INCREASED CHARGES

Press, Volume C, Issue 29570, 20 July 1961, Page 15

INCREASED CHARGES

Sports Grounds, Cemeteries Cemetery fees and charges for the municipal golf links at New Brighton and sports grounds were increased by the City Council last evening on the recommendation of the reserves committee. Since sports ground rentals were reviewed in 1935 and fees for the use of wickets and football fields were amended in 1952, increased wages and costs of materials had affected the maintenance of parks considerably, the committee said. The new schedule would operate from October 1 for cricket and softball fees, and from April 1, 1962. for other charges. Cemetery fees were last reviewed in 1952, and since then the cost of wages and materials had increased by more than 30 per cent. A new charge is a £5 "out of district” fee for burial in a city cemetery for any person who is not a city resident or ratepayer at the time of death. Cr. M. R. Carter said he would not object if it were adults who were meeting the charges, but many young groups used the grounds and it would not be any encouragement to sport to increase their costs. Representatives of sports organisations had been told that the charges would have to be increased from the end of the present football season, said Cr. P. J. Skellerup, chairman of the committee. “Either the charges go up or the rates have to be increased,” he added. In the main, the charges applied to clubs, and they decided the fees to be charged to juniors, he said. The time was coming when there would have to be more control over the use of parks and reserves by schools, Cr Skellerup said. School pupils were welcomed, but there seemed to be a tendency for schools to think they had a right to the grounds over all others.