RATING OF BOWLING CLUBS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 856, 30 June 1910, Page 4

RATING OF BOWLING CLUBS.

A CET FOE EXEMPTION. From what transpired at tho annual meeting of the Thorndon Bowling Club last night it appears that the City Council is to be asked' not to collect the municipal rates at present payable by bowling clubs. The idea is that grounds are provided by the municipality for footballers, cricketers, and others, and that, therefore, the least the council can do is to waive the right to collect rates on greens which aro oyien to the public to join. In tho course of an address to the meeting, Mr. W. F. Barraud introduced the subject. He said that the club had to pay over .£SO in rates every year, which was over oue-sisth of their only reliable source of revenuo—the subscription ftc. Some action should be taken now to try to relieve them of that very hcavv charge. .More than a year ago they" had sent a request to the Northern Bowling Association to move in the direction indicated, but, apparently, nothing had been done. He thought that bowling bodies -should approach Parliament and ask that municipal coriwrations should bo given the power to exempt bowling clubs from the rating, ne understood that Acts relating to municipal corporations would be under consideration soon, so he thought that a favourable opportunity to the bowlers would be presented. The City Council Was leasing sections on the town belt for use as bowling greens,- and he presumed that the council would not collect rates respecting them. Mr. P. Galvin, referring to the subject, said that the greens were as much public grounds as the Basin Reserve or any other city ground. Ho suggested that a meeting of tho Wellington clubs should be called to go into the matter, and that the Thorndon Club might take the lead.