SAVE ATHLETIC PARK

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3169, 21 August 1917, Page 7

SAVE ATHLETIC PARK

A DOCTOR'S APPEAL

MATTER OF GREAT IMPORTANCE

One.of those most keenly interested in the present effort to save Athletic Park is Dr. MTSvedy, a -New! Zealander ■ who iwico represented Great Britain at Rugby football. "It seems to me," he euys, "that it will bo a very- sad thing if the citizens of Wellington, do -not step' in and save this ground. 'The fact that over 1500 senior Rugby footballors env Jisted within six months of tho outbreak «f war proves that they wero the men who wero fit to fight for the country, and Were prepared to fulfil their duties of citizenship' when called upon. Take'the Wellington Club. One Saturday they were in tho running for the championship, and on tho following Saturday they "were to play off 'with Athletic, but before the day .camo all but ono man had gone,'and tho club could not raise a team. It is a matter for the public io realise the position. If we cajinot nil go to tho war many of'us have tho means to do something for' those who havo gone. It is not only a ivwstion of keeping the park for the footballers who have, gone, but a question of keeping it. for those who are to como after.' > "After all, .£3ooo.is not a big amount. «nd yet the.response to tho'appeal haa to my-mind been , very disappointing. Those who'can well help-have not come i'orwand as I thought ihey would do. "X'flere is. another point we want to . recognise.: A lot of us old footballers n&ve had a good time out of football,and now that wo. are ■ lookers-on it is : our duty to keep the ground for the younger men. If we fail, our failure will ■ Sot redound to our credit. •■. "This is an appeal by citizens and sportsmen and not. especially by the ..anion.- ' As a' factj the union was firs I approached from outside by people who Tealised the position- into which things "were drifting. It should ba -remembered uhat_ footballers have been our best advertisers. *No one ever advertised' this country more than the All-Blacks did. Theroforo the people and the Government ~ have a duty to the Rugby men.. ,The ap'ipeal.is not to "pay off pre-war debts. The ■-£3000 is neecied because of wh}«« 'are inevitable in. war time. Nothing short of. ,£3OOO will save the position. i , "What we want is that people will come forward and give us'.what, they can afford. This is a time when we must all make sacrifices. We are shortof grounds , Sow. If the. park is lost, where will wo . "be ?. Wβ .must preserve .levery ground we '■have .at present. .Wo' , ."would like.io see. .some of the wealthy people come forward , and show the. spirit which rnoyexl the . people of Auckland to buy the freehold of a ground and present it to the union. . With'the assistance of a dozen wealthy , men we could buy that ground right out." Dr. MT3vedy concluded by remarking •thatj'tpeaidngas a"'doctor, he could say that if was a matter'of the utmost ira- ' pbrtan x> to tho health of the young men 1& encojrage Rugby football. APPEAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL 'A deputation, consisting of Dr. New-, man; Messrs. C. P. Skorrett," and D. > Weir, representing the Wellington Rugby ."Union, waited oh the Finance Conimit- . i'ee of the City" Council yesterday afterEoori to place, before the members the .plight of the union in respect to the Athletic Park. The position was clearly Eet forth by- the speakers, whoj to secure some amelioration of the union's financial cbligations prayed that the commit-' tee would consider' the advisability' of relieving-. the. -ground of any ■ rates for • the . period'of the war and six months ■(hereafter. The.case they prevailed was, in brief, that it would be doing an injustice to the players,... who are '.away ; fighting at the front, to. deprive them of the ground they had played on so often r ' in happier days of peace. The deputation also asked for the use «f the. big Town "Hall rent free for'the purpose of a war lecture by Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P:, in.aid of tho Paik 'Re-tention-Fnnd.-. •■■ ■ ■ : ■'• • The '■' committee gave :the speakers a sympathetic hearing, 'and the chairman (Mr. J. P.- Luke) promised■ thattherepreBentations made would receive every con-' sideration. .' . ■' . '■