CITY PLAYING AREAS

Evening Star, Issue 23692, 27 September 1940, Page 6

CITY PLAYING AREAS

HEAVY COST TO CORPMATIOK SUBSIDISED LABDUR M 5,312 Arising out of remarks made at the annual meeting of the Otago Cricked Association on Wednesday night anent payment of rents to the City Council for playing areas in the city, the mayor (Mr A. H. Allen) has issued a statement intended to clarify the position regarding the cost of the upkeep of the city reserves, which include the playing areas. At the meeting of the association it’ was understood that the incoming committee would attempt to get the council to waive the payment of rents, and during the discussion Mr O. G. Stevens remarked that, thei, association had paid the City Council £145 during the past year for the use of grounds. In his statement the mayor said that the expenditure by the reserves department over a period of years wag as follows: £ 1930- , 6,861 1931- 6,405 1932- 5,060 1933- ... 4,972 1934- 5,382 1935- ... 5,516 1936- 8,160 •1937-38 8,046 1938- ... 8,303 1939- ... ... 9;511 The mayor added that for the present year the vote had been once again advanced—this-time to £10,516. The mayor stated that, apart from the increasing yearly vote by the council, a great amount of improvement work and the provision of new grounds had been effected by the department with the aid of scheme 13 labour. Last year the total wages paid ..by the Government by way of subsidy for men employed by the reserves department had totalled £63,392. For the whole of these relief operations the council had to provide supervision, tools, cartage, materials, and all overhead charges. The total amount charged as rent fop the playing areas is £645 13s 9d, tho contributing bodies being the Otago Rugby Football Union, the Otago Cricket Association, the Otago Foothall Association, Otago hockeys women’s hockey, cricket- league, *n« ladies’ cricket.