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Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 4, 15 January 1915, Page 2

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — I read with much interest Dr. Macdiarmid’s letter and your leader., dealing with the question of a bowling green for Huntly.

Now, being at that time of life when a man gets tight in the girth and correspondingly short in the breadth, the idea of a bowling green seems good to me, but having been somewhat of a sport in my time and looking back with pleasure upon my football and cricket days, I am of the opinion that in a matter of this kind all ages of the community should be considered and hence lean strongly towards the scheme for the establishment of a recreation ground, where, as you say, facilities could be provided for all classes of sport. In thinking over past happenings leading in this direction one cannot help being struck with the incompleteness of any negotiations ever entered into bv the various “ Committees, ” which, from time to time, have have scratched the surface, as it were, and never oned got down to bed rock. I think I am correct in staling that the idea of a public recreation ground was first mooted by the Huntly Athletic Club. —the Town Board was approached — a conference arranged,— a commutes set up —■ negotiations entered into with the Taupiri Coal Mines, Lt§., and then with a great flourish of trumpets came the announcement:

“ At last we were to have a breathing space and playground combined. ” Hardly have those echoes died away, yet.the scheme is as far off fulfillment as ever. I believe in fact, the society which inagurated the scheme is as dead as the proverbial herring “ But the Town Board remains” I hear some one say. — Some people are so unreasonable ! But assuming something really was done by the committee and that the Taupiri Company did lend a favourable ear to its pleadings, is it reasonable to expect the Company to chase the Huntly public with a recreation ground ? If a thing is worth having it’s worth working for and only by hammering away at the object in view can any material benefit be derived.

If this scheme is to be taken up in anything like the spirit it deserves, the first duty of the committee, if one is still in existence, is to show some evidence of its being, and quickly, too; if its numbers have been depleted those remaining should at once call a public meeting, submit a report of what has been done, or left undone, a working committee elected and then get to work in earnest and out of the ashes of past fires which perhaps burned brightly whilst they lasted. Phoenix like may arise tho smiling playground of our dreams. O ! for a C. J. Parr i Yours etc, OLD SPORT.