GREY MEMORIAL DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 31, 7 February 1899, Page 2

GREY MEMORIAL DAY.

MEETING OF COMMITTEE

I.HE CRICKET GROUND QUESTION

Last everting a largely attended meeting of the Committee appointed to arrange for a suitable celebration in Auckland on February IS in honour of the memory of the late Sir George Grey was held in the City Council Buildings, His Worship tlie Mayor, Mr D. Goldie, presiding.

The Premier telegraphed from Ku•mara that he regretted prior engagements would prevent him from being present at the Memorial Day Celebration, and added: 'Though absent I shall be present in spirit.' The Secretary to the Trades and Labour Council of Otago wrote from Dunedin: 'The people of Otago intended perpetuating the memory of Sir Georgs Grey locally, and would therefore be unable to join in the Auckland movement for a' monument,

The Hon. W. Jennings said that at j a public meeting at Dunedin it was I decided to celebrate Sir George Grey's j memory by a corner in the public | library there. Mr Thomas Gresham, of Te Awa- . mutu, Waikato, wrote forwarding j one guinea towards the funds. He j suggested that an excursion train might be put on to enable Waikato settlers to attend the memorial gathering. It was decided to make the necessary enquiries re an excursion train on February 18, and the Chairman was requested to interview the Dis- j .irict Eailway Manager with a view to I getting a special train put on from j the Waikato on that occasion, or the | -starting of the usual Waikato train I an hour or so earlier. j The City Council Ground Com- j mittee's reply to the Committee's request for the cricket ground was read, j Lt. Col. Banks, Officer Command- j ing the District, wrote that Coltmel Penton, had no objection to the volunteers assembling for a special parade on Memorial Day. The Hon. Sec. read a draft of a letter sent to Mahuta, Henare Kaihau, 31.H.R,, and Taingakawa te Waharoa (Mahuta's Premier), asking them to "Stake part in the proceedings, and address the public in the Domain. Mr Gerald L. Peacocke asked the TMayor if the Committee had a legal Tight to use the Domain Cricket Ground on the occasion on Memorial "Day. as the slopes were quite inadequate. r _ The Mayor suggested that Mr iea--'coeke should address a question on '-the subject to the City Council, which ■would meet on Thursday evening, by -which time he would have a legal opinion on the subject. Mr W. J. Speight said the position was reduced to this, that the Cricket ■ Association was the dominant body in respect of the Domain Cricket J Ground. The Committee did not > want any friction; if there was to be any friction it would come from outside. It was a curious position that the Ground Committee of the Uty ■ Council had without reporting to the Council hypothecated the Cricket Ground to the Cricket Association ior the rest of the season. If they could do this for one year they might do it for all the years to •■come. He moved that the City Councils letter be simply acknowledged^ with • thanks. He thought it would be on- • dignified to do more at this stage. The Hon. J. A. Tole said it seemed to him a most lamentable business, and one which filled him with indignation, that at this time of day, and in connection with the memory ot so great a man as Sir George Grey, the committee should have to go down on their knees and beg and pray for the use of a- Piece of public land. They had been told that iihey were to get -the use of the slopes. Why, the slopes were of no use to the cricketers, or else the Grey Committee would not have been off erect the use of them He would be the last man to advocate a course that would be discourteous to ' anyone, but he was bound to say that the letter just read did nqt deserve to be received with thanis at all. They ' might acknowledge it, but they had I nothing to be thankful for The last ; clause was most ill-advised and dis- ( courteous, especially so as it was ad- ' dressed to the Grey Memorial Com--mittee. It was not for the Town Clerk, 'to tell the Grey Memorial Committee what the Cricket Association thought of their reasons. The very name of Grey, who had given the fifty best . years of his life to the service of Auckland and New Zealand, should have been a sufficient reason for demanding the occupation of this ground. He thought it unseemly that 450 young men, out of a population of 50,000, should tell a committee representing this great man, that they had not shown sufficient reason for occupying this ground. He wished to have the whole thing buried; it was discreditable that it should have arisen, and especially from the young and rising generation. Mr Speight's motion was carried. Mr A. Sanford proposed that the committee occupy the cricket ground on the day an question, as they had , a legal right to do so. Mr G. L. Peacocke protested against going outside the cricket ground, and ■ said it would be a disgrace if they / gave way in a matter of this kind. •He moved: 'That a deputation meet the Mayor on the question, and after getting the opinion of the city solicitor, take further action in the direction of getting the use of the cricket ground. Mr W. Beehan considered the committee should carry the Domain Cricket Ground programme straight through. The public should go straight on to the grounds, and no cricketers could stop them. Mr J: Regan moved as an amendment that the demonstration be held in the outer Domain. They would thus avoid coming into collision with the cricketers. Mr W. J. McDermott seconded the amendment. He said his sympathies were a good deal with the cricketers, for they had given up tneir cricket in the past on a good many Saturdays. Mr J. J. Holland, M.H.R, said the cricketers had a good deal of his sympathy,* for they were continually being put out of their grounds. He supported the proposal to hold 'the demon strati on on the outer Domain. Mr G. L. Peacoke strongly opposed the amendment, and said it would be a great mistake to give way. They ■wanted the cricket ground and they j should stand firm now, and ask the j Council to say whether the Grey I Committee should have the ground or j net. Mr ,T. M. Shera said the cricketers should be educated to know that they owed thfs ground to Sir George Grey. The amendment was lost, and Mr Peacock's motion was carried by a large majority. Accordingly the matter will again come ip at the City jCouncii meeting on Thursday even-

ing, the Mayor promising to get a legal opinion on the question to-day. Various other matters of detail in

connection with subscription lists for shops, etc., were dealt witu.