THE BOROUGH COUNCIL AND THE ATHLETIC SPORTS GROUND COMPANY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 794, 16 November 1882, Page 2

THE BOROUGH COUNCIL AND THE ATHLETIC SPORTS GROUND COMPANY.

To thii Editor. Sir, — An application was recently made by the Athletic Sports Ground Company to the Borough Council for some surplus earth which I had been informed by the Borough Engineer would be to spare, and as the application distinctly stated “ thereby assisting to form the Town Belt free of cost to the Borough,” and to my surprise it was curtly refused, although recommended by their engineer to be referred to the Works Committee for consideration of details, or, in their words, to consider how much forming, free of cost, the Company were willing to do in exchange for the earth, or how much per load they would give for the earth. Now, Sir, as the same report of the meeting stated that the Borough account at the Bank was overdrawn over LI,OOO, and as rather a warm discussion had just taken place over paying an account for L 3 odd for travelling expenses incurred by a gentleman who gave his time, trouble, and

experience freely, at the request of the * Mayor, who, at a public meeting of citizens called by the Mayor, was appointed by the citizens (the same body th it elects the Council) to obtain certain information.- ,- and report to the Council, it certainly does seem to me that an offer to do certain work, which I estimate would coat the Council some LIOO to Ll5O at least, was certainly worthy of more consideration than a flat refusal, especially in the face of the recommendation of their own engineer that it should be referred to the Works Committee for consideration of data Is. It is true that Councillor S-. Hill, with his usual perspicuity, stated that, in his opinion, it would pay the Council better to pay LSO out of pocket than to have Ll5O worth of work done for them free of cost ; but then one is now pretty well used to Councillor St. Hill’s idea of of public work, viz , to constantly oppose anything useful or practical, and abuse other people, and impute wrong motives to them, so that his action requires no further comment, th“ Ugh one Involuntarily calls to mind the well known Parliamentary retort to an obtuse member, that “ one can give a man information, but cannot give him brains to comprehend it !” But with the remainder of the Council the case is different, and I feel so sure that the conclusion arrived at was come to under a complete misapprehension of what was proposed and of the objects of the Company, which has been formed chiefly to further the interests of Ashburton, and by a good many of the trading citizens of Ashburton, including the Mayor himself, that I think a little more publicity given to the objects of the C ompany and to this proposal will tend to clear away misapprehension, and to lead to the Council acting harmoniously with the Company, when the object ot both ia for the common good of the town. While the fact I have mentioned above—of the Mayor and many leading citizens, being shareholders in the Company—will be an earnest of their conscientious discharge of their public duty, as they thought in refusing the application, I think it will be equally plain, from what I have said, that it was under one of two misapprehensions, either that there is no earth to spare (a great mistake if that was so thought, as I find, on further application to MrFooks, that there will be some 12,000 yards to spare in forming the South Belt, or more than three times as much as required by the Pompany), or else that the Company wanted “something for nothing,” an equally great mistake, as the application distinctly offered to do so much fo'rming of the South Balt/ree of cost to the Council, and had the application been referred to the Works Committee, as recommended by their engineer, whether so much forming was done, or whether so much per load was paid by the Company, would have been a matter of detail, and amounts to precisely the same thing in the end. But as the • application is likely to bo renewed by offering to pay so i much per load for the earth, with your permission, I should ■, like to say a few words as to the objects .of the Corapanj, that when their application comes before the Council it may bp distinctly understood that their desire is not to do the Council out of so much public property, but to work harmoniously* with them for the good and advantage of the town. The object of the Company is to provide a park and r-creation ground for the town of Ashburton, where cricket and all other athletic sports and which tend to make young men manly, and to afford healthy and wholesome recreation to all, may be provided for, bu-, as unfortunately money is necessary for everything of that sort, a company is the only possible way of providing for it. Betas, in providing the necessary ground, a well-hep- park and grounds will be provided for the town and the recreation of the citizens, is not that an object which may legitimately enlist the sympathy and cordial co-opemtion or the Town Council, as well as that of individual citizens, especially when the Company, as In the present instance, offers to contribute funds to the, at present, somewhat slender public purse?—l am, etc. 0. Pbbot Cox, Chairman, Athl -tic Sports Company.