GOLF CLUB LEASE OF GEAR ISLAND

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 65, 9 December 1938, Page 6

GOLF CLUB LEASE OF GEAR ISLAND

An Extension Favoured FORECAST OF OPPOSITION FROM OTHER SPORTS Ther-e would be strong oppiAsiliou to giving a furtber lease 01 Gear Island io lite Shandon Golf Club, said Mr. .1. M:iehell. at .yesterday s meeting ot the Hutt River Board. Other sports grounds wanted a share of the ground, be said. Tlie chairman, Dr. 13. .1. Dudley, said the golf club was a good, tenant. iL performed a m-elul duty in the district by providing sport for 400 members, many of whom were working people of the Hutt Valley. They were players, too, not onlookers. There were idle rumours circulating that the board bad given a long leave to the club; this was untrue. The existing lease would expire in IU4O, ami the ‘board had agreed to extend it till ItUo. The club had made improvements to the property, and had spent £SOt) on a watering system. Mr. It. \V. Jones:‘No other sport has asked for the ground. Mr. Mitchell: They will. There is a great demand. Mr. Jones said there was plenty of land available.

The borough council had looked all over its area without success, said Mr. Mitchell. The areas bad to be 20 acres or more; otherwise the upkeep cost was too great. Dr. Dudley said his interpretation ot the Act which governed the board's control of reserves "'as that, it had authorily to lease Gear Island for 50 years if it wished, aud without, calling lor tenders.

Mr. Mitchell: Then the Act wants altering ; it is absolutely wrong.

To Mr. Ward Pearce, the secretary (Mr. H. Gearing), said the area had been used for golf since 1930, and in that time had been improved greatly by the club.

Mr. Mitchell: The board did a good deal.

When tenders were called in 1930 for the lease of the land in 63 and 43-aere sections, or any part thereof, the onlyother body which made anything like a satisfactory offer was the Wellington Rugby Union, whose figure was £2OO a year for 21 years, with right of renewal for 21 years, said Mr. Gearing. Search For Reserves. The local bodies were being worried by organizations seeking reserves, and the Minister of Internal Affairs was also exerting pressure, said Mr. J. W. Andrews. Acres and acres of sports grounds would have to be found soon. The Government had taken all the available flat land for housing, which made the position -difficult. It was suggested to the borough that 10 per cent, of its area should be provided for reserves. There were all sorts of stupid rumours about that the board was letting its property to wealthy golf clubs, said Dr. Dudley. It was the opinion of Mr. E. P. Bunny that every sport in the Hutt Valley should be entitled to some of the island, and that that was the original intention in regard to it. There were 20 acres ol the area now being farmed which he thought the le.-isee might give up shortly. Possibly the borough council would like this.

The council iprobably would, said Mr. Andrews. There was a feeling that golfers or their fellow-players were motorists, and that it did not matter a great, deal if they had to go out a bit for their sport. Golfers were ideal tenants, however. They mode their own improvements, whereas other sports wanted the grounds marked end watered for them.

The Shandon club was spending a lot of money on Gear Island, and did not see the tun of it if it were given only a short lease, eaid Dr. Dudley. It was only fair to make the extension to 1945. It was agreed that there 'be a discussion with the council about the 20 acres that would possibly be available.