THE RECREATION GROUND.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 300, 3 December 1884, Page 2

THE RECREATION GROUND.

In the Council last night Cr. Joyce said he -vould like to ask if the public reserve waa available for the Hospital Committee to occupy for the sports on the Ist instant. He considered they were duly entitled to the use of it, it being a public recreation ground. If the sports had been held there numbers of families who went up the river and to other places would have gone to them, but owing to their being held at Makaraka they were unable to do so. There had been many oom* plair ts made to him on that account, and that was why he now asked the question. The Chairman said if the ground was re* quired for any public meetings the Council could grant the use of it. The ground was quite open to the public, and it was quit* optional to them whether they paid to go it or not, when sports were going on there, a man could be put at the gate but could onV take the money the public chose to give hin. Cr. Joyce said there were a great maiy people who were under the impression tbt there was a tease or agreement with tie Poverty Bay Cricket Club, which debared them from using it, and he thought he sooner the thing was cleared up the better. The agreement with the Borough Courcil and the P. B. Cricket Club, was then rad, which said that the Club had leased he ground for five years, during which time tley were expected to improve it and keep it in good repair, and the Council could at my time, if necessary, by giving notice to ffie Club and so much as compensation, bnak through the agreement. If sports were leld on the ground without their receiving noice, they were to get half the proceeds takei at the gates.

Cr. Joyce said that agreement did not leave the ground open to the public, th< club having full control over it. The grourd belonged to the public, and not to the C«uncil, and one party had as much right to it as another. Cr. Lewis said he was one of the conmittee to draw up the agreement, and the matter was fully considered. By that agreement the public could hive the use of the ground if necessary provided due notice b©. given to the club Much good had been done by letting the Club have it as they had, during the time they hadhad it,greatly improved it, which would not have been done if it had been allowed to remain in the hands of the Council. Cr. Joyce asked when the tease expired ? The Chairman replied in March 1887. Cr. Lewis said some of the members of the Hospital Committee knew Quite well tjie eon- j tents of that agreement and knew that if they held the sports on the recreation ground they would not make so much, as the Club would tike half the proceeds. Therefore they went to Makaraka where they considered they could make more. Cr. Smith pointed out the ground was not fit for the purpose of sports, the ground being too rough to race on, and to put it in de<e it crier would incur much expense. Cr. Joyce thought the agreement should be made known to the public. Cr. Graham suggested that they should insert it as an advertisement in the press. Cr. Joyce did not require it advertised in the press such as it was. The Chairman stated that the cricket club had now improved the ground considerably, and were sorry they had entered into the agreement. This brought the discussion to a close.