CRAMMING THEM IN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2407, 21 March 1922, Page 3

CRAMMING THEM IN.

SPORTS CLUBS AND EASTON • PARK. - CONFERENCE WITH TjHE ; COUNCIL. FINAL DECISION ON MONDAY

ATspeeial meeting of the Borough Council was held in the Town Hall siupper-A>om last night to confer wiih sports bodies re playing areas on Easton Park. Delegates of the various sports clubs were in attendance, and submitted views on the

question. The Mayor, in opening, said he was pleased to note 1 the keen interest taken in sport % in Fox ton during the past few years. Outdoor exerciselwas very necessary and berieficiaL Re playing areas, he had gone carefully into the -matter that afternoon, and had come to the conclusion that there was sufficient room for all tjie clubs on Easton Park if the footballers would move over to the south-east corner. The whole matter rested with the footballers. The Council did not wish to do anything without first consulting them. \ Mr Perreau said he had to thank ..the meeting for giving permission to the Beautifying Society to he represented at the meeting. They wanted to see all sports played on the Park, if possible. There appeared to be sufficient room if the footballers would consent to shift from the middle of the park. The idea was to have two croquet courts and four tennis courts on the park, as' well as the football ground. Mr Bullard said he was present as a representative of the cricket club. The Council had granted them permission a- year ago to put a pitch down in the middle of the football field.

Mr H. Reid asked how much ground there would be to spare on the sides if | they consented to move ■ over.-. )- j The Mayor pointed out that there ' was a minimum of 10 yards on either side, and that there was an extra eight yards in width at the Johnston Street end. v # Cr. ; Walker said that he would . ' like to see a portion set aside as a playing ground for the children, and if the funds allowed he would like to see swings and a trellis shel- ■/ ter erected, so that mothers could bring their children there, and let them play. The park had been given for all. • Cr. Martin said the children could play there in any case. ■ i TheMayoi- said it was a good idea but the. question of playing areas V would-have to bo settled first. > . 7- ,./Mr Perreau said that one swing • ~lia(I 'already been promised. Re a shelter, the Society had £250 ear- ' ' marked for a pavilion, and he understood that should the croquet and tennis clubs be successful in obtaining'playing areas on the park, v they were going to erect a shed between their grounds. Mr Reid said that he did not see any space on the map for a'pavilion „ for the footballers. The Mayor said that he would like to see the.pavilion erected near the gas works. Mr Trueman pointed out that the money earmarked by the Beautifying Society was for a pavilion,-and that would, be used by the footballers. .Cr. Martin said that, JSere was more than one thing peculiar about the whole matter to him. The Ten- , nis. Club had been in existence for a good number of years, and there was/no increase in its membership; yet there was a sudden rush for Easton Park. . He’ could not understand this rush by all clubs for the ground. There seemed to be more in „ the matter than appeared on the surface. He could not think other- ’ wise than that the Tennis Club was • • not in too good a position. They wanted-to get out and fall back on Easton Park. He would not object to courts being Laid down, subject r . to 4 their being under the control of the Council. If the Tennis Club ■ wantedAnore ground,'let them pnt • their time and energy into Victoria /..Park. Large/crowds were never ■ • present .watching tennis .or croquet .matches'./; The Tennis Club said they catered for all. He had looked through the different reports of tennis matches, and had seen the same few .. playing. Another thing was the Tennis Club suggested charging for / ' ‘ehsualiplayerffiaf 6d iV a game. If S . there was. any charging to be done, ifioSa’be'by’the Council, and the go to the Council. The ground had been given to the people, to be kept for the 'people,‘if he had anything to do with it... The football petition contained some 350 names, and these

names were of people who follow . sporteSjEJonld! JtlifiyTe'hnis Club say that they had got that number on ' '' vJ -their TJetitida? r Cr, Bryant said that he would like to enlighten Cr. Martin. The Tennis Club; membership was already four V\ AiineS. larger than a few years ago. TJiey had not enough room for all ■ the members to play. Victoria Park whs too far away for tennis. Tennis is mostly 'played in the evening. As regards the finance of the Tennis . Club, if they wound up to-morrow they would be well on the right, side financially.'' He “did not consider that- tbe'Croquet Club needed ground on Easton 'Park. , Mrs Pearson pointed out that the • present croquet-lawn , was not snffiV cient. If they were able to get gro- . / und on Easton Park their member- ;.' r j ship would soon increase. ,Cr. Bryant said that h,e had heard ■ that some members who had signed , /the croquet petition had signed it under a misapprehension. Mrs Pearson explained that that .was.not strictly correct.

Mr -Reid said that as regards the petitions, neither the; Croquet Club nor the Tennis Club seemed to be unanimous about the matter. Some names appeared on all petition^.

Cr. Smith said the Council had all the facts before it, and some decision should be arrived at. The footballers-said that they were not willing to move over, as there was not sufficient room.

Mr MeMurray -said that if there was going to be a row about the matter the Tennis Chib' would not' have anything to do with the matte i". He was rather annoyed at what had been said by the footballers. There is no man' in Foxton keener over football, or who would do as muck for the footballers, as he. They held that the Tennis Club did not confer with them on the matter before goipg to the Council. This was untrup, as they would see by looking at the reports of their meetings. Nenjrly all the tennis players are footballers, and that was why some had Supported both petitipns. Leaving the men out, the ladies that belong to the clubs should be considered. They were principally responsible for raising the money for the Beautifying Society. The footballers say that they have given £3O or £4O, but they did not pay that out of their pockets —the people paid it. Why should the ladies be denied a small portion of the land. Mr. Reid said that the footballers had played the games responsible for the raising of the money.

