SPORTS AMENITIES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 24, 14 June 1939, Page 5

SPORTS AMENITIES

CRITICISM OF DOMAIN BOARD CHAIRMAN'S REPLY In response to the leader appearing in the last issue of the "Beacon'' criticising the state of the Domain and the lack of ordinary playing amenities, the Chairman of the Domain Board ? ?dr G. A. Brabant, interviewed the Editor yesterday, a nd stated the position from the board's point of view. ''There are" lie said "two sides to every question, "and while the hoard ! ,s most desirous of lending every encouragement to the sporting bedims clubs and associations, to play on the Domain at the same time it considers that if the Sports organisations desire these improvements, they .'■hould get together and make some definite proposals, not merely for improved facilities but also as to how the cost for such proposals can be met." Mr Brabant claims that the Board has very, little in the way of funds at its disposal ,and though it is deeply interested in sport, it cannot do a great deal without the active support of the various sporting bodies. In tne past it lias been in the habit of making concessions to the Rugby union, which has never been in a strong enough position to meet its share of the percentage due the board from its gate receipts. He asks what guarantee the board has that organised sport of the various kinds played the grounds will be continued from year to year, it would be folly to go to a lot of expense to build these facilities, and then have them neglected by the public, for want of interest. The hoard is fully alive to what is required, he says, the improvement question, being no new subject but until such time as the town's sport, ing organisations, pooled their interests, and brought forward a tangible proposition whereby \they coijld cooperate both practically and financially for the erection of permanent improvements, then the question would drift again as it had in t'.e past.