THE RECREATION GROUNDS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8009, 21 December 1905, Page 3

THE RECREATION GROUNDS.

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. A meeting of the Committee was held on Wednesday evening. Present: Messrs A. Humphries (in the chair), Bewley, Griffiths, Hobbs and Perhaiu. Apologies were received from Messrs F. C. Griffiths, >"cwpll, Whittle and •Stocker.

The Chairman, in announcing the result of the ladies' collection in aid of the funds, paid a warm tribute to them fur the interest taken in this work; and on his motion a hearty vote of thanks was accorded "the ladies for the successful assistance re idered by Ihem last Saturday," the mo.ion being carried bv acclamation.

The committee decided that any person contributing £lO or more towards the fund be elected a meiflber of the cpmmittee during its te -m of seven years; and that in such ease a member's ticket will entitle' him to free | admission to himself and lady to any I part of the ground on any occasion during the term for which the committee is set up. A vote of thanks was accorded to the Town Band for the use of (hur room, and also to those who assisted the ladies during the progress of the Ikix l ollcctbii last Saturday.

The Secretary and Treasurer were appointed to sign cheques. Mr H. Ford gave notice to rescind the motion directing that all moneys be paid into the Post Office Savings Bank.

The next meeting will be held on January 3rd., 1906.

; THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMEXTS. There are many people who seem <|uite unaware of the proposals of the Recreation Grounds Improvements Committee, so one of our staff on Tuesday asked'Mr Griffiths, the treasurer, for a few details of the projected expenditure. The best place to explain matters, of course, was on the ground itself, so we hied ourselves in that direction. Passing through tlu; Carrington Boad gate, a circuit of the grounds showed the prettiest botanical gardens in New Zealand, beautifully shady aud cool, in marked contrast lo the centre of the town. Climbing the old terraces, Mr Griffiths produced a plan of the pending improvements gratuitously drawn by Messrs Sladden and Palmer, and supplied in duplicate by Mr F. Messenger at the same cost. "These terraces all have to come down; the cycling track cuts right in here to where we stand," said Mr Griffiths, when the fourth or fifth terrace had been reached. "Then it runs across that little bay there and in behind those terraces along the side," pointing to the "Star " side. Then it was explained that tlu? spoil from these banks was to be used in raising the sports ground by four feet, on top of two feet of sand to be spread over the present area in order to facilitate drainage. The level enclosure, to be devoted to football and cricket, will have dimensons 135 yards by 1112 yards, approximately, and outside this -'re the twr> tracks for running aiul cycling, There will be a fourlap properly banked cycling track 011 the extreme outside, with the running track between it and the level area.

In order to carry out this scheme the various paths now in use must be altered, and the present booth site and the fence will be raised to the level of the new football ground. The entrance will have to be moved half a chain off Liardet Street, the new gates to be erec.ed that distance nearer town. Here, above the gate on the " Tukapa " side, terraces are to be made, necessitating the felling of the majority of the big piims trees on the slope. Of course, new terraces will be erected in place of tbo;e to be demolished, and these will have far greater seating accommodation than those at present, varying from three and four to five chains in length. On the overlooking eminences are to be planted flowering

shrubs, and somen here in the future looms tlie possibility of erecting a good grandstand and pavilion, with lawn and (loner plots. Altogether the seheme is one that must commend itself to every right-thinking man ami woman in Taranaki. and one that ought to obtain from the Xi* Plymouth pubbe no mean measure of support. New Plymouth must hare lost thousands of piunds in the past wmply beeause there has been no sports ground worthy of the name. The ground has twon there, offering exceptional advantages to spectators, but in a condition that made it impossible tn play a game upon after a fen show ers of rain. It is pleasing to note that at last New Plymouth people have thorough!** aroused themselves, and

that there is some chalice of the Mack mark of "slow " being removed from the character of citizens a> a whole. The eonni:jt!;v nliicli has obtained per. mission from the Heereaiinu (ivonnds Hoard to c.irrv <,ut these improvements i- '• f 'in 1 men. representing all the athletic s|x<rls in which our ]N-oplc are uont to indulge, and they may be trusted to perform their duties and expend the public contributions in a business-like and prudent fashion. Saturday s effort realised some £(SO ltis, and this is a welcome contribution. i'KtOO, however, is the sum required, and there's still a long way to go. Several citizens have promised assistance in cash end otherwise, and we will