PLAYING AREAS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24414, 27 September 1940, Page 6

PLAYING AREAS

UPKEEP OF RESERVES COST TO DEPARTMENT SUBSIDISED LABOUR £63,392 At the annual meeting of the Otago Cricket Association on Wednesday night it was understood that the incoming committee would take steps to endeavour to get the City Council to waive the payment of rents for playing grounds in the city. Mr O. G. Stevens, during the discussion, stated that the association had paid the City Council £145 during the past year for grounds. Increasing Expenditure To clarify the position regarding the cost of the upkeep of the city reserves (which include the playing areas) an Otago Daily Times reporter yesterday asked the Mayor (Mr A. H. Allen) for some details regarding the actual expenditure by the Reserves Department. The Mayor said that the expenditure for each year since 1930-31 was as follows (shillings and pence omitted): — £ 1930-31 6861 1931-32 6405 1932-33 5060 1933-34 4972 1934-35 5382 1935-36 5516 1936-37 8160 1937-38 • .. 8046 1938-39 8303 1939-40 9511 The Mayor added that for the present year the vote had been once again advanced—this time to £10,516. Cost of Subsidised Labour It was pointed out by the Mayor that, apart from the increasing yearly vote by the council, a great amount of improvement work and the provision of new grounds had been effected by the department with the aid of scheme 13 labour. Last year the total wages paid by the Government by way of subsidy for men employed by the Reserves Department had totalled £63.392. For the whole of these relief operations the council had to provide supervision, tools, cartage, materials, and all overhead charges. Charge on Sports Bodies The total amount charged as rent for the playing areas is £645 13s 9d, the contributing bodies being the Otago Rugby Football Union, the Otago Cricket Association, the Otago Football Association, Otago hockey, women's hockey, Cricket League, and ladies' cricket.