Trustees of Recreation Ground.

Patea Mail, 9 April 1881, Page 3

Trustees of Recreation Ground.

The first meeting of the new Board of Trustees formed under the Public Domains Act, to have the management of thePatea Cricket and Athletic Sports Ground, was held on Thursday evening, at the Town Board office. There was a full attendance, namely, Messrs Taplin, Horner,Sherwood, Dixon, Dale, Tenuent, and Adams. Mr Taplin was elected chairman. CLAIM or CRICKET CLUB, A letter from the committee of the Carlyle Cricket Club asked the Trustees to allow to this club the exclusive use of the “ pitch ” which had been laid down by the club, and to give permission to put a light fence round the pitch during winter, if found desirable. On the motion of Mr Dale, the letter was ordered to lie on the table for the present. LEASING AND X'LANTIXO. Mr Sherwood moved that the Chairman, Mr Dixon, and Mr Adams be a committee to examine the Domain, and report as to best means of leasing and laying out the ground. MrTennent pointed out that the Government had retained the power of leasing, instead of giving power to the Trustees. Mr Dale seconded the appointment of a committee, and said that the conditions of each lease would have to be approved in Wellington before the Governor could sign the lease. Mr Adams : It would not be desirable to lease for longer than five years, say for a lump sum, so that we should have a fund to expend the first year in tree planting, instead of losing time by waiting for the payments to be spread over several years. Mr Dixon .• The better plan would be for all the members to inspect the ground. Chairman : A committee of the Town Board made a report on this subject last year, and I don’t think we can improve on that plan, which laid off the frontage round the Becreation Ground for immediate planting. Mr Dale : We should let the back portion in paddocks of five acres each. Mr Sherwood : This land would lease readily in five acre blocks for five years in lump sums. But these restrictions in the Act as to leasing would be an impediment. Why should these restrictions be imposed on us ? Mr Dale : It is done in every case. Mr Sherwood : Pardon me, it is not. It is a very unnecessary thing, and reduces us to mere automatons. If you apply for power to lease for a lump sum, the

Government will say no. Then we must lease for a rack rent. The revenue clauses in the proclamation are so fenced round that we can do nothing, and all the previous efforts to make the ground useful to the public will have been thrown away hj r this inoperative mode of leasing. The fixing of a monthly meeting is unusual, and the fixing of a quorum of three is unusual. I cannot help thinking somebody has had a hand in those things. The powers wc have to work under are enough to disgust any local man. Mr Tennent; It will really amount to the same thing, though it does seem peculiar. Why wo are not allowed to lease portions of the estate I cannot see. No doubt anything reasonable we lay before the Government will be acceded to. I think every club or body using the cricket ground should be required to pay a sum towards keeping the ground in repair. This is done in Wellington. One chib hitherto lias had the making of that ground, and yet all other clubs have a right to use it free at present. Mr Dale : As to this Board being treated exceptionally, I have searched the Gazettes for over two years and find the same provisions word for word. The same powers are retained by the Government in every case, so far as I can find. On the motion of Mr Dixon, it was eventually agreed that the whole Board meet next Tuesday to inspect the ground and deal with the same. LYE-LAWS. Mr Tennent: We have power to make bye-laws and regulations for using the ground, and penalties not exceeding £5 can be imposed. Chairman : It will be necessary to draw up bye-laws, because the season is coming when the ground may be abused by persons playing football night and day, without caring what part of the ground they go on. Mr Milroy, who was present, explained that part of the rifle range is on the Recreation domain ; and although a penalty could be imposed for discharging fire-arms or for shooting ducks, it would be difficult to know when persons were firing at the range or at ducks. If the ground at the back were leased for paddocks, the Board would not get half the value so long as a rifle range is there. Mr Tennent: If the application of the Cricket Club to put a light fence round the pitch were complied with, that paddock might be leased to advantage, Mr Adams suggested a fence of light iron hurdles. Mr Tennent thought iron standards with barbed fencing wire would be cheaper. Mr Dale moved that Mr Taplin, Mr Tennent, and Mr Sherwood be a committee to prepare bye-laws for next meeting. This was agreed to. .WARNING NOTICE. Mr Tennent moved that this Board give notice that no persons use the cricketground for cricket or football till the byelaws have been passed and advertised. He said : If any damage were likely to be done it might be done at once. The clubs will soon know on what terms they can use the ground. Clubs have no right to use the ground without paying something to keep it in repair. Better have the whole ground not used for the next week, until bye-laws are made. Mr Dale seconded, and said the Board have power to preserve the ground from being damaged. Tins was agreed to. It was afterwards seen that the resolution as to bye-laws had reference to the next monthly meeting, which would involve. a long delay if the ground could not be used all that time for cricket or football. In conversation, it was urged that immediate notification should be given of conditions under which football may be played in the season now commencing, and that this should be done at next Tuesday’s special meeting, instead of next monthly meeting. Probably Ibis will be done. FINANCE. A statement of receipts and expenditure on this ground, during the Town Board’s management, showed receipts from rent &c. £l2O 3s, and rent now due £1 10s, total £l2l 13s. Expenditure had been £l2l Os 4d, showing a debtor balance against the ground of £2 16s4d. This expenditure included compensation to Collins £lO Is, survey £7 10s, advance towards cricket ground £lO, clearing £B, compensation to Ross for lease £55, and several small items. Mr Tennent : The Town Board might have wiped off that debit balance, and given us a clear start. (Hear, hear.) Mr Milroy explained that the new Board would have assets in the shape of 110

chains of fencing, which would bring a higher rent for the land ; also the deeds and survey had been paid for. Mr Teunenl : That is something to start with. The statement of accounts was adopted. CLERK. Mr J. Black offered his services as clerk to the Board, by letter. The Chairman said Mr Black’s offer was without salary, as he wished to assist the new Board in carrying through its work. Mr Black was in fact the originator of the Board. It was he who suggested this mode of dealing with the public domain, to have it under effective management; and Mr Taplin had conveyed that suggestion to the Chairman of the Town Board, and so the result had come about. It was agreed to leave the letter over for the present. The Board adjourned.