THE DOMAIN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 25, 16 June 1939, Page 4

THE DOMAIN

Sir, —Your slashing article on tHe Domain made interesting reading and I agree with you that the lack of dressing accommodation and facilities for players and spectators at Rugby matches is a deplorable thing. We have a Domains Board, but who the members are and when they function, is a deep mystery. About the only attention is given to the croquet green and the lawn and shrubs alongside. In other words the Domain Board gets a subskiy from the borough of £100. This is largely spent in the interests of 20 or 30 ladies who play croquet, while the 250 or* 275 senior and 'junior footballers "who use the Domain have to undress behind cars and play on roygh, uneven fields, and their controlling body has to provide the fences goal posts etc* I understand that the only revenue the board gets from sports bodies is from the Rugby Union. It should be ashamed to take the money. The Domain, Board cuts the grass a couple of times for the cricketers, but the athletes have to do all the work themselves. It is this sort of treatment which leads to talk of Wha katane apathy. You cfin't expect most men to enjoy playing cricket or be very keen about athletics un rT er the conditions that exist to-day. The sooner the Domains Board wakes up and spends some of the £100 it got from the Government on other things than croquet lawns the better it will be for the public of Whakatane. I should like it to be understood that I am not attacking the use of the Domain by croquet piayers, and* 1 am glad that they have got good conditions. I would like to see other sports catering for more players get a 'better spin. Yours etc., SPORTSMAN". Sir, —A sport says ''We would n-jt be worse off if we rented a. strip of Eivcrs' Beach or an open paddock, nearer at hand." "Oh ves, we would, we must have, as the bushes where we can hang onr fifty ."•hilling Stetsons and" our Sunday suits containing our watches <md wallets and a! c o get from view when we want to. We haven't gone down on our bare bended knees to thd Board yet. We don't know what might come from that. As a last resort we could set ourselves (there is a lot of us) to oust the present -board rump and stump, and replace with a new personel, all sports. Stick together and keep on the leather, we might get a goal from a try. Yours etc., FOOTBALLER No. 2.