WOMEN TO PAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 26, 22 April 1927, Page 5

WOMEN TO PAY

ATTENDANCE AT RUGBY WELLINGTON UNION’S DECISION (From Our Resident Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Whether women should pay for admission to Athletic Park football matches or not was considered by the Wellington Rugby Union management committe last night, when Mr. R. Mcllraith moved that a previous resolution fixing the charges for admission to the park during the football season at ninepence for men and allowing ladies to enter free, should be rescinded.

Mr. Mcllraith said that it was only right that the union should do its duty to those business men who had given funds for the proposed new grandstand at Athletic Park. He, therefore, considered that women should be charged the same as were the men. Mr. A. J. Griffiths pointed out that when the question of charges for admission to the park had been raised in the past, it had been pointed out that Athletic Park had to be run on business lines. The question was purely a business one, said Mr. Griffiths. Several gentlemen had approached him objecting to the argument that the ladies exercised a refining influence over the men, and kept them in order. Mr. Griffiths agreed with them and could not see why, if a lady did not pay for admission, she had any more power to keep the other sex in order than she would have if she were charged for admission. If it were known that the monqy was to be taken from the ladies purely and simply to swell the grandstand funds, the ladies would not object to the charges. “We are all going to benefit from the grandstand,” said Mr. Griffiths, “ and I hope that you will look at it seriously, and remember the business point of view. The park is a business, and it must be run on business lines.” The previous resolution was then rescinded, and discussion centred on the questiofi of what system of charging should be adopted. Mr. R. Mcllraith moved that there should be a universal charge of ninepence. Mr. J. N. Millard seconded the motion, pointing out that Rugby was the only sport which did not charge ladies for admission. For years the union had been crying out for funds, and could not yet see any chance of improving Athletic Park. He was sure that the public, ladies and men, would not object to there being a universal charge for both sexes.

Other members also spoke on the question. After a full discussion, the motion was carried, by seven votes to four, and it was further decided that the principle of making an equal charge on both sexes should apply to all grounds.