TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume XLIV, Issue 10, 12 July 1892, Page 2

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir — Judging from the tone of football supporters in this matter, any one unaware of tho facts might think the cricketers selfish in trying to keep the Basin Reserve olosed during the winter, but this is not so. The selfishness ib on the part of the footballers, who evidently want to kill orioket by spoiling the ground on whioh the orioketers have spent so much money. One haß only to walk over the ground at present to see how totally unfit it is fox football. During the winter it is noijhing more or less than a bog, owing to its low position and bad drainage ; and for this reason it cannot be compared to Lancaster Park in Christchurch or Carisbrook in Dunedin, which are both better drained and not so low lying. If the Rugby Union had spent as muoh on Newtown Park as the Cricketers 1 Association on the Basin Reserve they would now haTe a good ground. The orioketers have practically made the Basin what it is by expending annually about .£2OO on its maintenance, and this sum is subscribed by the cricketers themselves and their supporters, and not levied from the general publio at the gates. Now the footballers could have done the same had they been willing to support themselves, which it appears they are not, judging from the poor sale ef their Annual and their general reluctance to pay at the gates when playing. The Rugby Union balance-sheet for season 1891 shows that only .£8 2s was received from sale of Annuals at Is each, and 25 of the 42 Annuals sold went to one junior club. Among some 800 footballers, and barring the aboTe mentioned junior ciub, this can scarcely be called an enthusiastic Bpirit. The Cricket Annual at least pays its cost of production. In conclusion, I would advise the footballers to cease whimpering about the alleged selfishness of the cricketers, put thoir own shoulders to the wheel and ondeavour to make Newtown Park as suitable for football as the cricketers have made the Basin Reserve for cricket, I am, &c, Bth July. Faib Plat.

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