ATHLETIC PARK.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 228, 19 June 1908, Page 8

ATHLETIC PARK.

-—/- a, -—• QUESTION OF PURCHASE. . POSITION OF CITY •COUNCIL, The question of ownership of the Athletic Park was again before the City Council : last evening, Tho Baths and City Reserves Comreported that they had had an interview.with tho representatives of the Wellington Rugby Union on tho question of tho proposed acquirement of tho Park, and they had come to an agreement for the Union "to negotiate for purcha'so 'of the interest on tho same terms, as were offered to the Council. ,The terms of purchaso that might be agreed upon by the Public Trustee , aud the Athletic Park Company should bo. the. price that tho Council would paj; to the Rugby Union, if at any time it desired to sell to the Council, -the original sum paid plus approved capital expenditure without' any accretion in tho nature of goodwill, etc: One of the conditions that the Committee had been desirous of bringing into effect was that the Union :should not at any time charge mors than one shilling for admission to tho grounds:' The Union had agreed to this with the exception' of occasions when tho ground was used for the purpose- of international sports. a Tho Committee still hoped that the final agreement would contain a clause that the inaxi'inutn sum for admission'to the ground for ■any purpose should be ono shilling. They ■.recommended the Council to delay action until they saw tho result of.the Rugby Union's negotiations. .

Councillor Lnko moved adoption of thp roporfc. If these.'conditions ti'erc agreed to tho Rugby; Union, if ever thev decided to »p tho jjark, would hayo to give the City Council first refusal on tho terms outlined. ~ Tho' Council- was. nitailing a • largo 'expenditure in respect of other' parts for tho city, and, if tho Rugby Union- would purchaso this property suljieet to an under.standing with the Council, which would prevent its being lcist t'.i. the' public;at a future ;date, that Would ho very satisfactory. : If the Rugby Union, . riv any other union, would take; over the on these- conditions, and use it for.s;«i-ii> 'purposes for tho people of Wellmpton. f hey would be'doing a public service. The Committee were most anxious that tho park should not .be.lost, t-o tho city in. the future for recreation 'purposes.' : .Councillor.. SairtclifFe proposed, an amendment to tho terms of the agreement, as expressed, by deleting the words "to;tho Council," in respect of future wish to sell, and .incorporating'these words: "the Union to give the Council first refusal. of- the. park ■whenever thev. may desire to sell." Councillor Luke agreed to the alteration: Councillor Flindmarsh thought that tho Council had. 110 right to;. interfere in thq, negotiations, since it had not oven an .option over tho' property. The Mayor said that the Council was 'giv- 'i ing up.its right to take tho ground under tho Public .Works Act.' CouAcillor Hindmarsh: 0 That', was never contemplated,. . ' . The Mayor: Oh, yes, it was, ! The report as amended was adopted.