MOVING FORWARD

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 23, 28 January 1928, Page 10

MOVING FORWARD

GEAR ISLAND PLAN CAN SPORTS BODIES PAY? DELEGATES HOPEFUL The second conference between the Hutt River Board and representatives of the Wellington amateur sports bodies was held at Lower Hutt last night, Mr. W. T. Strand, chairman of the Eiver Board, presiding. As at the first conference, the delegates exhibited a community spirit, and thero was nothing savouring of parochialism. The principal consideration last night was that of revenue—the amount expected by the River Board and the contribution to be made by each body. Mr. Strand outlined the policy of the board. They were satisfied, he said, that the majority of the ratepayers wanted the island to be a sports area. The revenue from the island was large, and it was felt that for a start a basis of £1000 gross income should be set. Out of that sum the board would be prepared to spend up to £.400 on beautification, and 5 per cent, of the gross gate takings would also be given over to general improvements. It was felt that all buildings should be approved by either an architect or the Institute of Architects. Any money spent for the sports bodies, at their request, would be repaid by means af an interest and sinking fund. Much money would be required for roading ( and would have to come out of a general fund. The Railway Department would doubtless be called upon to provide direct, cheap transport to the island. COMMON AREA PROPOSED. Mr. E. W. Shallcrass of the Sports Protection League) said the proposition appeared to be quite reasonable. They must remember that some sports, owing to their commanding a greater following of the public, were financially stronger than others, and tho interests of the weaker bodies must bo looked after. He suggested that in the laying out of tho ground an area should bo set aside for common purposes. It could, perhaps, have a stadium, which would be revenue-producing, and surrounding it could be the areas of the particular sports bodies. The central common area might be leased to the sports bodies for practice grounds. THE PROBABLE COST. Mr. J. Prendeville (Rugby Union) said they had come to receive informa-. tion, and at present were very much in the air. The net rent at present was in the vicinity of £1000, and the board aimed to get nearly that amount in the future. Mr. Strand: "Out of which we would 3pend £400 on improvements." Mr. Prendeville: "Have you any idea what the roading is going to cost? I thi ". a modest estimate would be £8000, and the interest and sinking fund on that would bo roughly £600, making a total of some £1600 to be raised by the sports bodies. I don't know whether you intend that we should raise an additional £400 for beautifying, but that would bring the total up to £2000. There are not more than 80 acres available for sports, and taking Rugby, for instance, each of our two and a half acre grounds would cost something like £60." Mr. Strand: "That is what we want to know: Can the sports bodies find the money or is the scheme premature? If it is, we can suspend the working of the Act until the time is ripe. However, I think your figures are unduly high." Mr. Prendeville: "I sincerely hope they are." (Laughter.) ENGINEER'S FLAN. Mr. H. G. SJadden (engineer to the River Board) produced a plan of the area. The total area, he said, was 162 acres, of which a considerable portion could not be used for any kind of sport, although it might provide picnic grounds. With the amount that could be used for golf considered, the "total area to be split up was considerably more than Mr. Prendeville had indicated. Mr. A. M'Bain (Eugby Union): "The board is going to prepare picnic grounds for the wives and families of its ratepayers. Has it discussed how much of the total rental should' be found by the ratepayers, thereby reducing the amount to be found by the sports bodies?" Mr. Strand: "£6OO net is to be paid by the sports bodies after the board has spent £400 on improvements." . • Mr. M'Bain: "I thought you were going to collect £1000, setting aside £400 for beautifying. You didn't say you were collecting anything from tho ratepayers, but all from the sports bodies." Mr. R. Hardy Boys (Hockey Association): "The board seeks to be assured of £1000 in addition to what is raised by rates." RATEPAYERS' LIABILITY. Mr. Strand: "We are raising much money now by means of rates, but being a Eiver Board we cannot raise rates for the purpose of beautifying. You are now suggesting that we should strike a rate instead of having an income. We must be able to pay interest and sinking fund and we cannot make the island a drain on the ratepayers." Mr. Prendeville said that even if there were 110 acres they would still have to pay about £40 for each ground. It might be necessary to get further legislation so that those residents who would benefit by the development would be called upon to help to develop it. If it was going to be made a park as well as a sports ground the sports bodies could not be expetced to find all the money. The question was whether each body was going to develop its own ground or pay into a common fund and have its ground developed. The question of _ pooling was material, because, for instance, football grounds cost much less to prepare than the same area of tennis courts. Mr. Strand stated that it was the desire of the River Board to have a contoured plan prepared, with the grounds laid out to a design, and the different sections of the, island would gradually be developed and worked up in conformity with the whole. A PLAN TOR THE FUTURE. Mr. E. P. Bunny (solicitor to the River Board) said he thought Mr. Prendeville was looking too far ahead, in thinking the sports would have to start with a big financial handicap. The island was there for all time, and tho ground was so situated that many sports bodies could develop grounds there very cheaply. What was wanted was a general scheme of ultimate development. There was a golf club there now, and it had hot had to worry about laying out large sums to provide access. It was tho same with the others. The scheme could bo developed so that access could be provided in the future when it was needed. Ho did not approve of the suggestion that the neighbouring boroughs should bo asked to contribute. If an Act was passed to that effect they would ask to have their reserves developed in the same way. Mr. W. P. Pringlo (Johnsonville Golf Club) expressed himself wholly in accord with Mr. Bunny's statements. He also mentioned that he was representing only a private club and not the Golf Association. There were 162 acres,

