THE SPORTS BODIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 158, 29 March 1919, Page 8

THE SPORTS BODIES

AND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

WELLINGTON'S PLAYING GROUNDS

A meeting of representatives of vnrious branches of sport, culled by tho New Zealand Sports Protection League, was held in tho Chamber of Commerce Hall last evening. Tho chair was taken by Mr. C. P. Skerrett, X.C. Tho meeting had been called in order that tho sports bodies might stato their requirements in connection with the impending municipal elections. Practically all brandies of sport wero represented, and several members of tho City Council wero prosent. Tho Chairman's Views. Mr. Skerrett said that it was clear that the sports bodies were in danger of being neglected by the local authorities if they did not press their own claims. Tho city councillors had not been inattentive to the requirements of physical sports and to the interests of sports bodies. The provision of additional grounds had been of great advantage, and it was to the credit of tho council that the grounds had been kept in first-class order. The provision of sports grounds was no easy matter in Wellington, where the topographical conditions were a serious handicap. But 'progress had to be made, and now that the war was over the sports bodies and the council must look forward. Mr. Skerrett acknowledged the good work done by Councillor G. Frost, as chairman of the Deserves Committee. It was impossible to demand the immediato prosocution of all the works, that were desirable, but the mseting could indicate tho directions in which it believed progress could be made. Tho importance of adequate recreation grounds and adequate facilities for open air sport had been forced upon the attention of governing authorities by tho war. Tho sports bodies were not going to allow the lesson to be forgotten. Thorndon Baths. Mr, Skerrett proceeded to rofer to the Thorndon Baths. The esplanade and tho baths were shortly to bo taken by the Railway Department for railway purposes. The plans showed that no suitable provision was proposed to be mode for access to the waterfront or for baths. The meeting could consider tho advisability of urging the council to earmark a portion of the money to be paid by the Department for the provision of a swimming bath at the Thorndon end of tho city in substitution for tho Thorndon Baths. The new bath need not bo a seabath. The .sports bodies had' provided a part of the money spent on the preparation of Central Park. Part of the ground had been planted, but there was room still for a sports ground, which would he in n particularly good position. The desirability of completing this ground should he kept before the council. About ,Cl:i,flO(l had been spent on Anderson Park. This park should be completed when funds were available. Municipal Golf Links. Then there was the question of the extension of the municipal golf links, which «t present comprised nine holes and were really well kepi. It would' not ibe too much to ask the council for llio immediate provision of another nine holes. Tho suggestion that the annual subscription should bo reduced from Jii Us. to <£2 2s. seemed reasonable. Tho Pino Street sile was another matter. This silo was.situated at the city mouth of the Kilhmiio tunnel. Negotiations with the council for the preparation of tennis courts had fallen through. The engineers said that tho sile would not. accommodate both a sports ground and tennis courts. JSut there was room for 8 or 10 good tennis courts which voulel ha capable of providing playing space for a Davis Cup contest. Thero was need for further improvement at the women's section of the To Aro Baths. A general matter on which opinions might differ was the control of ''rounds. He did not think that sports bodies should havn the exclusive use of grounds free of charge. The civic authorities wore entitled to charge a fee, but on the other hand the terms should bo reasonable. A charge intended to cover tho full cost of preparation and maintenance would be prohibitive. It might be said in this connection that the grounds were public property and should be free to all. There could be "no more damnable heresy than lliat." If a public reserve was uncontrolled it ceased to be of real value to anybody. Tennis Courts Wanted. Mr. G. Goldic said that the Pine Street, site was the only suitable ground available for tennis courts. The silo had been handed over to the Tennis Association, but the, conditions had been altogether too severe. The association would have required to spend .CSOOO or .£6OOO. Tho ground was a waste at present. It would bo turned into a beauty spot and made of very great value to tho hundreds of young people who wen> taking up tennis. Other tennis players emphasised the importance of providing more courts. Wants of 1000 "Soccer" Players, Mr. Ai E. Wells, for tho Association | footballers, said that the sports bodies i wore doing municipal work in helping j to provide games for the community. His: association at present provided games for about 1000 players. There was only one municipal ground in 'Wellington that was any use for gate purposes, and that I was the Basin Reserve. The footballers j were cut off from this ground, and the j players had to provide their own funds. Tho teams paid capitation and ground ! fees, and tho association's margin of I revenue, after paying necessary charges, was very narrow indeed. The charge of cCS iis. per playing area, had been a severe drain on all the sports bodies, j and ho contended that if tho municipal i authorities wero not prepared to provide games for the youths themselves, they ought to give every assistance to tho sports bodies. 'Players would drop out of the games if the charges imposed on them were too high. Tho council should remember that in Welling! on tho sports bodies could not secure big "gates." Mr. AVells added that, a real difficulty was the demand of the Reserves Committee that tho grounds should bo kopt in a high stale of perfection. This meant, that the clubs woro constantly denied tho uso of grounds on Saturdays becauso somo rain had fallen and tho surfaces wero a bit soft. It would be much better to let tho grounds bo used without so much care for the preservation of the surfaces. The Council allowed Charges lo be icado for admission to sports grounds on thirty days. No winter sport had the use of any one of those days. Delegates: They could if they asked. Alv. Wells said that people would not. go to Newtown Park unless tho attraction was exceptional. The Basin Reserve was the. only other ground at which a "gate" could be collected. Annual Fess Too Severe. Dr. Cameron spoke in favour of an extension of the municipal golf liuks and a reduction of the annual fee. A charge of JJD Us. was too severe for a man who earned, sa.y, ~C 1 a week. Dr. Cameron mentioned that many returned soldiers had learned golf at Home and wished to play here. Tho municipal links were far (oo crowded at present, and ought to he doubled in size. A. good pavilion at Wakeliehl Park would cater for all the sports. Amateur Athletics. Representatives of amateur athletics eaid that the City Council had provided practically all that had lxien asked in the way of grounds and training facilities. They bolioved that a suitable sports ground could be provided at Central Park wilhmil destroying tho trees. It was not desirable that tho tennis players should have all the level and easily accessible ground at the Pirio Street site, if thero was any possibility of providing for other snorts as well between Pirie Street and Mnjoribanks Street. The Rugby Game, Dr. M'Kvody, on behalf of Rugby football, said that the Sports Protection Lcoguo had done very valuable work for sport. Some of tho grounds at Lyall Bay, for example, needed dressing-sheds. The right of tho caretakers to postpono games at the last minute- was a serious grievance. Tho council took too serious a view of the damage douo to grounds in wet weather. Tho grounds would not suffer if games wero stopped

