Tennis Courts At The Mount Domain

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 15059, 20 August 1949, Page 2

Tennis Courts At The Mount Domain

Control Offered To Club By Board

Approval Of Commissioner

To Be Sought

At its meeting this week, the Mount Maunganui Domain Board decided to hand over control of the Domain tennis courts to the Mount Maunganui Tennis Club. The suggestion that the council should consider doing this, was made about two months ago by Mr C. H. Clarke, who said he felt that •the courts were more of a liability than an asset to the board. At that time a sub-committee comprising the Chairman, Mr S. F. Newton and the Town Clerk, Mr G. E. Hutton, was set up to confer with representatives of the club and to make a recommendation to the Domain Board. Stating that the club had suggested that the courts should first, be put in ordejr by Ihe Domain Board, and that it would then be prepared to pay a reasonable rental for them, Mr Newton remarked that he and Mr Hutton had considered this suggestion. ■ However, both were of the opinion that it would be better to hand over the courts in their present condition and accept a nominal rental from the club. lie pointed out that the five courts were all in need of re-surfacing, the nets required renewing and the pavilion required painting. The sub-com-mittee suggested that the club be given control of the courts at a rental cf £lO per annum. Commissioner's Approval Conditions included the maintenance of the courts in good order, the payment by the club of electricity and water charges and the requirement that the public be entitled to play on the courts as at present, on payment of an aproved fee. Mr Newton said the board would have to obtain authority from the Commissioner of Crown Lands to transfer control of the courts.

"I agree with the principle but not the rental," stated Mr A. McFarlanc, who considered that £lO per annum was too low. Mr C. H. Clarke: It is a parallel with what was done regarding the old bowling green. The courts were originally put down by the old Mount Maunganui Tennis Club, and it is a question of giving them back to the players to control. Mr Clarke said the club was now fairly strong and very enthusiastic. It would have vital interest in the maintenance of the courts. Mr Newton: We have made nothing out of the tennis courts for some years. The revenue has been more than eaten up by maintenance and the wages of the caretaker. £4OO Could Be Spent

Mr Newton stated that £4OO could be spent on the courts in the next two years before they were put in good order. With wages for the caretaker added, he could not see any profit in them to the board. Mr McFarlane: Apparently the revenue from the courts has not been put back in maintaining them. He thought the sub-committee should have tabled a comprehensive report showing expenditure and receipts over a period. Mr McFarlane stated it was absurd to have a caretaker collecting tees on the courts and that it was not a lull time job. Mr Newton: As Chairman of the Works Committee you should know how much time he spent there. For weeks at a time the caretaker was looking after the courts. . Mr Hutton said the only alternative to the proposal was to review the rental after say three or four years, but Mr McFarlane was in favour of a definite rental. He stated that if the dull was to be faced with heavy initial expense he would favour a period free of rent to enable this, and a reasonable rental after that. Mr J. J. Steevens: The club would probably pay £SO if we put the courts in first-class order. After further discussion the board decided to offer the courts to the club rent free for two years and at a rental of £25 yearly for a further eight years. Approval of the Commissioner of Crown Lands is to bo sought,