Rangiora council "played the game”

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33869, 14 June 1975, Page 17

Rangiora council "played the game”

The Rangiora Borough Council had “played the game” when accepting the tender of the Rangiora Cricket Club to distribute rubbish bags, said the Mayor of Rangiora (Mr J. A. McKenzie).

{ He was replying to a let-; ter to the “Press” from MJ K. Minson who wrote: “The! Rangiora Borough Council's decision not to accept the Christian Church’s offer to distribute rubbish bags free {of charge in favour' of a I $3OO offer by the Rangiora j Cricket Club is hardly logi- > cal. Few and far between ; are the councils which turn down a tender for another which is $3OO higher. If the I tenders were for the supply ; of a new machine costing i thousands the lowest teii- { derer, , whatever religious {views he held, would have {been successful. The council

-I is dealing with ratepayers’! • i money. Can it afford this J kind of prejudice?” ’{ Mr McKenzie said: “In re-1 ; {sponse to the allegation of: 3 1 “prejudice.” because the Ra-{ -{ ngiora Borough Council did! 1 {not accept the offer of a re- ■ r ligious sect euphemistically | ■ { described as “The Christian, ‘{Church of Rangiora.” the; ‘I complainant was obviously! r { oblivious to the facts which; influenced the council in for-! ■' mulating its decision.” ’ More than two years ago /the Rangiora Cricket Club, /on its own initiative, offered ; to deliver all rubbish bags in! the borough for $300; the offer was willingly accepted by the borough council. The service rendered by the cricket club had been faultless, he said. In addition the club contributed $2OO towards furnishing the ngw Dudley Park Pavilion. The North Canterbury 1 Cricket Association had con--1 tributed an additional $l5O. t The Rangiora club had pro- - vided a motorised roller costing $4OO, and the two local clubs possessed five i: mowers used solely for the i maintenance of Dudley Park. . The Rangiora Cricket Club 3 had given $l4O to the Ashj; ley Schoolboy Cricket Asso-{ s { elation to help in prepara-; {tion of six additional wick-1 , ets. '■ Mr McKenzie quoted part' ■of Sir Henry Newbolt's: / poem in praise of the! •* \ “grand” game of cricket. -■ “And it’s not for the sake; J ' of a ribboned coat, T or the selfish hope of a; / ” season’s fame, ‘I But his Captain’s hand; t on his shoulder, smote { ? Play up: Play up: and; play the game.” “The Rangiora Borough! ?! Council, I believe, ‘played; o,the game' when accepting t the tender of the Rangiora' -{Cricket Club,” said Mr McKenzie.