OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 July 1941, Page 7

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

A DIRTY FOOTBALL GROUND

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —During the past twenty years, I have been refereeing Rugby football matches, and have controlled games, big and small, on many grounds from Auckland to Dunedin. Some of these playing fields in the various districts, were in a bad state. Some had had (a few days before the game) horses, cows or sheep grazing on them. These animals did not improve the playing grounds, but bad as some of them were, I have never seen any ground in my playing or refereeing days (which go back to 1897) in such a filthy state as No. 2 ground at the Carterton Showgrounds on Saturday last. Two 4th grade teams were playing, and it was a crying shame to see these lads, some only school boys, being pulled over in this muck heap. Sheep manure lay thick all over the ground, and where the sheep had camped there were great heaps that looked like a German pill box, and it was in this muck, and filth that these lads were pushed, that they had grimed into their clothes, boots, ears and hair, it was this muck that spectators picked up on their boots going over to see the senior game on No. 1.

The Rugby Union want the public to attend the football, the local public ask why the representative games are not played at Carterton, but how can they expect this when the public and players have to wade through this muck heap when they wish to see or play Rugby football at Carterton? If one of the teams playing on Saturday had not come all the way from Martinborough, I, as the referee, would have declared the ground unfit to play on. I don’t know if the local Union pay much for this ground, but in its present state players and the public should be paid appearance money when they appear on the local arena. Thanking you for your space.--1 am, etc., H. J. McKENZIE. Carterton, July 1.