THE USE OF MARTON PARK.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9442, 12 May 1909, Page 5

THE USE OF MARTON PARK.

CLUBS IN DISPUTE

DEPUTATIONS BEFORE COUNCIL. •

THE OLD ORDER OF THINGS

The Park about which so much has oeen said lately was thoroughly threshed out before a full meeting of the new Council last evening. A deputation beaded by Mr E. Lloyd represented Marfcou Foot bail Club, Mr*F. O. Wilson the Cricket Club, and Mr Outfield the Hookey Club. A large number of ratepayers were also present. The Mayor invited the football deputationjto state their case and Mr Lloyd said he would prefer to do so after the Cricket Club had sot up their defence. It was pointed out by the Chairman that the Cricket Club had already been granted the use ol the eastern side of the Park, and therefore it was the duty ol footballers to offer a substantial reason to|induce Council to make any alteration if it was thought their claims justified them in doing so. Or. Lyon explained that the position with respect to the Cricket Club having the use of the eastern portion of the Park was left open because Council's proposal had been considered too vague. The Chairman said the obvious intention of Council was to grant the cricketers the eastern side. Mr Lloyd then set the ball rolling, and at once kicked off for the eastern ground. Ho said bo was there in the interests of true .sport and fair play, and wished is to be clearly understood that by representing the footballers ho was not in any way antagonistic towards other associations. lie had always taken a broadminded view of sport in its various forms, and if anything had greater love for cricket. Ho had no axe to grind in supporting the Football Olnb’s application for the eastern portion of the Park. They recognised the Council was the governing body of this recreation ground, but what they wanted to know was whether it could ba considered fair play to allow;one section of the community to occupy the ground. He claimed it should be used by sports clubs generally—they should have au equal right to use the Park as was the custom in other towns. The dispute no doubt could be settled satisfactorily if Council considered the matter from a broad-minded point of view. He understood the cricketers’ main objection was the damage to the turf by football, and they could not disguise this fact, but it could not be helped. He had, authority to state the western side was not snitable—it was not large enough for football. The ball would be continually going over the fence on to the public road, which was not only dangerous but detrimental to the game. If the ground was large enough, why had it not been used before? If the eastern side could cot be used the Football Club had only one alternative—to seek some other ground, and this would ■tee extremely unfortunate and unsatisfactory in many ways. They were fostering football in public schools and it was a matter for regret that the Dominion, in most cases at anyrate, the children had no playing ground. Mr A, M. ’Williams also urged the claims of the footballers. Or. Lyon mentioned that Council had been told the western ground was suitable- and improvements recommended had already received attention. Or. Wilde wanted to know if the Football Club would guarantee to pub the eastern ground in good order at the end of the season. Mr Williams: They will keep it in sufficiently good order tor them* selves, Mr Lloyd: They could not expect the Football Club to pat down an ideal cricket pitch. The Park was a public recreation ground. • Or. Manning: The footballers have come here to ask Council for their rights. The Chairman: It is not a question of rights. Anyone has the right to use the Park. Or. Lyon : The footballers leave the ground like a pig walk. Or. Manning; They.can’t leave it in a worse state than the Council’s horse has done. Mr Lloyd: It is contrary to the usual practice to ask footballers to put the ground in order for the Cricket Glob. The Chairman : It is reasonable to ask them to put the ground in fair order. It was a matter for the Council and not the cricketers to decide. Mr F, O. Wilson then spoke for the cricketers. Moat.qf the„Oounoillors would remember there was at one time only one ground for recreation and cricketers had always been called upon to do a lot of hard work —and he could speak from experience—each year to put the eastern side in order. It was simply a bog at the end of a football season. After some time the Council volunteered to spend £ICO on improving the .Park. This sum was subsidised by Government and work was gone on with so that a football ground might be made. The nature of the soil was different from outside places. The Marton ground they all knew was very hard indeed, and it was almost impossible to get it ready for cricket before Christmas after the footballers had finished their season. It was true the ground was to be given up on September Ist ty the Football Club, but last season matches were played until quite late in the month. The position was that the cricketers could not avail themselves of the ground and were thus prevented from inviting outside teams to Marton, There should be no difficulty in making Marton a prominent centre for cricket. Mr Arkwright had taken the Nomads on tour to the South Island :;with a view to getting return visits and matches would have been played last season but the ground was not fit for playing Mr Beckett: Of course Marton is also a prominent centre for football. However, the objection raised is that the western ground is not large enough, and there seems to he some reason for this. Continuing Mr Wilson claimed that the ground was large enough. At first it was considered too small and the engineer then had the bank out away a few yards and surely the ground had not contracted. A member cf the Management Committee of the Union—Major Saunders—contended there was plenty of room for football and the Union rules showed that his contention was correct. It had been oiaimed.the footballers were all ratepayers, The Chaff-mac : The.fc is immaterial.

We are all ratepayers and the Park is for the public. You must assume that position and confine yourself to the size of the ground. Mr Wilson again quoted Major Saunders’ authority on the matter, and addressing Mr Beckett, said “There is your own son, a prominent player, and lie says— Mr Beckett: lam sorry to say you must not quote him as be gives it as hia opinion the ground is not big enough. (Laughter) This has rather changed my opinion on the matter A winning team could resort to kicking over the fence to waste time. Mr Wilson concluded his remarks by saying if the ground, was not kept; in good order they would have to go elsewhere. He had an offer of five acres at Marfcon Junction for a cricket ground. Or. Lyon asked if the western side was large enough for cricket and received a reply in the negative. . The Mayor: If the eastern side is givfn up by the footballers on Ist September would that be satisfactory? The Council would undertake to see that this was strictly carried oat. Mr Wilson said ho would not venture an opinion, preferring to confer with his colleagues. The deputation then retired, and subsequently the matter was dealt with in committee, where another discussion took place. Finally it was resolved, on the motion of Or. Read, seconded by Or. Sutcliffe “That the Marton Football Club be allowed the use of tlje eastern portion of the Park until Ist September by paying the nsual fee.” The Chairman said that £75 was provided in the estimates for Park improvements, and if the'grouad required attention |at the end of the football season, Council should spend a little moneyjtowarda improving it for the cricketers. This suggestion was approved by a majority of the Councillors.