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Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 138, 15 June 1927, Page 13

"Whatever you do," said Mrs. Rodman, speaking before the Auckland Playgrounds Association recently in the Pacific Club, "I beg of you to retain your beaches. Do not ever let any private interests get any form of control, or Auckland will have the trouble that has occurred in Los Angeles to get, the beaches back in the control of the people," says the "Auckland Star.?' "New Zealanders aro not a stupid people," continued the speaker, '' and I beseech you in the most passionate manner not to let private control take charge. Look to. the failures of other countries, in these municipal matters and do not follow their mistakes. Make an effort to get larger and finer playing areas for the young people and thus keep them from getting into mischief, which is so often but misdirected energy on their part. The child in its'play makes a choice, and this choice becomes a habit, a habit; a character, and a character a citizenship. If you are going to have a nation well moulded in the mind as well as the spirit, keep the open places for them, and do not allow the conditions in London and New York to arrive here. If. we are not going to enable the young people to use their leisure, to lift them out of sordid suroundings; we are going to have a terrible people in future years. What the open spaces, and the playgrounds of the city enable to bring about is a brotherhood in.sport and to make the growing boys and girls realise that the city has a real interest in their growth and healthy welfare."