CLAIMS OF CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1282, 10 November 1911, Page 6

CLAIMS OF CRICKET.

AND OTHER SPORTS. CITY COUNCIL APPROACHED. Tliero are several reserves in Wellington, but only one—tho Basin—which is at all suitable for tho holding of public snorts gatherings to which admission is charged. Consequently there is some coinpetition among rival bodies as to who shall have it on holidays. Last night a joint deputation from tho Wellington Cricket Association and the Wellington Amateur Athletic Association waited upon tho Reserves Committee of the City Council to press their claims for special' consideration. Mr. .Martin Luckio, for the Cricket Association, reminded the committee ,of a standing agreement which his association had with the committee to inako such arrangements as he could with tho Athletic Association as to which days each body required the reserve, and then to make their application to the council. But while this rule stood, other outside bodies came alon.<; and applied for special dates and got them. He urged that as tho Cricket Association spent about ,£4OO per year in making the Basin Reserve fit for cricket, they ought to be given some preference as to the dales on which they could uso tho ground. Ho suggested "that when such outside applications v;crc made the committee should advise the Cricket Association of them before granting them, as it cost tho association .C-4 Ss. for every Saturday on which they were not allowed to play cricket, ne also asked that the postponement of cricket inalehes on reserves be left to the Cricket Association. It was much more their interest than the council's that tho ground should not bo used when it was unfit for play, and it was impossible owing to the nature of the soil to judge of its unfitness or fitness until the timo for starting play. Last Saturday's postponements, which proved to be unnecessary, had cost tho cricket people some S.l 10:- Mr. R. M'Villv, for the Athletic Association, supported Mr. Luckie's representations. /•. . i j. It was agreed to grant to the Cricket Association tho use of the ground on December 30 and January 1 and 2, December IG, and January 27; and to tho Athletic Association one day in February. A counter-deputation represented the N.Z.A.U., the body controlling professional athletics and cycling, lhey "anted tho ground on New Years Day, but their request was refused, the Cricket Association having priority of claim: lhey were offered other grounds, bat none were suitable except Newtown Park, and the committee nere in doubt as to whether they could grant permission to charge for that ground. This matter was left in tho hands of tho chairman, with power to act.