514, 20 April 1974, Page 18

River race —‘no can do'

A can race down the Avon River to decide the winning number in a novelty raffle has been stopped by the Christchurch Drainage Board. The race — a sort of mod-iem-day “Pooh Sticks” event — had been arranged by a consultant to ra>«e money for the Canterbury Rowing Club The plan was tn put. 2000 empty, aealed drink cans

each bearing the number of • one of the 2000 tickets in the raffle, into the Avon River at the Gloucester Street bridge. The winning ticket would be that coresponding !to the number of the first can [to reach the Avon Park footbridge. The organiser of the raffle (Mr G. A. Aker) had given, the board an assurance that all cans would be brand-new; and sterilised to avoid the risk of contamination — and that all cans would be re-, moved from the river after

the race was over. The board's pollution and bylaws committee recomended that permission for the event be declined on the grounds that any proposal whereby 2000 cans are dumped into the river should not be encouraged. Mr T. B. Le Bas. a member ; of the rowing club's management committee, said on •Thursday evening the club would be meeting with th” raffle’s organiser this week to decide whai 10 do about the stopping of the can race.