ENGLISH MANAGER COMPLAINS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30145, 31 May 1963, Page 8

ENGLISH MANAGER COMPLAINS

Several rows of wooden seating near the in-goal area at Lancaster Park will be removed before the start of the second test between England and New Zealand. This was decided by the Victory Park Board ground committee after the manager of the England team (Mr J. T. W. Berry) had complained that some of the wooden seating was so close to the touchline and the dead-ball line that it would be dangerous for the players.

The closeness of the seating to the playing ground was

pointed out to Mr Berry when he was attending the team’s practice at Lancaster Park yesterday morning. He inspected the whole of the ground and asked that some of the rows of planks and boxes should be removed from three of the corners. Mr J. O. Hattersley, president of the Canterbury Rugby Union, said that when Mr Berry’s complaint was made a meeting of the Victory Park Board committee was held immediately and it was decided to remove the seating. In the north-western corner

of the ground one row ol seats was only six inches behind the dead-ball flag and one row near the corner flag ended about 24 inches from the touch-line

Mr Berry asked that the first two rows should be removed in that area and also asked that the first three rows should be removed in the south-western yorner.

This is the fourth occasion complaints have been made by visiting teams about the closeness of the seating. South Africa, the British Isles and Francepreviously complained.