THE ATHLETIC PARK

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 42, 18 August 1917, Page 8

THE ATHLETIC PARK

TO THB EDITOR. Sir,—Your correspondent "Ex-Rugby Player," in quoting a statement of Mr. Weir without the full context, has (perhaps quite unintentionally) given the remarks quite a different significance to that intended by the speaker. The true position is explained in my former letter appearing in your issue of 9th instant, and the fact is there made plain that £3000 is required to put the park on a firm .financial basis under the present lease, which has about 18 years to run. Your correspondent has fallen into an error in assuming that the Government valuation always remains the same. Mr. Perry was quite right when he made the statement referred to by your correspondent, that the valuation was £16,000. Had your correspondent made certain of his facts, however, he would have learned that the valuation subsequently was reduced to £12,000, and is that now

In his first letter of 6th August your correspondent says: "No matter how much money they (the Rugby Union) pay to retain the . Athletic Park they can never make it their own property," and m his subsequent letter in your issue of 11th instant he says: "It may be news to Mj. Wright to know that the freehold of tht Athletic Park can be bought." These two statements are inconsistent.

The fact is that the Park Fund Committee has under consideration the question of ways and means for the acquisition of the freehold, but is appealing for £3000, the minimum amount required, to make safe the retention even of the leasehold. If "Ex-Rugby Pla-yer," when next he attends the meeting of this committee, will put forward a practicable scheme for financing the acquisition of the freehold, I feel sure he will find the members ol the committee eager to cooperate with him in cany ing h out. • I thank you for the space afforded me for this correspondence.—l am, etc., S. WRIGHT, Hon. Secretary Athletic Park Fund Committee. 17th August.

Speaking to a Post reporter this morning, Sir Joseph Ward-said that subscriptions to the Liberty Loan of £12,000,000 were coming in satisfactorily.. But much remained to be done, and the public had ' \o bear that fact steadily in mind. In the Magistrate's Court yesterday, William Pope was fined 20s, with costs, for failing to have sufficient lights on a vehicle in his charge. Bepresentations were made recently by the New Zealand Poultry Association to the Government upon the necessity foi 1 prohibiting the importation of Asiatic eggs. .The question has now been referred by the Government to the Board of Trade. It is quite possible that very soon the neat and efficacious savings boxes issued at the General Post Office will no longer be available for' general distribution. What a boon theso boxes are in increasing savings bal ances may be gauged from the fact that a very large proportion indeed of account owners in the Post Office Savings Bank make nee of them, as by. the deposit of a single shilling the thrifty one had the means of accumulating every spare coin, with no possible chance of being able to extract it at a later day. These most handy "banks" are not manufactured in New Zealand, but have to be imported, and prevalent conditions have made it impossible for the authorities to secure additional supplies, despite the fact that an order for 10,000 has been on hand for over two years. Speaking to a Post reporter regarding the prevalence of diphtheria in the Wellington district, the Chairman of the Hospital Board (Mr. H. Baldwin) said that greater power should be given to the Health Department to insist' upon the isolation of contacts. Beoplo who are liable to be earners of tlio germ should not be at large unless every precaution in the way of fumigation and throat disinfection has been taken. It has been suggested that while this disease is abroad it would be a wise step to.arrange for throat examination, of all school ■pupils, so that possible pases may be dealt with at once. If this examination ■were to be carried out once a week by medical men it would do much to check the spread of the disease. In at least one school the head master now makes such an examination himself. The Eegistrar of the Supremo Court (Mr. W. A. Hawkins) notifies jurors summoned to attend on Monday morning that they will not be required until Wednesday morning at 10.30. In the annual report of the Police Department, Superintendent Norwood, of the Wellington district, states that on 31st Maxch the actuaf strength of the Force was 166—one superintendent, one inspector, one sub-inspector, six seniorsergeants, thirteen sergeants, 135 constables, one chief detective, four detec-tive-sergeants, two detectives, one surgeon, arid one matron. The authorised strength is 177, and the shortage consists of one sergeant, seven constables, and three detectives. The authorised strength of the district, adds the report, has been increased by one sergeant, appointed to charge of the Wharf Police. This sergeant, with six constables, has been detailed to take up permanent duty on tho waterfront, the use of a room having been obtained from the Harbour Board for a, police office. Prior to this arrangement being made this duty was performed/by beat-duty constables, who were changed every fortnight. The present system has proved very satisfactory; it permits the men to thoroughly grasp the requirements of the traffic and become competent to cope with the policework required to bo done about this most important and busy portion of the city. Poetry, songs, and fans are advertised for sale by H. Bryant, 15, Pipitoa-street. Mr. M'Combs, M.P., will deliver an address on the Budget proposals in the Alexandra. Hall, Abel Smith-street, tomorrow evening', at 8 o'clock