The Sports Ground.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 232, 5 October 1904, Page 2

The Sports Ground.

SUGGESTIONS FOR ERECTION OV A GRANDSTAND.

.At the meeting of the Recreation Grounds Board last evening a letter addressed to the board by Air John W. Wilson uus read, containing suggestions lor improvements to the sports ground by the erection of a grandstand. T»ie letter was as follows :

••■ With the desire to m a ke the sports field oi your Recreation Grounds more up-to-date, and at tho same time to add to your board's income (very inadequate, i believe), I would like to make the following suggestion for u grandstand to be built on a suitable site overlooking the sports ground. ' I would suggest that an active canvass be made for honorary members of tho Recriation Grounds, at an annual subscription of one guinea, such honorary members to be eniitleu i<> tickets aunnltitig a member un i n lady to the grandstand only, i,.e ticket not including gate admission and not transferable.

" A grandstand to accommodate 750 |jcasons could toe built for! £250. Honorary members would occupy 500 seats, and tho executive of sports gathez-ings would have the right to lot tho balance of 250 seats at, say, Is each.

■" In view of the carnival to be held in the Recreation Grounds ut Christmas time, and as, I have no doubt your sports ground will bo very much used, I would suggest that active steps ije at once taken to get the required numbei of honorary members, and that a grandstand be ut once 'built, and bunded over to tlie Carnival Com-; nriltee, Willi the sole right to charge' for admission to it during the curni\al. In this the Carnival Executive should pay, say, 20 per cent., or other ixircentage of takings as may be lixed ujMin. If this were (lone 1 believe that tilve percentage of takings that you would receive would go a. long way towards paying the cost of the stand. " Should it tie found practicable to adopt my suggestions, or some modification of them, your board would have an assured annual income of say, £2<>2 10s, at an initial cost of about £250, being u little less than a first year's income, and, upkeep. " Sports gatherings occupying the, grounds would have to pay a little more for the right of lotting those seats in tine grandstand not occupied by'honorary members.

" Should such a course as I suggest be adopted 1 feel sure thnt tho people of New Plymouth would willingly support you by becoming honorary members ; 'but they want some return for their subscriptions. " I have visited the grounds with Messrs Sladden and Messenger, who both inform me that it would be quite practicable to put a grandstand on the right-hand side of the terrace, above the path from tho Liardet Street gate. From here an excellent view of tho grounds is obtained, and the position is very sheltered and would not be affected much by the prevailing winds. A few pines would have to be cut down, and the earthwork would cost very little, say £25."

A copy of the plan of the suggested stand w a s forwarded, showing a structure 129 feet in length, and 39 feet from top to bottom, including a platform at the bottom six feet wide. There arc eleven tiers of seats, seven in a tier, and each seat is to accommodate ten persons, making a total of 770. The board resolved that the letter bo received, with a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Wilson, ondi that hiand Messrs Sladdon and Messenger be asked to meet the members of tho board on the ground at an early date to discuss the matter.