Liquor ban at cricket park lifted

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34047, 10 January 1976, Page 1

Liquor ban at cricket park lifted

Zealand Prm Association • AUCKLAND, January 9. The liquor ban at Eden Park, imposed by the police and the park trust board for the England-New Zealand cricket test last summer, will be lifted for the India-New Zealand test starting at Eden Park on January 24.

And the liquor ban will remain off if the crowds behave. i The ban came last season in a bid to stop the incidents.: including some disturbances' and arrests, which occurred! during the Australia-Nev. Zealand tests at Fden Park and Lancaster Park in early 1 1974. “1 have no comment to make, litis is the first I have heard of it.” said the secretary of the Victory Park

[ Board (Mr K. N. McGillivray i . in Christchurch last night. He said that the implications of the lifting of the ban i on liquor at Eden Park would I have for Lancaster Park : would be considered by the ■board. ' A liquor ban has been imposed at Lancaster Park for i a number of years. Today, police and Auckland Cricket Association officials met at Eden Park to discuss crowd behaviour during the two Shell series matches there over the last three weeks.

The small crowds for those ■matches did take liquor into I the park, but there were no i incidents or arrests. I This afternoon, Mr S. C. I Hay, chairman of the Eden Park Trust Board, said that jhis board did not intend to ■ exercise the power it holds under its bylaws to prohibit liquor being taken into the park during the India test “Experience so far this season suggests that the ban is not necessary,” said Mr j Hay. “It is hoped that those who enjoy their can of beer with their cricket-watch! ng will co-operate by exercising reasonable discretion. “However, a close watch will be kept on the situation.” "Misuse of empty beer and soft-drink cans was one of the major problems,” said Mr K. R. Deas, chairman of the Auckland Cricket Association. “and steps would be taken to ease that problem. “Many more litter bins will be spread around the ground for the test. If it becomes necessary, staff will move out during the lunch and tea adjournments and clear away the empty cans.”