TRAINING SHEDS WANTED

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 16 September 1924, Page 9

TRAINING SHEDS WANTED

SCHEME BEFORE BOROUGH

COUNCIL

A deputation consisting of Messrs L. O. Hooker, B. McCarthy and A Gray waited on the Hawera Borough Council last mght and asked the council’s approval and co-operation in connection with a scheme to provide an up-to-date gymnasium and dressingshed on the borough reserve Mr. Hooker said it was evident that Hawera lagged behind every other town of any size as far as sports grounds and accommodation for sport were concerned. Stratford had gone in for a big scheme, as the result of which they were going to have the best public sports grounds in Taranaki,, and New Plymouth had erected splendid dress-mg-sheds wit\i bathrooms attached. In the case of Hawera there was no sports ground available for the future, as the arrangement with the A. and P. Association was really only a temporary one. Visiting teams to Hawera. had to use the hotels, and, speaking on behalf of the licensees, this was°not satisfactory, as there was not sufficient bathroom accommodation, and the order of the hotel was disturbed. Further, in the case of school teams the masters did not like the boys being taken to hotels, and he did not blame them. It was up to the people of the district to bring the town into line and build uii-to-date conveniences, but it was _ impossible to ask the public to provide the money unless they could put the building on some site 'where it would be secure. If the building were built on the borough reserve it would eventually become the property of the borough. What was proposed was a gymnasium of about 90ft. by 145 ft.. with a tan floor and the necessary dressing sheds and bathroom accommodation attached; The question of a caretaker could be got over by providing living quarters for a man. ’ Mr. McCarthy said that the main object of the deputation was to obtain the council’s approval of the scheme, which was principally in the interests of footballers. He thought that any movement to benefit the sports bodies who centralised their activities in this town should be encouraged. He thought that the council should appoint some person to represent them on the committee had the. scheme in hand. Mr. Gray said lie understood that if the building were erected the school pupils would have the use of it as a gymnasium. when required. At present when the weather was wet the pupils could not go through their daily course of physical drill. He thought that the early citizens of Hawera had been very long-sighted iu putting aside such a block of laud as the borough reserve. It only wanted such a building as was proposed to make it one of the most perfect blocks of land equipped for sport in the Dominion. The Mayor (Mr. L. A. Bone) asked if there was , room on the reserve for a football ground. . Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Hooker said that there was.

Cr. Goodwin said that if the A. and P. Association were to sell their present grounds he knew who would be after the first block of land.

Cr. Goodwin, speaking in support of the deputation’s proposal, said that as the result of the dressing-sheds being built at New Plymouth the teams did not use the hotels for changing, as they could gut better accommodation on the grounds.

His Worship said that the council would have to consider the matter of very carefully. He agreed * that there should be some such building, so that the men need not go to the hotels, quite apart from the liquor buildings. Their duty was towards such a scheme, especially where young boys were concerned. He said that the deputation could depend on the council giving the request every consideration. Mr. Hooker said they would go on with the scheme for raising the money. When the denutation retired, Cr. Morrissey moved that the matter be referred to the Reserves Committee. — Cr. Brunette seconded and the motion was carried.