MUNICIPAL GOLF LINKS,

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2525, 28 July 1915, Page 5

MUNICIPAL GOLF LINKS,

Sir,—ln your issue of July 24 appears a letter under the head of "Municipal Golf Links," and l signed "Working Man." The writer wails heavily over "six hundred pounds" being wasted, and couldn't this and couldn't' that bo done with it instead. Did it not occur to him this £600 is to be' spent on a reproductive work, and that tho preparation of tho chosen area for the proposed municipal links has been improved from an eyesore of gorse, manuka, etc.. and has already given relief to a number of surplus .workmen in its j?art

preparation. Let "Working Mail" come out and inspect tho ground, as it even "now presents itself, and if ho knew it before the slasher, grubber, spade, and fire wore applied to it he would not have written (let alone thought) so nonsensically. In reason, would ho have expected one to liavo condemned the levelling and fijling-in of tho belt areas where Wakefield Park now stands, or the work now in progress on tho ground for another sports area up towards Brooklyn, or Anderson Park, or the park facing tho city below Kelburn, or even the levellings and earthing over of the sand dunes out at Lyall Bay. Theso improvements have given, and will give, playing grounds for cricket, football, hockey, etc. The total of the cost of the preparation of these grounds might be a staggerer to "Working Man's" lay mind —but "sport" demanded them, and they have got, and are getting, them. And then, why should not golf' enthusiasts liavo a little thought. It take's all conditions of men to make up a world, especially in sport. And there is this about tho area chosen for the municipal golf links—the preparation of the ground is going to be a cheap undertaking. There is no levelling to be done, and only small plots here and there will need special preparation and attention to make a good eight-holo set of links; and the links are going to pay their own way to boot, for sure. Besides, the council will hold and let out for stock grazing at so much per head the cleared ground where a thousand blades of grass will grow where one (and probably none) grew before. It is a part of the original deed of grant that the first call on tho Town Belt is for recreation purposes, and the golf player, whether of the fair sex or retired gentleman, or "working man." in the person of scribe, medico, artisan, shop assistant, tradesman, etc., will play in happy unison with one another. No, my ; friend, your letter is a selfish epistle. You should just take, a run out to Berhampore, and get on the hills between Mother Aubert's Home and the Presbyterian. Orphanage, and see the improvements that have already been made on what until about the beginning of the present year had been an eyesore to those who use the Island Bay tramcars. lam a working man, and I am going to play golf in my leisure hours. To "Working Man" the word "golf" must flavour of the aristocrat. Now. Sir, as one of the original movers for tno creation of municipal golf Units, I must congratulate this council for giving a final six hundred pounds effect to a scheme that was an unanimous decision of the previous sitting council, before whom tho. golf enthusiasts (workers in all calls of life) of AVellington appeared, and made out a good and payable case for a much-sought-for golf links on. the people's property, and it will also ' afford me much personal pleasure to see the band of honest labourers industriously working for their share of a well-spent £600, and earning sufficient to lay by a little money to purchase their own paid-for Christmas cheer. For the information of "Working Man,'! I may mention that the first idea of municipal golf links originated with Mr. David M'Laren, when he was Mayor (a "Labour" Mayor at that) of "Wellington, and I am sure it will be gratifying to him to see the scheme given: final effect to with a backing of £600—and the scheme is going to be reproductive.—l am, etc., A. PEREWIKI. Berhampore, July 26, 1915.