THE PARK OVAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1787, 13 September 1884, Page 2

THE PARK OVAL.

A meeting of the Masfcerton Park Trustees was held yesterday afternoon. Present-Messrs Payton (Chairman), McGregor, Vile, Boddington, and Feist.

The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, the Secretary, Mr Scllar, reported a credit balance of £\ 19s Bd,

The following accounts were passed for payment when funds were available -J. Pay ton & Co,, 12s; J. 0. Ingram, £llls6d; A. B. Bunny, £1 Is; J. Pronto*, 16s j-and W. Sellar, £ll3s, A deputation consisting of Messrs Beard and Moore on behalf of the' Borough Crisket Club, and of Messrs Wickerson and Wickens on behalf of the Trudesmens 1 Cricket Club, waited on the meeting re the Park Oval. Mr Beard said .the deputation desired to ascertain the yiews of the Trust as to the terms on which the oval could be placed at the disposal of the Cricket Clubs. They desired to have the exclusive use of it for cricketing purposes.

Mr Wickeison stated that MiBeard had represented the wishes : of the club with which he was connected. The Chairman pointed out that the Trust was pledged to give the Caledonian and Friendly Socioties the use of the oval for their annual meetings, Mr McGregor thought that the Trust should reserve their right to permit other bodies to use the oval, ■

The Chairman thought-that for the first season they need not reserve this right but give the cricket clubs every opportunity to get the ground in order. Mr Boddington concurred, no doubt the cricket clubs would consent to the oval being gccasipnaljy used if no injury was done to the ground. The Chairman said the Trust would bo prepared to allow tho use of the oval to any cricket club for the vnmkg season only on the following terms: (1), A subscription of £5 to be paid in advance to the Trust by each club. (2). Subscriptions to be expended on the improvement of the oval by a ground committee, on which each club would be fairly represented.

(3)i Any dispute arising between cricket clubs to be decided by the Trust, and any club failing to comply with such decision to forfeit the right to use the oval.

(<}■), The Park Trust to reserve the right to exclude all cfubs from oval if they found it was being neglected or damaged..' ■'■■'■■■ ' "■■.'' Mr Beard said.the clubs wpuld like the privilege of collecting gate money. They-were poor, ■: .•< '■■■' •• '■■ '■. .'■"■

Mr Boddington. pointed out thajfe" the Park Trust was poorer, its annual income was; £55 and' its annual expenditure £56.

It was agreed that one-third of any

gate money collected at matches should he retained by the Park Trust for im- : proyemerits to the oval..

Miv Moore asked the Trust not to allow; football to be : played on the oval.

Mi' Boddington said he was in favor of excluding football from the oval,

The Chairman said the footballers had had the opportunity of assisting in making the Oval, but had refused to help the Fund raised for that purpose, For that reason he would vote'against football on the oval.'

Mr McGregor intimated that for the first year he would oppose football.

Mr Beard said that if football were allowed, the improvements they made in the summer would be destroyed in the winter.

Mr Wickens recommended trees being planted round the oval, r

The Chairman said the Trust had been anxious to do this work, but had not a sixpence available for the purpose, Mr Moore called attention to the necessity of willows being planted by the river boundary of the Park. The Chairman said he would support this proposal if only as an.example to more important local bodies.' ; On the motion of Mr McGregor seconded by Mr. Boddington Mr Ingram was instructed to plant willows at the point indicated. Mr Moore pointed out that the Park fence near the river was amothored with vegitation and debris by the late flood, and the Trust promised to see to this, • »-

The members of the deputation expressed themselves satisfied with the terms on which the Trust offered the use of the Oval and retired.

The question of disposing of the rough grass on the Park was discussed and Messrs Paytoa and Boddington were appointed as a sub-committee to make tho best arrangements possible for reducing it,'

The meeting then adjourned,