PUKEKURA SPORTS GROUND.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 November 1921, Page 3

PUKEKURA SPORTS GROUND.

ANNUAL MEETING OF COMMITTEE. The annual meeting of the Recreation Sports •Ground Committee was hold 1 last night, Mr. A. L. Humphries presiding. There were also present: Messrs. .Tas. McLeod, J. Garcia, L. B. Webster, E. Avery, G. H. Saunders, F. C. Ferry, N. Howell, A. Roberts, and L. Little The balance-sheet stowed receipts £338, the principal amounts being percentages four football matches £321, and benedl matches £3l 6s Cd. The principal items of expendli lure were wages in connection with the new scheme £147 4s 7d, repayment to Taranaki | Rugby Union £lOO. There was a credit bal- ! ance of £67 17s 7d. | The chairman, in moving tho adoption of i the report and balance-sheet, congratulated 1 members on the splendid results of the year’s i working. Ti:e whole aspect as fur as the ! sports ground was concerned had completely changed. Whereas in the past it used to be difficult to raise sufficient funds to keep the ground in order, the last year's working had shown that it should be possible in the futi!ist! not only to carry out necessary maintenance work, but continue tho scheune of improvements from revenue earned by way of rent. Advantage was being taken of tne money earned during the year to .improve the playing area, and it was felt that when the improvements now under way were completed that they would have a sports ground equal to anything in the Dominion. It was most important that the improvements to the playing area should be carried out before any other work was undertaken, because once this portion of the ground was in order it would again be earning revenue that would enable the committee to pay attention to tho other portion of tl:e contemplated' improvements. It was estimated that the hnprdrcments to the playing area would cost over £5OO, and as the committee only had something like £3OO in hand, a loan of £250 had been applied for and granted by tho Taranaki Rugby Union. It was hoped that the grounds would be fit to play the representative matches on

' j next year, and if this were so, there should be no difficulty in repaying to the Rugby I Union the amount of tho loan. He said /it was very gratifying to see the increased interest (hat was now being taken in the ground, as manifested by the attendance of members of tho committee at the meetings throughout the year. Another feature was tho fact that townspeople generally were taking greater interest in the ground. One gentleman (Mr. E. Gilmour) had generously offered to provide a boulder front to the lower terrace oh the western side, an offer which was accepted with thanks. A scheme for the further Improvement of the whole ground, with: a view to providing greater accommodation, was to be prepared shortly, and could then be submitted for approval to the I’ukekura Parx Board. When this was approved it was hoped that a start would be made to face the terraces on the western side with material of a permanent nature, such as Mr. Gilmour’s offer would permit. It was confidently expected that other generous offers would be forthcoming so as to permit of the whole of tho western terraces being completed in the near future. ** The motion for the adoption of the report was seconded by Mr. A. Roberts and carried. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Officers were re-elected as follow: Chairman, Mr. A. L. Humphries; hon. secretary, Mr. L. Little; hon. auditor, Mr. C. E. Bellringer ; grounds committee, Messrs. A. L. Humphries, S. J. Smith, J. McLeod, G. H. Saunders. GENERAL. The chairman brought up the question of going in for some concerted effort to raise funds, which were urgently required to effect further necessary improvements. He considered they should endeavor to get the ladles interested. Mr. McLeod suggested that a large bazaar should be held, say, in June. Members thought the idea a good one, but felt that a sports carnival could also be held during the summer, including orchestral concert, fireworks, etc. •. It was finally decided to hold such an en-, tertaimnent on the evening of Saturday, Jamrary 13. It was also decided to bold a garden party and aquatic sports on the Saturday after February races, and to ask the Park Board f%r the use of the park on the days in question. It was to hold a big function annually on Easter Saturday.

It was agreed to have a survey made of the •astern and southern tarraces with a ricw t 9.

seejpfe what could be done in the way of providing additional accommodation. A resolution was passed thanking the WatRailway employees, Newton King, Ltd., Civil Service and Banks and Law for running benefit matches in aid of tbe funds. The committee placed on record its appreciation of the work done by the chairman and secretary.