LACK OF RUGBY FIELDS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 101, 1 May 1930, Page 10

LACK OF RUGBY FIELDS

POSITION IN HUTT VALLEY

Mr. J. Prendeville, chairman of the Wellington Rugby Union,' 6aid at Tuesday night's meeting of the Management Committee that some secondary school fixtures would have to be. played during the week instead of oh Saturday owing to'tho lack of grounds. Teh teams'-in the secondary (schools competitions could iv t be given grounds, and five teams had byes, and four more had entered since the fixtures were drawn up. This meant that 19 teams would not be playing on Saturday. A hundred and fifty boys were not getting a game because they cculd not provide grounds, "owing to the fact that another' code has put forward claims for problematical 'teams;" The position was acute.' In the Ilutt Valley district there were fourteen teams, and had the Rugby Union not provided for grounds there, they would be in a very bad position. It was time the Taita riding provided an additional ground. Pc tone had nine teams ■with three grounds and a possible fourth at MacEwan Park. . Major T. J. King said the Hutt/Valley had made no provision for grounds in laying out the district! Mr. Prendeville said practically all the grounds there were Crown grants. The ratepayers had provided scarcely any. The Karon ratepayers ■ had! provided a ground, and other city suburbs had done the same. . ■. , The other code had five grounds not occupied early. He did not know what could be done when the secondary school competitions were in full swing.' Mr. G. Jackson said that 53 teams had entered in the secondary schools'competition, with a probability ,of more. Mr. 'A. E. Nielsen, (secretary) said it would help if the Hutt Valley: teams could

play at 1 o'clock. All the schools could not do so, as some of them had school in the mornings. Mr. H. D. Morgan: "Have lights on the ground and play them at night." It was also mentioned that no ground had so far been found for tho Petone B and Athletic teams in the fourth grade. The authorities of Eongotai College are to be approached with a view to securing the use of the two college grounds.