Trust will run ‘Miss N.Z.'

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34127, 13 April 1976, Page 14

Trust will run ‘Miss N.Z. '

(N.Z. Prest Association) AUCKLAND. A charitable trust is being formed to take over the running of the “Miss New Zealand” contest, and will hold the 1976 final at Trillo’s Downtown on Wednesday, September 22. The crowning of "Miss New Zealand” will be televised nationally by TVI. The manager of the Auckland Shows Board (Mr J. A. Cormack) said the foundation would follow the lines of the “Miss Australia" organisation, which had raised more than s3m for charity in Victoria alone. Mr Cormack said the foundation was being set up by a group of business people and service organisation representatives who felt that New Zealand should continue to be represented in the “Miss World" contest—and that in the light of the Australian experience the opportunity should be taken to put together an organisation to run “Miss New Zealand” as a major charity effort. “The foundation is particularly fortunate that Mr Cliff Trillo, as his personal effort to get the trust properly launched, has made his new Downtown Centre available for the final. On this night alone we should be able to raise $20,000.” Mr Cormack confirmed that

a contract to run “Miss New Zealand” had been signed in London last week with the Mecca organisation, which runs “Miss World.” The shows board had signed “on behalf of a charitable trust, to be formed.” The board would not be directly connected with the “Miss New Zealand” Foundation, he said. “The discussions which have been held with Mecca originated because of the past association of ‘Miss New Zealand* with the Easter Show." The participation of TVI was also important, he said. The channel’s head of light entertainment, Mr Roy Melford, had attended several meetings before the decision was made to set up the foundation, and as a result the final was being arranged in close liaison with TVI production staff, as a television spectacular. Mr Cormack said the names of the trustees and details of the organisation to run the contest would be announced later this month.