WELLINGTON’S RUGBY HOME

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 130, 26 February 1929, Page 13

WELLINGTON’S RUGBY HOME

GRANDSTAND AT ATHLETIC PARK FUTURE HOPES With the laying of the foundation stone of the new grandstand at Athletic Park yesterday afternoon a new era was ushered in for the Rugby code in Wellington. , , , Enthusiasts who have stood long hours in pouring rain to watch some important representative fixture, will be glad to hear that the new stand should be finished m time for this season’s big games. At 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon, club delegates gathered in front of the entrance which is at present at the scaffolding stage, and Mr. A. F. Wiren performed the ceremony with a golden trowel presented to him for the occasion by the contractor, Mr. A. V. Swanson. The tablet, a rectangular slab of red granite, was then placed in position and duly cemented. On it the following is inscribed in gold letters: —

Wellington Rugby Union, incorporated, Founded 20th October, 1879.

This stone was laid by A. F. Wiren, Esq., president, to commemorate the erection of this stand, co - imenced on Ist October, 1928.

Committee: J. Prendeville, A. E. Neilson, Chairman. Secretary. J. N. Millard. A. V. Swanson, A. J. Griffiths. Contractor. H. Murphy. O. H. Cleland. H. D. Morgan. G. F. W. Jackson, R. J. Mcllraith. Hon. Treasurer. ■ E. J. Boyd Wilson. Seaton, Sladden & W. H. Stainton. Pavitt, T. J. King. Engineers. Mr. A. A. Wylie and Mr. J. Prendeville were the other speakers.

It was stated that at one time all important matches had had to be played on Newtown Park, and as, at that time, it was not permissible to charge for admission to a public reserve, the arrangement was far from satisfactory. With a view to improving their financial position the management committee of those days decided to acquire the land where Athletic Park now stands. With the aid of the Athletic Park Co., Ltd., this was accomplished, the union itself finding' £lOO. Eventually, the company was bought out, and from then on the takings showed a yearly increase, excepting the lean war years. The finances of the union were now in a strong position, last year’s income totalling over £9OOO. Nearly a quarter of this revenue had come from Athletic Park, and of this money £2OOO had been put into the new stand, which would seat 4500 people. Yesterday,’s ceremony was more or less informal, and the real ceremony would take place later, when the grand stand was declared officially open. It was expected that the stand would be completed before the last Saturday in April. Gratitude was expressed for the assistance rendered by the New Zealand Council in the advancing of funds. It reflected greatly on the standing qf the union, stated one of the speakers, that the bank had been willing to advance money for the work,' which would cost approximately £25,000. As the interest on this mortgage amounted to £l9OO per year, large dividends could not be expected until the principal had been paid oft. In time it is proposed that the whole of the ground will be roofed round, resulting in the formation of a perfect stadium. _____