BASIN RESERVE CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 22, 21 October 1907, Page 5

BASIN RESERVE CONTROL

. REPRESENTATIONS BY CRICKET ASSOCIATION. A DEPUTATION TO THE RESERVES . COMMITTEE. " The'officials of the Wellington Cricket Association, headed by Dr. Newman, waited on the Reserves Committee of the City Council on Friday, afternoon with regard to several matters in connection with the Basin RosorveT ■ Dr. Nowman stated that tho AssociaTion had had to forego seven Saturdays last season owing to tho use of the Basin Reserve having been, given to other bodies, and in consequence the Association, which was not ma strong position financially, had lost £4 10s. on each;occasion. Tho Association had spent quite a deal of money on the Reserve, for tho last two or three years £250 a year, and then £4 10s. a day (for seven days) had been taken out of thoir pockets, which was sufficient reason for. asking the committee that all applications for the use of tho ground should be referred to them first. That was the chief request they had to make, and they were justified in making it owing to tho substantial amount spent in the upkeep of the ground. Ho also recommended that the Conncil increase tho height of tho fence round the Reserve, and erect tell-tale turnstiles as at the Athletic Park,-both of which improvements would bo in the interests of the Council and the Association. ' ... Mr. A. T. Bate did not think it was quito right to grant the use of the Basin Reserve without reference to the Association. At one tiriio the custom was to do so, but it had ,fallen into disuse, arid the Association was suffering. They had to arrange a programme for the season, and if no notice was given them it might happen that an inter-provincial match was arranged for a day which might be taken from thorn. Ho further. pointed out that if-it were not for the money expended 'on. .the ground, it would not be suitable for holding other sports, and this fact justified them asking for 5 per cent, of tho takings in such cases. In 1900 he remembored waiting on Mr. Ait-ken (then Mayor), and pointing out that when the ground was used for sports those people contributed nothing to the upkeep of the ground. It was then decided that they (outsido bodies) should pay 5 per cent., towards a fund,for the upkeep of the ' ground, but the matter was dropped soon afterwards, and had never been revived. Mr. J. P. Luke (chairman of the Reserves Committee) saidthat the reason for the position was that Wellington was starved for grounds, and they had to provide room for everybody as far as they could. Mr. A. Wiren pointed out that no one was debarred from joining the clubs of the Association, and, in respect to the high fence ancL turnstile proposition', said that it was romarkable that the attendance was greater and'the receipts smaller on the second day of tlie English match than on the first. -.' Mr. Pollock ,representing the Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, said that they paid,£7los. for the use of the ground every time,'and he presumed that the money or a part of it: went .towards the upkeep of the. ground. Ho thought the fence should bo higher, for he had noticed that the trees had been cut down, making it easier than evor for the outsiders to enjoy tho sports without paying their, shilling. t Tlie Chaicman said they must come down to first principles—tho ground had been dedicated'to the people of Wellington for general recreation. , .Mr. Bate: Cricket and goneral recreation; cricket is.especially montioned. During an informal discussion, Mr. Shirtclilr'e.said he was sure the Committeo would not agree to hand over, the control of the reserve to the Association, which was practically what had been proposed. It would never do to give the Association a first mortgage .on the ground to the exclusion of ithe smaller clubs. ,' , .'. Mr..Luke thought' that if the Committeo "could be persuaded to. rent the' Athletic Park, the difficulty (regarding tho "gate" at big- matches) might bo got over. ; Mr. Bato, however, pointed out that the Association already rented tho ground- every Saturday. He was. a director of' the Athletic Park Company,- and had always maintained that the big matches should bo played there, where there was every convenience. Mr. Wiren said that the turf at the Athletic Park was" not good enough to start a. three days' match on, and Dr. Newman said the attendance would suffer by the ground ueing too far out of town. - , Mr. Luke, continuing, said ho was in sympathy, with the Association, but vthey must safeguard the interests of the public as much as possible, arid they would Keep 'in touch with the secretary of the Association. He did not think tho Committee, would agree to the high fence or tho turnstiles.