DUNSANDEL SPORTS COMMITTEE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9816, 27 August 1897, Page 3

DUNSANDEL SPORTS COMMITTEE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —Seeing some correspondence recently in your valued paper re t«e conduct of the above Committee I would like to remark that there used to be a line that marked the use or abuse of the way in which public money was spent. The said Committee had a small job of work to do worth about £10 sterling to do it. The contractor who done it for £13 sterling earned good wages, aud only worked six and one half hours per day. This can be verified. The lowest tender for said work was £14 10s, hence the trouble. There is an old adage, that between two stools we come to the ground, viz., loss of subscriptions from wasting the public money or doing as they have done. The Committee made their choice, and I think they deserve the thanks of the community for the stand they took on the matter. In reply to your correspondent " One of the Subscribers "in your issue of 24th inst., who says the alteration was never asked for by I either competitors or spectators, I was on I the ground at all the sports held in the domain, Dunsandel, and can positively Bay that it 'was the universally expressed opinion of the spectators that the alteration should be made. And when the Domain Board were asked for permission to make the alterations they unanimously acknowledged that the M'ork was urgently needed. And, in proof of their appreciation of the work, and the way it was done, they handed a cheque for £3 3s to the Sports Committee towards paying for the work. And these gentlemen, as well as the writer, are all subcription men. Fancy a Committee catering for the public at such a time and asking said public to stand with a strong north-west wind and a burning sun in their faces to look at sports, when, by going to the other side of the ground, as hae been done, we could have the shelter of a beautiful plantation and the sun behind you, how much more comfortable. Your correspondent states that the contractor, when Chairman, saw the tenders both times when advertised for. Very remarkable, seeing there were no tenders to see the second time. Hβ further states that the contractor, if ho has resigned, has done so tdnce he accepted the tender. If he had ascertained the facts he would not have made such statements, at least I give him credit for so much. The minute book will put that matter right, and it will not need to be patched up either. Now, sir, in conclusion, if we have sports next New Year's Day we will have them in comfort, and if we have none I am not sure but there will not be much damage done, except that somebody will be minus a few days' work to put things in order. So far as the competitors are concerned they will have a track exactly a quarter of a mile in length and a proper width. Thanking you, sir, in anticipation.—Yours, &c,

Another Subscriber. Duusandel, 25fch August, 1897.