27-1-73 28-3-73 Top motor "But one must be objec tive about this. There are so many factors to be taken Into consideration - the for available, the crowd that can be expected amount of prize size of the money to attend, the suitability of the circuit, and so on. "On the basis of circuit suitability, we should ably have te Grand Prix. city? but those other factors must be taken into consideration. "All the same, with the Games in Christchurch next January, I think there may well be a case for us in 1974. By PETER GREENSLADE "It could be that we will get it, but in ordinary years I would say that the circuit If some Christchurch people and o the only thing in the number of the overseas competitors in shis club's favour. don't think Auckland year's Tasman Cup motor racing series are should have the Grand Prix to have their way, the New Zealand Grand as of right. It should be up for grabs each year. Prix will be held in Christchurch next year, a few days before the opening of the UPSET' Commonwealth Games. Although the regular Tas- Cup competitors do Christchurch's Mayor (Mr If the club was able to ob- want the Grand Prix here, N. G. Pickering), and Mr J. tain permission Mr Brewer says that they meeting on the Sunday, the should not be able to 'in- Mathison, patron of fluence the final decision. whole job could probably be Motor Racing Club, which accomplished within much "One has to be objective promotes the international the same time interval and, about what the competitors Lady Wigram Trophy meet- of course, that would enable are saying. After the modiing, have made it clear that drivers to practise and qual- fications to the Pukekohe favour of ify over a two-day period circuit, they are pretty upset Grand Prix being held in right now. Things could be Zealand Grand Prix different a year hence," he Mathison, Labour Cabinet minister and ducted by New Zealand In- Whichever way the thing still influential ternational one thing that does (Auckland), an organisation seem pretty certain is that proposition with a number of that was set up for the spec- there will be no lobbying ife purpose of staging the drivers when they country's most important in- Games organis Christchurch for the trophy ternational motor race. ing committee to have the race last weekend. Following Grand Prix at Wigram. I gather that he intends to Grand Prix on the modified The high degree of profes pursue the matter further. Pusekohe circuit there are, sionalism One of the problems con- in motor mercial connotations of innumber of people, including ternational motor racing are Grand Prix here is that, to most of the competitors, who pills which, understand, do the event justice, the 2.1- are firmly the majority of these gentlemile circuit at the RNZAF that the race has declined in men will not swallow. Wigram When the club made overneeded for three days — two They would like to see the tures to tie in the 1974 Lady for the drivers to practise venue switehed to Wigram. meeting and qualify for starting posi- COOL with the Games, pointing out tions and the third for the publicity race itself. However, the Motor Rae- Traditionally, the elub has ing Club is playing it cool at would help attract visitors to Christehurch, the committee. of flying operations did not want to know about around 5pm on the Thursday told me this night and laid out the racing Be that as it may, if the circuit in time for Friday tainly be on agenda New Zealand Grand Prix is training sessions. when the executive com- held at Wigram, the event at the conclusion of mittee meets shortly. should help swell the crowds the meeting on Saturday, all So what are the prospects at the amateur sporting the facilities have been for the 1974 New Zealand events at QE2 Park. Grand Prix at Wigram? clean-up undertaken to have "My feelings have not the base ready for flying by altered over the years. Monday morning. think each promoter should which shoudhese nudged se Grand Prix. JPriX." he said. race Wigram race patron hit with bottle, court told A spectator at the Lady Wigram Trophy race meeting was struck in the face with a bottle during an incident involving the Epitaph motorcycle gang, it was alleged before Mr H. J. Evans, SM, in the Magistrate's Court today. I_A 25-year-old Dunedin man, Harold Lindis May, said the gang had been involved in fighting with members of the! public after being shifted from near the race track by race ; officials. He said he had seen a photographer struck with • ¡bottle by a member of the gang. Soon afterwards, as he watched the racing, he was struck on the back of the head by "something hard," he said. the motor-cyclists, them whom he identified as Paul Murray Beaton, holding a bottle, he said. STITCHES He was then struck with a bottle near the right eye,l causing a cut which required two stitches. Beaton, a • 19-year-old carpenter, pleaded not guilty to. a charge of assaulting May. was thrown during the general 6ghting. mr May said be did not notice any empty bottles lyingi in the area, but he had not examined the area closely. Anthony John Stapleton said he had been at the race track /and had witnessed the incident. He identifed Beaton as a member of the gang. He had seen Beaton punch and kick a person, he said. Constable Barry Maxwell Milne said he interviewedi Beaton soon after the incident at the Christchurch Hospital where the youth was being treated for a sprained wrist. Beaton had denied taking part in the fight, he said, and said ne had injured his arm when he fell running from the fight. (Proceeding)