RUGBYUNIONTO RECONSIDER

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30740, 3 May 1965, Page 3

RUGBYUNIONTO RECONSIDER

A special general meeting of the Nelson Rugby Union has been called for next Wednesday night to discuss the decision of the union’s management committee to refuse permission for Trafalgar Park to be used for a professional soccer match.

Included in the lease which governs the use of Trafalgar Park is a clause relating to professional football. At an earlier meeting of the

Nelson City Council it had been decided to waive the restricting clause. The Mayor of Nelson (Mr D. N. Strawbridge) said he did not think the clause relating to professional soccer was meant to stop an occasional match.

“I intend to raise the question with the Nelson City Council to see whether or not negotiations could be opened with the Nelson Rugby Union to have the clause re-written in a more acceptable form. “The council’s only concern was to see that the public were allowed to witness a good-class soccer match on what is. after all, a public ground,” said Mr Strawbridge.

“Removes Objection” Mr Strawbridge referred to the decision of the Wellington Rugby Union to allow the New Zealand Football Association the use of Athletic Park for the visit of the English professional teams.

“Surely this removes any objection of the Rugby people to the alleged danger from professional sport.” Although the Wellington Rugby Union gave permission for soccer to be played on its ground the Victory Park Board, which controls the Lancaster Park, declined a similar request from the Canterbury Football Association.