LANCASTER PARK.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18094, 9 June 1924, Page 10

LANCASTER PARK.

TO THE EDITOR OP "THE PRESS." Sir,—lu view of the correspondence which has recently appeared in your columns, and the varied statements which have been made regarding the circumstances and conditions under which my Association undertook to raise the money required for the clearance of Lancaster' Park, I have been instructed by my committee to make the following statement. Owing, to the abandoning of the Rugby football and the cricket competitions during flie war x>eriod, and the consequent loss of revenue, the position regarding Lancaster Park was, irt 1917, a very critical one. The Canterbury Rugby Football Union and the Canterbury Cricket Association, at that tiino the joint owners of Lancaster Park, having used up all their available funds in their endeavour to retain the ground, were compelled to realise that unless, very considerable financial assistance couij bo .obtained, and the existing mortgage paid off, it would be quite; impossible for Lancaster Park to b© retained as a sports ground. The secretary of .Lancaster Park, who was also at that time secretary of this Association, evolved a. scheme whereby, -with the assistance of the Canterbury Rugby Football Union and the Canterbury Cricket Association and the members of the Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association, he undertook to sufficient money "to freo the ground of its liability. The scheme which was subsequently adopted provided for a series of art unions, with bungalow residences as prizes. These latter were obtained by subscriptions donated by citizens of Christchurch, who, in the main, were keenly interested in Rugby football, cricket and amateur athletics.' The conditions under which the scheme was undertaken by my Association were published in the Christchurch papers. Tne principal of these were a» follows: — •> (1) The Park to be vfested in H.M. the King. (2) The Park to be under the management of a Board of Control consisting of (a) The Mayor of Chiristchurch for tlis tijne being. (b) Three persons representing the Canterbury Cricket Association. (c) Three persons representing the Canterbury Rugby Football Union. (d) Two persons representing the Canterbury Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association. (e) One person representing sports or athletic pastimes other than, cricket or football (to be appointed hv the Board). (3} The grounds to l>e available for all time for the following purposes:— (a) Cricket , played under the control or with the sanction of the committee for the time being of.' the Canterbury Cricket Association; (b) Rugby football played under the control or with the sanction of the committee for .the time being of the Canterbury Rugby Football Union; and . (c) Such other sports, exhibitions,, amusements and entertainments as the Board of Trustees constituted as hereinafter set forth may from time to time deem expedient. as you are .ware, the schemo was carried to a successful issue, and the above, conditions in their entirety were embodied in the Victory Park f Act, 1919.—Yours, eto., E. A. ROBINSON, . Secretary, Canterbury Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association. Christchurch, June 7th, 1924.