curly enough in the season to allow of tlio giounds being rolled before the dry woathor set in. This was the practice in Britain. Mr. Wilson, for cricketers, said the City Council had mot the sports bodies in a fair spirit. But it had spent far too much money on its sports grounds. It ought to havo cut down costs by using steam shovels instead of picks and shovels. What the Council Had Done, Councillor G. I'rcst said that the Thorndon baths had to go, and the council was considering what should bo dono in substitution. .Ifo believed that the money to be obtained from the Kailway Department should be used to provide tepid baths in a central position. The cost of creating grounds was a scrims item. .Anderson l'ark had cost £3000 to £1000 per acre, 'the Reserves Committeo was considering the provision of a croquet ground for ladies at Anderson Park. Tho council had treated the sports bodies pretty well, for the last eleven months tho revenue of the golf links had been £191, and the cost of upkeep over £WOs Kelburn Park had brought in .£75, and tho expenditure had been £3H. Other approximate figures were: Newtown Park: Keveino £toli, expenditure £1111): Wakefield Park: revenuo J:4l, expenditure £505; Kilbirnie Park: revenue £32, expenditure £3G3. The majority of the councillors were in full sympathy with the sp.irts bodies, but tho charges upon the rates had to bo considered.

After some further discussion a committee was directed to f/epare a memorandum for submission to candidates at the municipal elections.