JOCKEY CLUB AND BOROUGH RESERVE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1920, Page 2

JOCKEY CLUB AND BOROUGH RESERVE.

To the Editor. Sir,—Just a word about the New Plymouth Racing Club and Borough Reserve. I note that his Worship the Mayor and his Council have capitulated to the Racing Club for the first time of asking. Not a word of protest, not the slightest effort to retain the people's rights over the "people's reserve." Just a nice, comfortable, cheerful arrangement. Uoodfellows all; sweet capitulation; joyous surrender. Three cheers for Racing Club's victory 1 Hang the people's rights. Hurrah for tlie "horse." Sir, one cannot help being amazed at the Borough Council's calm surrender of borough rights and privileges over a reserve that for "donkey's years" has belonged to the men, women and children of New Plymouth. There are many Interesting points surrounding this hurried "capitulation and surrender" with which I shall (with your permission) deal later on. In the meantime, Sir, will you please at your earliest convenience, enlighten the public a3 to the number of acres In the said borough reserve, which Li now In process of being handed over cheerfully—with much mutual chuckle and apparent satisfaction—to the Pacing Club? Furthermore, Sir, will you Inform the public as to what rights and privileges. If any, the Borough Council (acting for the people) has retained over this reserve? Also, may I ask lis Worship, the people's trustee, to refrain, pro tem, fram altering in any way the present terms or conditions under which the Racing Club has used or occupied the reserve In Question? We» do not want any feverish haste. There may not, of course, be the slightest need for caution or cause for alarm. I merely want to know what the position is and the public wants to know. The Racing Club has the right to receive a square deal. The people havn the same right and the proposed changes must be Investigated Awaiting Information,—J am, etc., SPORT. [There are approximately 24 acres of borough or sports reserve included in the racecourse grounds. With the purchase of the 24 acres under offer the Jockey Club will possess about 50 acres of freehold. In regard to the other point raised by our correspondent, the Borough Council lias not given away any rights. Under a Special Act passed in 188; the Crown Invested 3G acres (the other 12 being on the opposite side of the Avenue Road, since cut up and leased, the rentals going towards the upkeep of the borough reserves) for sports purposes, giving the Jockey Club certain rights. The Borough simply asked Its solicitors for an Interpretation of its powers, a digest of opinion appearing in our issue ot Tuesday. It showed that the borough did not possess the power that was expected. To test the Act would necessitate a Supreme Court action It my be pointed out that the reserve can rot &11 time 1)6 used fop sports purposes—cricket, football, tennis, as well as racing but, according to the borough solicitors' opinion, no right obtained to erect buildings on the reserve. If the opinion were sustained by tlie Court, another Act would have to be passed to give the public fuller powers ovet the land. We Q§rree that the property be* longs to the public and should never have been delegated to any body over which the general public have no control, but we feel certain that the Jockey Club will not abuse its powers, but, on the other hand, do, as it always,has done, Its utmont in the interests of sport and recreation. In other words the reserre is safe in Its keeping, so long as its present enlightened and sportsmanlike policy Is pursued.—Ed.] '