Past Glories of the Domain.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 106, 7 May 1930, Page 34 (Supplement)

Past Glories of the Domain.

Old-Time Sports Grounds. HE first recorded mention Q> of a playing field in Auck- (, jjv If \ land is in a newspaper rpni -J mention of a cricket match vfF/w' "u Bos worth Field in De- \ cember, 1845. This deponent knoweth nothing of Bos- " "" — worth Field. In 1845, when the ridges and gullies immediately behind the beaches of Freeman's Bay, Queen Street, Judge's Bay and Mechanics' Bay were thickly covered with tea-tree scrub, there was mighty little flat land available for games, and the identity of Bosworth Field appears to have been lost. With the establishment of military barracks on Albert Hill, now Albert Park, above the town, the beginnings of athletic competition were laid in rivalry between the soldiers and the citizens. The former laid down an excellent cricket pitch on their parade ground, while the latter got their prac-

tice on various places elsewhere, for access to the parade,ground was jealously guarded. This rivalry marked the beginning of Auckland's playing fields, for the townsfolk set about having the facilities and space for the playing of cricket and football. A small area near the present winter gardens at the Domain, which was used by the boys of the Church of England Grammar School (Parnell), was at first used by the men for cricket practice, but after the present Domain area came under supervision of trustees in 1853, some young fellows got permission to drain part of the swamp area, and they set to work and got about 24 acres cleared, drained and in turf for cricket. The Paddock Era,. Then in 1865 the soldiers were recalled and the townsfolk forsook the Domain for the pitch in the barracks parade ground, adjoining which was a considerable area suitable for playing football. The pitch was laid down at a place corresponding with the present part of Princes Street, about opposite the University building, and ' the site of the present University buildings was an open area which became known, and used for football, as the Metropolitan paddock, or Metropolitan ground. The great meeting-place for athletic sports, however, in .those days was out at Ellerslie, part of the present racecourse, known as Graham's Gardens, or Ellerslie Gardens. As enthusiasm grew for Rugby football the clubs pushed out along Onehunga Road' (for practically all the important coastal shipping those days •came to Onekunga, which waa the point of arrival'and departure from and -to Wellington and Nelson), and for their important matches the footballers established first Dilworth Paddock, and then Potter's Paddock. Dilworth Paddock was part of the Dilworth Estate, a little distance along the Great South Road from the junction with the Manukau Road, the old junction Hotel then •being at the intersection. Potter's Paddock Was the site of the present Alexandra Park. It will be observed that in the selection of these places the colonials observed the old English tradition of having the meeting place within bow shot of an inn or hostelry, or nearer— ■ Graham's Gardens, the old Harp of Erin; Dilworth, the old Junction; Potter's, the old Epsom (Wattle's). Vanished Playgrounds. These were the Auckland -playingfields of the 'seventies and 'eighties. The Metropolitan paddock, ■■ being without

adequate fencing, was used mainly for club and practice football; but Ellerslie Gardens, Dilworth and Potter's Paddocks became famous convincing grounds. The first interprovincial cricket match in Auckland was played between Auckland and Wellington in 1802 at Dilworth Paddock; Parr's English cricket team, the first combination of overseas cricketers to appear in these parts, played and defeated an Auckland Twenty-two at Ellerslie Gardens in 1577; Stoddart's Rugby .football team from England in 1888 played four matches against Auckland at Potter's Paddock. All four grounds have now disappeared. The Metropolitan has become the University campus, Dil worth's has been submerged in a wave of residential building, Graham's Gardens have become the Ellerslie racecourse and gardens, and Potter's has become the Alexandra Park trotting course. •' ■ 1 ■■ • The city was growing at a great rate, and increasing rents' made the matter '6f the "gate" one of- prime importance. Dilworth Paddock, the scene of many classic interprovincial contests, . went beyond the means of the sports bodies, and then Potter's. With these, gone, or on the way, the Domain becamc Auckland's greatest playing field. In some respect this ground was a legacy to Auckland sport from the garrison days.

As is mentioned above, the military barracks were vacated in 1865, and after an attempt to sell Albert Hill to speculators had been frustrated, it was vested in a body known as the Auckland Improvement Commissioners, who permitted cricket to be played on the old barrack ground. After a few years the commissioners decided to cut up part of the site for residential purposes, and the cricketers lost their ground, but received in return an undertaking that an area of the Domain, part of which had been formerly reclaimed by personal effort on the part of cricketers, should be dedicated to cricket. Thereupon the cricketers set to work raising money, and working personally, on the improvement of the Domain until it reached a pitch of excellence as a cricket playing area unsurpassed in the Dominion. With this improvement of the Domain is inseparably associated the name of Mr. *R. J. Yates, for many years its caretaker. By a bill of Parliament in 1886 the Domain passed to the City Council, but one of the clauses of the bill, also in effect rescinded the dedication of the ground to cricketers and made public property of the part which had been brought into profit by the self-sacrifice, manual labour, energy and enterprise of the old-time cricketers. ' The Day of the Domain. As a public park the Domain has been the scene of many more historic events —international cricket, football, lawn tennis and athletic contests —than has any other sports ground in Auckland. Meantime, other municipal areas have been brought into use as sports grounds. Victoria Park w-i.j reciaivxd :rcm the sea, .and for a number of years prior to the war helped to relieve the need for places in which to play important game events. Meantime, sports bodies were awakening to the .policy of private playgrounds for big events, while the municipal authorities , were,, encouraged and assisted to reclaim waste areas for purely domestic needs.. Small play areas have appeared since 1918 in -practically every suburb, for common use, while the various sports have been bu-.y getting, by lease or purchase, private headquarters for big fixtures. Under this policy since the war we have had brought into being Eden Park as the dual headquarters of cricket and Rugby; Carl aw Park the home of League football; Blandford Park for Soccer football; Western Springe speedway for motor cycling and cycling; and Mangere speedway for motoring and motor cycling. In addition, part of the Domain has been leased to the Lawn Tenuis Association so as to give it private control of central tennis courts. ,