Sportsmen angry about fees rise

Press, 13 June 1979, Page 6

Sportsmen angry about fees rise

The Christchurch City 7 Council has been accused of adopting an irresponsible attitude with its proposal to increase sports ground rentals 20 per cent next y ear.

At a meeting last evening of the Canterbury Rugby Union’s management committee Mr J. G. Mullins, who represents secondary schools on the committee, said the council's attitude was irresponsible in the extreme. “We, with other codes, are endeavouring to encourage useful sport and recreation! and all the council is doing is making our job more difficult,” he said. Schools were concerned about the number of pupils taking no part in sport, and the council was not helping. Mr M. C. Sullivan said he failed to see. how the council could justify such an increase on the amount of work it did on sports grounds. Its maintenance work was negligible. Mr W. A. Russell asked how the council could justify its high charges when the grounds were intended pri-

marily for the enjoyment and recreation of its citizens. “It has a responsibility to make its grounds available to all who want tp use them. The sports are playing their part by providing organised competitions. To this end, the council should be offering encouragement, not I inflicting penalties,” said Mr Russell. Mr B. J. Drake said the proposed rises were “completely misdirected.” “The council should be encouraging people to play sport, not deterring them. The extra money will be a drop in the bucket so far as total revenue is concerned. It will also be infinitesimal to ratepayers compared with the extra burden that will be put on clubs and schools,” he said. Mr Drake suggested that all sports bodies should get

together for a joint approach to the council. However, Mr S, R. Williams said that on experience this would probably be a waste of time. Mr M. R. Inglis dismissed as “codswallop” a council comment that the increases would make no difference to club subscriptions. “Where else can the money come from?” he asked. The chairman (Mr R. W. Thomas) said what worried him most was that sports clubs would have to engage in more fund-raising, at the expense of their more important task of encouraging, and assisting, people to play sport. It was decided that Mr L. J. Russell would attend a meeting the council has called for discussion of the proposed increases.