TE KUITI RECREATION GROUND.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 473, 12 June 1912, Page 5

TE KUITI RECREATION GROUND.

AN URGENT REQUIREMENT,

DEPUTATION TO BOROUGH

COUNCIL

The 'necessity of procuring an adequate recreation ground for Te Kuiti is daily becoming more mgent, and for a considerable time the matter has been discussed by the various athletic bodies. Last week a meeting of the recently formed Sports Protection League at Te Kuiti was held and a deputation was appointed to wait on the Borough Council and put before that body the urgency of the matter with a view to action being taken to secure a ground. The deputation, consisting of Messrs Matthew.' Lusk and Howarth, waited on the Borough Council on Monday evening, being introduced by Cr

Young. Mr Matthew pointed out that the piece of ground which constituted the present Domain was altogether

inadequate for recreation purposes and in future would be still less suitable. The level ground within easy distance of the town was very limited and he urged the council to take action to secure a suitable area at the earliest possible time. Mr Howarth said the matter had been discussed at a general meeting of the Sports Protection League, and two resolutions had been passed. The first was in the direction of requesting the borough to take over the present ground. The second was to request the council to acquire a sutiable area for a new ground. The present ground was merely suitable for one game and with the growth of the town the lack of procer facilities for recreation was being'severely felt. Little interest could be felt in athletic games unless grounds were available and this was already found to be the case. Moreover, ft was necessary in the interest of health to have suitable recreaton grounds for the public. Mr Lusk said as a member of the existing Domain Board he heartily agreed "with what had been said. The present ground was altogether too small to be of any practical use. Besides, it was impossible to get anything in the shape, of revenue. The Domain Board had raised by guarantee a sum of money for the purpose of cuttir.sllhe ground in grass and levelling. TVis "amount was still owing : and" the liability would have to be taken over together with the ground. He would strongly urge the council net to have any ground they might acquire constituted a domain under the Act.

Cr Forsyth said he recognised the necessity for a ground, but would like tc tret an idea of the amount of revenue""like!y to be derived from the various sports clubs. The difficulty arose from the lack of foresight displayed when the native township was being laid out. No provision had been made for reserves and the people now had to pay for, as a luxury," what should have been provided for them. He agreed that the sooner action was taken the better.

Crs Julian, Floyd, Lusk and Young spoke in a similar strain. Eventually a committee consisting of Crs Lusk Julian and Somerville was appointed to confer with the deputation and report to the council.