MORE PARKS FOR SENDAY SPORT

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31502, 17 October 1967, Page 18

MORE PARKS FOR SENDAY SPORT

Organised Sunday sport on Christchurch City Council reserves will be allowed by the council provided that prior approval of the director of reserves (Mr H. G. Gilpin) is obtained, that there is no charge for admission and that no liquor is permitted. The council reviewed its policy last evening at toe request of Mr Gilpin, who said the demand for Sunday sport

had increased tremendously in the last few years. In the past it had been possible to control Sunday sport on suburban parks by using Burwood and South New Brighton in toe winter and Spreydon Domain and Avon Park in the summer. Now there were regular and increasing applications for othef parks to be open. Where a park was close to a church, toe council fixed an additional condition that the director should have discretion on the starting time of any game. “It is wrong to burden toe director with toe responsibility,” said Cr R. H. Stillwell, “The heads of five churches agreed that it would be better if sport began at noon. Four members of the New Zealand cricket team refused to play cricket on Sunday, and they deserve applause for observing the Lord’s day and a day of rest.” The council rejected his amendment that no games Should begin before noon on any of the council’s parks.