Control of crowds “up to sports codes”

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33516, 23 April 1974, Page 16

Control of crowds “up to sports codes”

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, April 22.

Crowd control at sports events was the responsibility of the codes that leased the grounds involved, the chairman of the Wellington City Council’s parks and reserves committee (Cr S. K. Spry) said today.

However, he said, the council was prepared to co-operate with any codes on the construction of barriers to keep crowds from the field of play-

“As a matter of fact, we have experimented with barriers and ropes at the Kilbirnie Recreation Ground and the Miramar Polo Ground,” he said. The chairman of the Wellington Rugby Union (Mr G. W. A. Amies) said that his union fully accepted the responsibility of controlling crowds when it leased a ground from the council. “While we do not know' the answers to the problem yet, we intend to continue our discussions with the council in an effort to come up with the correct solution,” he said.

Both men were commenting on the death of a three-year-old girl who was involved in a Rugby maul at the Kilbirnie Recreation Ground on Saturday.

She was Rebecca Jane Webley, of Amberly Grove, Lower Hutt, who died in the intensive care unit at Wellington Hospital on Sunday. COMMON SENSE Mr Amies also said crowd control involved spectators using their common sense. “We know they want to see the whole match but [sometimes they do so at then ;own risk,” he said. “We have experimented with barriers in the past, but we have been unsuccessful, land sometimes these have been totally ignored by the crowds. “We have thought about the problem as long as I have been on the union, and quite frankly we still do not know the answer. “The death horrified me [and we just have to keep oi [looking for the solutions we need.

“If we put up high bar riers and there is a crush o’ players against them, spectators are likely to be injured but collapsible barriers are also no good as they fall apart when there is a crush against them too.” Cr Spry said that the council would welcome further discussions with the union on this issue.

He said that Mr Amies had met the Director of Parks and Reserves (Mr I. D. Galloway) today to discuss new plastic posts being used at the Newtown Stadium.

“When we have put up fixed posts we have found they have proved a risk to players, as there is more of a risk of players hitting them than spectators,” he said.

“The answer is to find the right solution which does not constitute a risk either to players or spectators. “At these matches though, it is extremely important that children be kept from positions of danger,” he said. “NO AUTHORITY” Rugby Union officials at matches played on council grounds had no authority whatever in the control of

the public other than on the field of play, according to the chairman of the Auckland Rugby Union (Mr R. M. Don). And. this, he said, was the biggest problem facing the union.

“In recent years, spectator control has been one of the most frustrating problems encountered by the Auckland Rugby Union,” said Mr Don. ROPE BARRIERS “Wherever possible, grounds used for senior A and B grade fixtures are encircled by rope barriers. “But it would be physically impossible to even erect, let alone control, rope barriers on all these grounds. Each Saturday, hundreds of matches are played on grounds owned ly various local councils and on these grounds, other than the playing field itself, Rugby officials have no authority. “Speaking generally, and with no reference at all to the tragedy in Wellington, the control of children is over to parents or persons appointed by them to look after them,” he said. CHCH WARNING Christchurch Rugby clubs which do not provide strict ground control measures at their grounds would have to answer to the Canterb.../ Rugby Union, said the chairman of the union’s competitions committee (Mr S. Husband). “If any complaints are received from referees then the grounds involved will not be used for senior Rugby again until the proper requirements are met,” said Mr Husband “We have had trouble in the past with clubs not realising their obligations when senior matches were held at their grounds,” he said.