LIFE OR DEATH?

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1656, 24 January 1913, Page 4

LIFE OR DEATH?

RUGBY UNION GOES HAT-IN-HAND.

Messrs. W. Perry and E. little waited on the City Council last night respecting tho payment of rates on Athletic Park, the chief Rugby football ground of tho city. : Mr. Perry said that tho Wellington Rugby' Union, which had taken over tho lease of tho ground, had lost. between JC6OO: and £700 last.;year through, wet weather, and the union had now come to the council, practically hnt-in-hand, to ask for a remission of tho rates for 1912 at least. Tho availability of tho Dark relieved the pressure on-the'city reserves, and if the ground were not available the city reserves would bo unable to cope with the winter sports. Tho traffic to tho park swelled the tramway revenue. In tho last four years 311,000 people travelled by trams to Rugby grounds on Saturdays. Ho held that the council had power to remit tho rales because the union's case was ono of "extreme poverty" and tho body existed exclusively to foster outdoor sport nnd "not for profit or gain." Other municipalities had remitted rates in similar cases, If the City Solicitor advised that the council had not power to grant the Union's request Mr. Perry suggested that the oounoll should, if in sympathy with the union, agree to obtain a declaratory judgment.on tho matter. The amount | of tho rates for last year wns, lie thought, .£2l*. Mr. Litllo said that tho matter was one of life and death to tho union. ■..' • Tho deputation wns asked to supply tho council with its balance-sheet, anil was informed'that the request would.bo carefully gotio into.