PLAYING AREA REQUESTED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 250, 21 October 1944, Page 7

PLAYING AREA REQUESTED

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, , this day. A plea for Government assistance in the provision of a playing area at Ofakei was made in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr. Algie (Nat., Remuera) when the Estimates of. the Department of Lands and Survey were under discussion. Mr. Algie. said he believed the residents of the Remuera electorate were of the opinion that tho Minister of Lands and his Department were sympathetic to the request, but they wanted a quick decision.. There were, he continued, eight to ten thousand people residing in Orakei, Mission Bay and Kohimarama, and many occupied State Houses which were splendidly kept. There was no sports ground available to'the residents, but there was a fine piece of flat land 16 or 18 acres in area near the Maori village which could be developed for sports and community centre purposes. He suggested that the Crown should set aside a suitable area and vest it in the City Council. • The Minister of Lands, Mr. Skinner, said no Government had done more than the present administration in respect to providing playing areas for the people. That policy would be continued. He had every sympathv with Mr. Algie's proposal and he hoped he would get the area he was seeking.