BASIN RESERVE FEES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1971, 30 January 1914, Page 8

BASIN RESERVE FEES.

A REDUCTION SOUGHT.' FOR ATHLETIC SPORTS MEETINGS. Yesterday afternoon Messrs. J. H. follook and E. L. ChaffeJv representing tho Wellington Amateur Athlotio Association, waited on the Reserves Committee of tho, City Council, to lay beforo that body repsons in Bupport of , a plea for ; tho reduction of fees for .the use of tho Basin Reservo in respect ' to athletic clubs in Wellington. Mr. Pollock" said ha-would offer evidence to klioiv that tho tariff imposed ,by tho City Council was; more than tho athletic clubs could pay, in tho hope that they Vould bo reduced not only for tho coming meeting but for nil time. Ho then proceeded to quote tho financial result of. four meetings held within the last year or two. In the case of tho Marathon meotihg, they had anticipated making a considerable profit. It was well run, and they had some splendid talent. 1 Tho result was alcss of £4 6s. Bd. After tliat. the Port Nicholson Athletic Club approached the W.A.A.A., asking that hodv.. to join with them an holding a meeting. That meeting was v.'ell run, and was . held...in. good weather. The debit was £20 Is. lQd. The W.A.A.A. , 'Spring meeting in 1912 'was well boomed, yet tho debit was £15 Is. lid., and the Wellington Club's Summer meeting in 1913 worked out to a debit of £12 Os. 7d. ■ For each ofthose meetings a charge of'£7,los. had been made , for-.tho; use .of-; the Basin Reserve; and it, was more than, they 'could stand. A ■ difficulty the clubs , had to contend with was tho restriction in tho number of active .'members. The clubs' had to depend' for members on ex-schoolboys, and only a subscription' of 2s. 6d. or as. a year-could'bo made. As soon as they bccame men and able to pay a decent subscription they finished with running. . , The Athletic Life. The average length of a man's athletic life, continued Mr. Pollock, was only about four years —from 17 to 22. Then they took to 'bowls, or golf, or they get married. (Laughter.) Tho clubs have no chanco of getting from theiii any more than the low fees charged, '[hey had to depend for tho rest on honorary members' half-sovereigns. The losses on the meetings were paid by the. honorary members' subscriptions. In his opinion tlie council would never have raised the tariff for the Reservo if they knew the struggle it was to keep alive the interest in athletics— they would rather have reduced it. Tho coming' meeting which would be graced by the presence of the star Americans was expected to pan out to a profit) but the appeal he was making was on behalf of the athletic clubs of Wellington generally. He . was quite sure that the Reserves Committee was quite prepared to assist the younger men who were the : only ones to be looked t.o as active "members, and their case had only to be pointed out for it to be Hemedied. He would alsp like to point' out that a charge was made for the use of the dressing rooms, and as every athlete had to pay 2s. 6d. for the privilege of trainmtr_pn the Basin, the charges became very heavy on a boy who was probably in- receipt of a low salary. At most' meetings there was about £30 spent on trophies—the boys could not lio expected to run for nothing—but it tho provincial championship meetings only framed certificates wcro given, Which were ,not so costlj-.

. Bankrupt Anyhow! .Councillor M. Luckie: But.it, is not to itheYharge/for, the Basin that you loser If you weto charged nothing at' all for the meetings you instance you would still he £20 to the had. Yon would bb equally bankrupt if you got, the. ground for nothing. Mi-. Pollock : That is so—that is why wo wish to promote a greater interest in athletics: That is why we spent £600 in 1 bringing the Americans out — to create and encourage an. ititorest in amateur athletics. Councillor Luckie: It seems to me if thero were not so many small meetings, and clubs,, and the meetings were run bv the centres the chance of a loss would not be so great. Mr. Pollock: No. There is the Jolinsonville Club iust started, and the Seatouh Club. Tlie more clubs yon have the more athletes are brought into the field. | _Mi\ Luckie: But could ,they not combine in holding their meetings? Some reasonable chargo must be made for the reserve for specific purposes such as this. Councillor Wright: Is it not that the public are lacking in appreciation of athletics? None of these meetings paid. ■ Mr. Pollock: Tho only "person keen on athletics is the youngster who finds, after leaving school, that he can run— then ho, is very keen for two or three years."' ! Mr. Luckie: I should think one big fcentre - should run things, and small meetings should be discouraged. Encourage them to run ,for . framed certificates. The expenditure of £30 at each meeting on trophies turns a profit into n loss. If certificates only were given there would bo a profit. Mr. Pollock: I will have very much pleasure in placing the suggestion before' tho president of/ the centre, Mr. M'Villy. :

Profit "on American Meeting. •Mr. Luckio: Gould you tell us what profit the Wellington Centre made on the recent American meeting at the Athletic Park? ' Mr. Pollock:. The Wellington! Centre contributed £50 to the fund for bringing the Americans over. Tho not profit on tho two.'days' *iee'ting hero was £87. The centre- received half; that sum, so it niado a loss. Voices: A Iqss? Mr. Pollock: Yes, a loss. . It gave £50 »nd only got back £43 10s. The centre does not anticipate a loss on the coming meeting, unless it is a wet day.. The chairman: Well, your representations will , bo treated with every consideration. Wo are a little Concerned about the and expenditure on our reserves as compared with Auckland. There the expenditure is about the -same,- but tho receipts are much higher. Mr. Morton, who has just returned, made full inquiries, and found that to jbo so. They get about £300fy a vear in revenue, and we only get £11300. Mr. Pollock: But there would be a difference if our big football matches were played on a municipal ground. Mr. Luckio: Besides, tliov are much keoner and more appreciative of anything in the way of athletics or sport in Auckland than they are tare. It is due to the nature of the people. Thanking the committee for its court-c-sv, Messrs. Pollock and Chaffey then retired. •