ART UNION REFUSED

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1933, Page 5

ART UNION REFUSED

TO MONICA PARK TRUSTEES. TO CLEAR GEE -INDEBTEDNESS. (Per Pres 4 Association — Copyright ) CHRISTCHURCH, -September 12. The Alinister for Internal ' Affairs, the Hon. j. A.'Young,, to,-day ; refused the' request made von X behalf of the Christchurch '• City‘ Council and the

to' hold" aft 'iartuhioh: to clear ‘ off the indebtedness, on .the-ground; ] _ Alotiica' Park was formerly-the, headquarters of League ' football,' but' the Lertgup iihandonbd ground; last season, .‘The - .. vivo a reddaud lucome fveiri the ground, Last night the City' Council-had before it the offer from the .trustees to hand, over the park ,to tlie l City of Christo church, free 1 of aIV liabilities, provided that permission; dould be obtained for the holding of. , -an art union. > The ; amount of indebtedness is £II,OOO. Two deputations waited on the Alinister to-day. The first was a deputation of the' City ' Councillors.' ■ They met the Minister in private. Then -a deputation; from the social council of churches, . lpd. by Bishc? West Watson, urged the Alinister not to grant any art union. They did so on general' anti-gambling grounds. Mr Young, in reply, .said that he had come to the conclusion that there were no grounds to warrant an art union. Alonica Park was originally ;r bought by the syndicate for business reasons, but it had not been successful as a business proposition. Had it been, he did not think that they, would have heard anything about an art -union. Air Young also, said, that-. he .agreed with the; deputation that gambling was anti-social, but he. had to administer the law as he found it. ; , ;