THAT KELBURNE ACRE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1697, 13 March 1913, Page 6

THAT KELBURNE ACRE.

MAYOR WANTS PUBLIC BOWLING CiIiEEX., The Mayor of Wellington (Mr. D. M'Ltiren) has given nrftice of ' his intention to move as follows at the meeting of tno City Council next Tuesday evening:—"l'hnt resolutions 1 and 2 passed bv tho City Council oil lla'rcli G, 1913, bo altered in such manner as to provido that, in lieu of granting' a lease to tho Kelburne Bowling Club of tho area of ono acre. from Section -18 therein referred to, the same area of Sub-section 48 be granted to ■ tho residents of district of Kelburno for the purpose oPa public bowling green and croquet dawn', the! said land to be administered by a committee elected annually on -a poll of.the residents of Kelbnrne, such committee to act on the powers delegated to-it by the Wellington City Council, and any .money which tliu corporation woqld otherwise expend, upon this. area of the Town Belt to be paid over to tho above committee as a subsidy."

"I notice," Writes ."Jjick," "Uutt the Mayor proposes to ask til? council to agree to tho granting of an aA-o of .Town Belt land at Kelburne for the purposes of a public bowling green and croquet lawn, in lieu of granting a lease of! tho ,same to tho K-elburno Club. I feel equally sure that in doing his-Worship is actuated by the best democratic principles, as that ho is acting in ignorance of the real position. Th.e charm of bowls is in its associations. A person gaiiijS.no pleasure in playing bowls-with anyone, but give him ineu whom ho knows, the game takes a different flavour altogether, n flavour you would never get on a public green. Furthermore, a public green Would have no interest to the bowler in ordinary, as it could not be affiliated-in any way to the Wellington Bowling Centre or Northern Association, and, therefore, without a club being formed in connection with the giean (an obvious impossibility, as members could never be suro'of a game),, they could play no inter-club or tournament matches 'whatsoever, which would give players 110 definite objective, and therefore no distinct interest' in improving themselves at the game. Furthermore, 1 would like to point out respectfully to Mr. Mayor, .that by desiring to make.this hillside aero at ICclburno into | public bowling green 110 is acting most undeniocratifcally, as he is unconsciously creating 'class' distinct ions in a game which is free from tlieiri at present." '