RUGBY IN PETONE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 789, 12 April 1910, Page 8

RUGBY IN PETONE.

GROTOJDS WANTED.

Disagreement occurred.last season be; tween rhoPetono iloroughOduncil and the Wellington Kugby Onion in regard to the letting of < the iieercation (iround ior iootball matches, , and tno council still holds that the union committed a breach of tho agreement in not playing the.semifanal at Polone. This season the- Petone Kugby Club, after putting tlieir caso before the council, were granted only one ground, and feeling that the game, must receive a set-baolc if sufficient grounds wero not available ior tho teams, a.deputation numbering about 30 waited upon tho Petonc Bormign Council last night to lodge- a complaint. : Sir. George. Davis said that the club was one of the recognised institutions of Petone. During tho past 21 years it had held an honourable position in the town, and had paid about £63 to the borough for gas. As ratepayers—for. they were a corporate body—they were therefore deserving of more consideration at the hands of tho council than they had received. Petone footballers were "sports and gentlemen, and they behaved as such wherever they went; there was never any scandal attached to Petone teams on tour. Although the council had had three grounds available, only one had been allotted to the Eugby Club, who had five teams in the field • every ■ baturdny,' and whoso actual players nunihered about 00 weekly.' The rent to be charged for the ground had been fixed at £1 10s. for the season, -whereas a ground had been allotted to the Petone Association Football Club for M. Tho deputation urged that the third ground, as vet-un-allotted, should be granted for the use of local Kugby players. . 3lr. W. Haniham,- captain of the Rugby I Club, also urged the claims of local footballers. He said that he had resided in i Pctono for, 14-years, playing tho, game continuously, and ho could say. that tho club had , done a.'great deal of good .for the, youth of Petone. Dealing with tho matter from a business point of view, Messrs. J. W. Walker and-W. Wearne.pleaded that tho Bugby players should be assisted and encouraged by the council. . Tho representations of the deputation were considered in conjunction with two other applications for the use of the third ground, the first from St. David s (Presbyterian) Football Club, and the second from tho Petone Association Football Club. The former .club pointed out that St. Augustine's ■•(■Anglican) Football Club, who had previously applied for the Kround, had now obtained Maidment s crounds. 'In'their application the Association Club asked that if the ground could not be allotted to them alone, they might havo the us« of it from 1.10 to 2.30 o'clock on Saturdays.- ' Councillor Southgato asked Mr.>JTardham, as a member'of ' tho W.K.F.U., what nrranenmmts would be. made, by the club witli the. Rugby Union if;.,the third ground.was allotted for tho use .otr Mr. .Hordham replied that- tho Petone; Club would probably have to pay for the ground., No. arrangement had yet, -been made ! w ; if:h' the, Rugby -TJmon;. in> fact, tho club hnd not-informed the.-union that, they had'the use of one ground. - Councillor , Snuth?ftto moved ' that - the (rround Phmild.bo allotted to Club and the Petone A*sonab<m Cliib,:.in conjunction, at. a rental of 410. :;H« consrlered ttat the W-R.F.U.. had, (rented the coiiTiril shamefully. ' . '. Councillor. Short seconded the motion, which was carried. An nmendment hv the Mayor (Jfr. J W M'EwanV , to. tho effect that A T o. 3 rronnd should tp pranted to «i» Rusby Club, at. p." rental of £6, lapsed for want of a seconder. . ,