Use Of Rugby Fields During Summer Discussed

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 16, Issue 5, 9 October 1950, Page 5

Use Of Rugby Fields During Summer Discussed

Should other sporting organisations use the Rugby fields during the summer the sub-union would have to watch that the ground was not damaged for football, declared the president, Mr S. McLeod, at the fortnightly meeting of the Whakatane Rugby Sub-Union. He was commenting on the fact that grounds were liable to be chopped about during the summer as there was a possibility, he understood, of softball and women’s cricket being played. Although he realised that the sub-union did not own the ground and, in fact, only leased it for the Rugby season, Mr McLeod said he thought the ground should be watched to see that it was not damaged. The sub-union had put a lot of money into developing the area.

The sub-union had no control over the ground when the lease ended, pointed out the secretary, Mr R. L. Murphy. “We have no complaint if the ground is handed to us in good order at the beginning of each season,” he added. Mr McLeod said he quite realised that the sub-union did not own the ground but he thought it was entitled to some say. Without the revenue from Rugby, the Domain Board would have very little noney towards the upkeep of the grounds. If there was any damage done he thought the union should protest. While he realised the danger, Mr H. H. Craig said he thought cricket would probably help to improve the ground. The sub-union could not keep other sports bodies off said Mr P. R. Bryers. That would be a selfish attitude to adopt. Proper use of the grounds and summer mowing, he thought would ' probably do the fields a lot of goocJT