N.Z. GAMES Still waiting for Govt reply

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33601, 1 August 1974, Page 28

N.Z. GAMES Still waiting for Govt reply

The staging of an inaugural New Zealand Games in Christchurch next January is still clouded by an uncertainty over the Government’s willingness to act as the underwriter.

More than a month ago the steering committee investigating the scheme wrote to the Prime Minister (Mr Kirk) asking for the Government’s support and, although Mr Kirk gave an encouraging reply, there has been no official reply.

A few weeks ago the chairman of the committee (Mr H. C. Blazey) set the end of July as the deadline for an answer, saying that this was the very latest that invitations could be sent in order to commit top competitors before they settled on their summer programmes. Yesterday Mr Blazey said that although he was disappointed no answer had been given, the committee could, if it had to, wait possibly another week. “We have gone as far as we can, short of securing an underwriter, and there is real urgency in knowing if we can go ahead and issue invitations.” In an effort to hasten an answer, the steering com-

mittee’s secretary (Mr A. W. Barrett) yesterday sent a telegram to Mr Kirk emphasising that planning time was getting short and that a quick decision was needed.

Optimism Mr Blazey said he was hopeful for a number of reasons that the Government would agree to the request, not the least being the time taken over an answer. “It shows that the matter is being closely looked at,” he said. Another ground for optimism is the Prime Minister’s initial reply and twice within the last fortnight the Minister of Sport (Mr Walding) has met the chairman of the national council for sport (Mr D. J. Sullivan), who is on the steering committee. At the first meeting, Mr Walding asked for more information and this, along with details of countries interested in competing, was given to him at the second meeting. Mr Blazey said that if the Government declined to become involved the whole situation would have to be reviewed. But if the Government was prepared to underwrite the' venture, the first steps would be to form

a full organising committee and to send the invitations. The question of adding two other sports t,o the two already proposed—swimming and athletics—could not be gone into until it was known it was for certain that the Games would be held, said Mr Blazey. However, he was inclined to believe that four sports could be accommodated. So far, Australia, Singapore, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand have shown interest in providing swimmers and Australia, Sweden, New Zealand, and according to overseas press reports, Kenya, in sending.athletes.