FOOTBALL GROUNDS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 177, 22 April 1920, Page 6

FOOTBALL GROUNDS

HOW SHALL THEY BE ALLOTTED? DEPUTATIONS TO RESERVES COMMITTEE Deputations from the Football Association, tlio Rugby Union, and the League Football Association yesterday waited upon the Reserves Committee of tho City Council with requests for playing grounds. , On behalf of tho Football Association, Mr. A. Wells said that his association had asked him to approach tho committee with iv request for a fair share of the city grounds. Tho association Jiad a very large number of players to place. There would bo 85 or 8G teams engaged, wliicli meant just over 1000 players, the majority of wliom wcro youths and boys under 20 years of ago. All players in the third and fourth grades and so on were under 20 years of age. and he considered that when any body was providing a 'healthy recreation for youth it deserved tho consideration and encouragement of the city authorities. He laid stress on the fact that some 870 out of the 1000 players engaged

this season were under 20 years of age. The association had its own ground (at Lyall Bay), also grounds at Seatoun and Petone, and if it received the same consideration as in previous yeaTS, it should have no reason to complain. The Worn-out "Basin." At this stage the chairman (Mr. tr. Frost) intimated that the association had no chanco of getting the Basin Reserve for May 8, as it was now partly top-dressed and sown: further, the committee did not think tho association should charge. Mr. Wells: We'll waive charging if we can get tho ground. . Mr. Frost said that the committee had visited the gTOiind, and had found it in a very wet, soft condition. Mr. Wells said no one had any doubt that the Basin Rescrvo was fostered and kept for—one sport.

The chairman (smiling): You don't know what that sport is?

Mr. Wells: We all know it is a cricket proposition' straight out, and a lot of us think it is a crying shame that the Basin should bo kept exclusively for summer sports. We do think that it is kept solely for cricket.

Councillor L. M'Kenzie: Well, cricket is the oneysport mentioned in the deed of gift—cricket and kindred sport. Mr. Wells maintained that he represented a "kindred eport."

The chairman said that they would have to be exceedingly careful in their treatment of the Basin Reserve. Otherwise, they might have to close it down for twelve months, to cricket as well as to other games. Now they tried to save it between seasons, but that was not enough. What' with the continuous rolling and the use the grounds got, they were being worn out. The Basin Re-

serve would be open for "rep." matches after June 12, but not for practice matches., The term of. the agreement with the Wellington Cricket Association was nearly up, and when it was they might have, to vaTy the conditions. Mr. Wells: The Basin, being so central, is really the only ground of any use as a "gate" proposition. Tho chairman promised the deputation every consideration. Rugby Union's Position. Mr. W. Hornig (chairman of the Management Committee of the Wellington Rugby Union) said that the union would have 17 grounds of its own—ls in town and two at Ifarori—'but it had 82 teams, and would probably have 8G teams to accommodate every Saturday. That would mean 43 matches every Saturday. They had 14 grounds they were paying

for. On some of these they could doublebank, which, would provide for 19 matches. On going into matters ho had come to tho conclusion that if they were granted the same number of grounds as last season, and were allowed to double-bank on them they could just manage to get the matches in. The committee would see that the union wns up against it. Twothirds of' the players wore under 20 years of age. Mr. Hornig mentioned in connection with tho match arranged for tho King's visit, that the union contemplated arranging a game which, providing 416 weather was fine, would yield a .£SOO "gate," but it was giving the match in order to provide another city ground, a consideration which might weigh with the committee. Those Dressing Sheds. Mr. Hornig also asked what tho committee was doing about dressing sheds at lulbirnio and Lyall Bay. At the latter placo tho players had to strip in Iho open, and lcavo their clothes exposed to the weather. . The chairman said that a contract had ken let for a dressing shed at KilbirJiio, but a start had not yet been made. No contract had been let in respcct of Lyall Bay, and he advised Mr. Hornig not to expect too much this year. Mr. J. M'Kenzie (Director of Reserves) suggested that some arrangement might be made with the Lyall Bay Bowling and Tennis Club for the use of part of its property as a dressing shelter. [Councillor M'Kenzie has been instructed to make inquiries.] Mr. Hornig was given the assurance that his union would receivo every reasonable consideration.

League's Cry For Help. Mr. C. Evans spoke on behalf of the Football League, which wanted live grounds. The league was only a small body in Wellington, but, as everyone knew, the game, once started, grew out of sight. In Auckland "league" was the predominating gome; it was the samo in Canterbury and tho West Coast, and in Hawke's Bay it was now being played by the school boys. Though now only a small body, tho leaguo asked the council for tho righti to play; a trial would show whether tho game had tho right to live. Tho leaguo would have twelve teams in the field, having signed on somo 300 players this year.

Tho chairman assured Mr. Evans that he had no hope of getting five grounds, and referred to the requests from other bodies. English Team Coming. Mr. Evans said he noticed that the Rugby Union had decided to play only one game on tho Athlctic Park, whero two could bo played in comfort. Ho also referred to the coming of the English League team, and trusted they would be able to get the Basin Deserve and tho right to charge for that game. Ito also asked that the league should bo allowed to take up a collection, as was done in most other places, where it was recognised that revenue was necessary to keep up the game. In that matter he hoped tho committee would not be conservative and would give them a fair deal. The league had contributed .£IOO in fees for one game on the Basin l'escrvo and two on the park last season. Asked by Councillor Dale where collections were taken up, Mr. Evans said it was the rccogniscd thing in Auckland and Christchurch.

The chairman, in promising tlio deputation consideration, said Hint tho league would get its share in the use of the Basin Keserve, which would be available for "rep."' watches after Jnno 12. ' lie advised tho league to fix its dates as soon as possible. Mr. Evans said that tho English team would arrive about July 1, and would commence its itinerary in Wellington.