FINANCE OF ATHLETIC PARK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1864, 25 September 1913, Page 8

FINANCE OF ATHLETIC PARK.

MAYOR AND A CRITIC.

THE OLD HISTORY TRAVERSED

In the course of a letter which appeared in Tiie Dominion 011 Tuesday, Mr. John Burns, of Karori, stated that the Mayor's recent reference to the council having negotiated for tho purchaso of tho Athlotic Park boforo the Wellington Rugby Union came forward was contrary to fact. ' "As far as I am awaro," wrote Mr. Burns, "tho council never approached the Park Company or tho Wellington Union during tho negotiations with n view to direct purchase."

Referring to this letter, the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) said that Mr. Burns's memory must surely be hazy. Tho matter had first cropped up in tho council on March 11, 1908, wlion Councillor Cohen drew attention to an advertisement calling for tenders for the purchase of tlio Athletic Park. The matter was referred to tho Reserves Committee, which reported to tho council on May 21 of tho same year, to the effect that thoy had-had an interview with the chairman of the Athlotic Park Company (lessees from Native owners, represented by tho Publio Trustee). Tlio company had submitted tho terms on which it was prepared to sell its interest, and the committee had recommended tho acquisition of the park by tho City Corporation. It was then thought that the city might bo able to acquire the freehold of the property, and an interview took place with tlio then Public Trustee (Mr. J. Poynton). The upshot of this was'that a prico (£15,000) was put 011 tho block, which, with the lessees' interest (£4550) mado tho total amount £19,550. On Juno 12, 1908 (eight days after the council had received a full report from the Reserves'Committeo as to tho price of tho freehold) Messrs. G. F. C. Campbell and S. Brown, of tho Rugby Union, waited on tho committeo in connection with the proposed acquisition of the park, and asked to be afforded an-.opportunity of negotiating for tho purchase of tho lease on tho same terms as had been offered to tho council. As the council's wish was to retain the park as a playing area (and not allow it to be cut up into building allotments) the council decided to step aside in favour of the Union. One stipulation was made, viz.,'that the terms of purchase agreed upon by the Public Trasteo and Athletic Park Company be tho prico that tho council will pay to the Rugby Union if it is at any time desirous of selling to llio council (plus capital expenditure, with 110 allowance for goodwill). Consequent upon that the council entered into an agreement enabling the Union to havo tho first right of purchaso. Subsequently the negotiations were successfully concluded, and tho Union took over the old Athletic Park Co.'s interest, and holds it to-day.