‘Operation Waterloo' to raise $3m

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34120, 5 April 1976, Page 1

‘Operation Waterloo ' to raise $3m

Four members of a Wellington party of 200 are in Christchurch as part of “Operation Waterloo,” a project to raise s3m for the new Wellington Town HalL The group toured the Christchurch Town Hall yesterday, and had tea there last evening before returning to Wellington. They arrived in Christchurch on Saturday morning. The leader of the group (Mr P. O’Donnell) who is also an employee of the advertising firm responsible for raising the s3m, said yesterday that the trip was something of “36-hour, non-stop, nautical experience.” The group sailed in the Rangatira. A surcharge on tickets went into the building fund. “You could call the whole thing a fund-raising gimmick,” Mr O’Donnell said. Since the appeal opening in October more than $600,000 had been received in cash and pledges. The venture had been code-named Operation Waterloo, he said, because that event was Wellington’s greatest victory. The “operators” have until February, 1977, to raise the balance. His firm was asked by the Wellington City Corporation in October to approach the public for s3m. Of the total $7.7m required. the balance would come from the corporation (sl.sm in three years), a Government subsidy, and perhaps from a regional lottery, Mr O’Donnell said.