Mr MeMurray said that the footballers should at least he men enough to allow the ladies a playing space. Re Cr. Martin’s remark about finance, he noticed intending the report of the football meeting that there were a great number of footballers who didn’t pay their subs. The Tennis Club had determined to l’aise their subscription from £1 Is and 10s Gd to £2 2s and £1 Is. Also the Horowhenua Rugby Union .had not yet paid their quota of the last season’s gate money. :

Mr Reid asked how much the Croquet and Tennis Clubs had paid in so far towards Easton Park. Mr MeMurray said that they did not want tp quarrel. over the matter. If the footballers refused to shift, they could keep the ground. One thing he considered it his duty as an old I;footballer Mo tell them, though, was that they were playing the wrong way as they were. They were playing«against. the siin, which '■meant that there would be accidents, as no man could take a hall with the sun injhis eyes and dodge, too. Perhaps some arrangement could he arrived at a? to. purchase and lease of Air Desmond’s land adjoining the Park, and if not, I hey'could take the land under the Public Works [Act. Mr.McDowell; “Perhaps Mr Desmond does no I want to part, with the ground.” . Mr MeMurray: “Perhaps he is not interested ip football.” Mr McDowell: “He is mox*e .so than you arc.”

Mr MeMurray: “There'is good ground at Victoria Park.” Mr McDowell: “Yes! Good for tennis courts, too!” Ah’ MeMurray said that the matter, was, not a personal one. If it was, he would have advocated courts on Victoria Park, handy t 6 his own residence. He had la-good grass .court, and could take the best, players away from the Club. Re Cr. Martin’s remark about the finance of the Civil). They certainly had an overdraft of £9O, but the unimproved value of their present courts was well over £IOO. Their only reason for shifting was that there is not sufficient room where they are. As it is? players are playing on his private courtsfT-pvery day. That meant they tvere using three courts. They must have more ground. They would .have as good players as anywhere else in New Zealand if they were given a chance. Cr. Smith said he would not like to see the, Tennis Club hampered. He would lik& to see all sports provided for on the ground. He could not see why the footballers wanted to -monopolise the whole ground.

Cr. Martin said the footballers made no suggestion of wanting the whole ground, r ' Mr Desmond said there was not room to play and afford room for spectators ; if the football ground was shifted from where it was. Cr. Smith said that he wanted to see football played on the Park, but he did noti’see why the other clubs should be pushed out because the footballers 1 wanted the centre. The croquet and tennis \ would cost, roughly, £2OO to lay down. If they expected the Council to put that sum up he was against them going to. Easton Park. A man would have to be employed at least four days a week as caretaker. That was another £2 a week: How much was the Tennis and Croquet Clubs willing to guarantee?

Mr Bullard interjected that it would be mighty awkward to tennis and eroqqet players having a cricket ball flying: about the courts when they were playing. The Mayor said one thing must be made clear. The Council has not the slightest intention to depart from its previous decision unless the footballers, want to pull out. He considered it would be a little unreasonable if the footballers did not agree to move over as suggested. The ladies who had assisted to raise the money were only asking for a small piece of the ground. Mr McMurray said that the Tennis Club had guaranteed £25 a year for maintenance. He did n6t consider that it would cost much to put down the courts.' They were willing to help themselves, and would go ahead at once and raise money by entertainments, etc. He did not want the footballers to think’ he was up against them, or that the Club

had “something up its sleeve.” He liked to see the ladies playing games. If the footballers refused to shift he would advise them to take up football. They would at any rate get a big gate. The footballers were not prepared to help themselves, they wanted the public to do it. The Tennis Club catered for all. Some warm exchanges and personalities and irrelevant matter was indulged in for a time between Cr. Martin and Mr MeMurray. in which the Tennis Club secretary and others joined. Cr. Smith said that he understood that the Tennis and Clubs would lay down their courts themselves, and pay about £4O a year maintenance between them.

Mr MeMurray said that the Beautifying* Society intended to keep a caretaker, and the Club could work in with them and lpMhe one man do the whole work.

Mr Reid said that the footballers objected to the way the Tennis Club “sneqked” their petition in to the Council to get the motion rescinded re football in Easton Park. If they had been sports they would not have done that. The Mayor said there had been nothing done by the Council to rescind its motion. -

Mr MeMurray said he objected to the word “sneaking.” The “Herald” ean’t always give space enough to fully report meetings. He had made it quite clear at the last Council meeting that they were in no way up against th® footballers. He suggested at that meeting the piping of fhe drain.

Mr McDowell: “A matter of £400.” v Mr MeMurray: “Thai doesn’t matter. We will help you do it.” He had suggested that at the previous meeting. He objected to way the footballers “chucked off.” Cr. Walker said he would like to see some agreement arrived at. Provision should i he made for the children. \

The Mayor said.he hoped that the footballers would lake a proper view of the matter and get fhe whole thing settled at the next Council njeoting; Tt was decided that the matter of playing areas on Easton Park be deferred until fhe next meeting of the Council.