EMPTIED OUT?

NZ Truth, Issue 1143, 27 October 1927, Page 12

EMPTIED OUT?

Soccer Loses Its Stronghold (From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep. Some people say man is the head of the house and others add, the figurehead. AND this would appear to be th< case insofar as the Aucklan* Football Association is master of it own horne — Blandford Park. The Soccer folks advertised on EM day last that the final match of th< eeason would be played the followini day on Blandford Park, the Associa lion's ground, the 1 game being th< Falcon Cup final tie. But a great surprise awaited tni A.F.A. when they heard that th< lessees of the ground, the Stadium Co on Friday morning had gone to Bland ford Park andi it is stated, forcibl; taken possession. The previous evening, it is as•erted, they had applied to the custodian of the ground for the keys which were not delivered up. The move of the Stadium Co., wa ibut the climax of a long wrangl hitherto undisclosed. The Stadium Co. three years ago en tered into a 28 years' lease of Bland ford Park for the months from Octobe to March and they spent a few thou eands, as part of the agreement, on th ground and enclosure. After the first season's athleti events which drew fairly satisfactory gates the following winter saw tw very serious land slips on the em feankments cut by the Stadium Co. This involved litigation with th owner of a contiguous house whos property subsided six inches. Several attempts have been made b: the Soccer Association to get th Stadium people to effect certain altera tlons to the ground consequent on th damage by slips, but without effecl and recently an ultimatum was de livered to the lessee company whiel Amounted to a notice to quit and ; termination of the lease. The Stadium people, however, it i stated responded by taking possession ©f the ground last Friday morning 1 . An offer was made that If the . A.F.A. applied for an extension of their time for the use of the ground which expires each year on October 1, but which had already been extended three weeks, all would be well. The Soccer people stood aloof am transferred their final game to One faunga, leaving the Stadium Co. alon with their glory. : But the last has not yet been hear of the business. The next move by th Soccerites may be even more dramatl than was that of the Stadium Co. laa •week. ' ' ■ The main contention of the athleti promoting body m taking posseasidi ' was to effect repairs and alterations t the grass track, but it is held by th other side- that, by the terms of th lease, nothing can be done to ttii playing area without applcation to th