TO THE EDITOR.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 534, 17 June 1880, Page 2

TO THE EDITOR.

[Correspondents are invited to discuss mattors of public interest with, fairness and brevity ; this journal being an impartial medium of discussion and advocacy for all affairs relating to the County of I’atea.] DAMAGING THE CRICKET GROUND. Siu,—As yon have devoted so much space to the correspondence on the above subject, please allow me a few lines in rcpl3’. First let me notice the letter signed by Messrs Tenuent, Fraser, and Dixon. These gentleman ha\ e personal ly examined the extent of damage done, and their opinion I consider to be one conscientious!}’ given. The}’ state that a certain amount of damage lias been done to the cricket turf ; but they are much more moderate than jVlrTapliu, who informed your readers that the pitch was practically spoilt for the purpose of cricket. B}’ not contradicting, the}’ tacitly admit the truth of my statement that damage to the same extent could be repaired a few weeks before the cricketing season opened. They suggest damage that may be done after the winter rains, but I consider this a departure from the point at issue ; especially after I had stated that the game would not be played over the pitch when the ground became wet, and liable to serious damage.

With reference to the material assistance rendered by the public of Patea towards laying the turf, I may say that Mr Taplin has made some mistake when he states fifteen shillings as the total sum subscribed outside the Club. To my own personal knowledge this is incorrect. Beplying to Mr Taplin’s letter : The first matter he mentions is the corroborative testimony of three other gentlemen as to the serious nature of the damage done. I have already referred to this testimony, and I believe it to be anything but corroborative; for while the three gentlemen referred to express their opinion in a moderate and conscientious manner, Mr Taplin allows himself to be carried away 7 by prejudice, and greatly overstates the extent of damage He asks “ why 7 the Football Club is not independent enough to clear and prepare its own length of ground for football playing.” I shall not touch on the question of our Club’s independence, but my answer to Mr Taplin’s question is that we play our game on a public recreation ground, the most suitable we could obtain ; and we shall continue to do so, so long as no material or permanent injury is done to the property of any other Club or person.

It has hitherto been my desire to argue this question with moderation and fairfeeling ; and as I think as much has been said on the subject as ought to be, I shall conclude this letter and this controversy 7, without commenting on Mr Taplin’s reference to “ larrikins," nor on the tone of his letter, so profusely dotted with inverted commas, which are evidently intended to indicate wit or satire of too rich a quality to be observed without them.—l am, &c., Hugh Coutts. P.S.—I omitted to say that ray last letter was explanatory only, and by no means apologetical, as Mr Taplin presumes. H.C. Carlyle, 16th.