and the golfers wan Lcd SO. Some of what they were prepared to take could not be used for any other sport in a hundred years. What they want-, od was a fringe mainly on tho west, south, and east of the island, and would, he hoped, bo sufficient for a championship course of 7000 yards. Eegardirig tho rent, they were not prepared to state anything definite yet, but it was evid<*t that they would be one of the main contributors. A voice: "Would you pay £20 per acre1?" THE STADIUM QUESTION. Mr. Pringle: "You could hardly base our payments on a flat rate; that would be quite unreasonable, although we will probably have to pay much of the £1000." They, as a club, were not in favour of a stadium. They would like to be able to get going on the course next season. Mr. Shallcrass pointed oub that the stadium would not. be a money-making concern for the Eiver Board but for the sports bodies. Mr. Strand: "I agree with Mr. Shallcrass that a central stadium would be necessary." Tho Cricket Association delegates were then called upon to speak, but there was none present, and Mr. Shallcrass stated that cricket was prepared to work in with Eugby. PRESENT INCOME WILL CEASE, Mr. B. Hard}' Boys (Hockey Association) asked whether the whole of the income the board was now getting would cease as soon as the island was thrown open to sports. Mr. Strand: "I am. afraid it would. I can't see how we could have cattle grazing there, although in some cases perhaps we could still have sheep." In reply to Mr. Boys,. Mr. Strand said that the whole of the Lower Hutt borough, a portion of the Hutt county, and about one-fourth of Petone contributed rates to the Eiver Board. Mr. Boys opposed tho striking of a flat rate. It was unreasonable that golf should pay as much as tennis, and j between those two extremes the rate per acre should vary. The matter called for considerable adjustment, and in the end tho River Board would probably have to be called in to arbitrate. There was a tendency for the more wealthy clubs to be pandered to out of all proportion. "My reason for asking if all tho pifsent income would cease as soon as the island was thrown open to sports was that immediately the ground was given over to sport the board must have at least £600, nnd that was as much as could be expected at first. As the sports bodies grew any additional amount would bo the Eiver Board's contribution to a fund, not so much for tho beautification as for the general improvement of the island. I take my cue from Mr. Bunny regarding tho gradual development from a rough state. I realise the possibilities of the scheme, but I am painfully aware of the points raised by Mr. Prendc'ville." Mr. Bunny: "Suppose you pay £600 now, and later that grew to £1000. Then on the strength of that additional £400 to provide for interest and sinking fund, you could borrow easily £■5000. We want to develop the island and we can do that only by a loan." ANXIOUS TO START. Mr. Pringle: "My club is prepared to fence off a bit of; land and get busy on it." Mr.. Prendeville: "Land bringing in £6 or &7 per acre. Would you pay that?" ' Mr. Pringle: "I can't say definitely, but although what we want would cost the most, we would like it." Mr. Strand considered that the fencing off of an area for golf might interfero with the general scheme. Mr. Pringle said it was usual for sheep to be grazed on golf courses, and the club could let grazing rightsMr. E. S. Smith (Hutt Valley Lawn Tennis Association) said tho tennis grounds would cost more por aero to prepare, and in view of that it would be better for tennis if a flat rate were struck. They wanted ten .acres, and would like to start two acres this year. The association is only a year old, and was by no means financial, so that it could undertake nothing big in tho way of development. Mr. B. Mabin (Football Association) considered that £20 per acre was a heavy charge when grounds could be obtained in Wellington for £.10 10s per acre. They would require six of seven grounds, but nothing very definite had as yet been put forward. OPTIMISTIC CONCLUSION. Mr. Strand said a decision was needed as to whether the sports bodies could meet the charge which the board felt it must make. "If you think you cannot, the Eiver Board may reconsider the amount it has set. The River Board did not want to' be called upon to arbitrate.'' Mr. C. Gostelow (member of tho Eiver Board): "Some of you say we have put nothing definite before you, but we have: we want £1000 net." Voices: "£600." Mr. Gostelow: "No; £1000 net, to include interest and sinking fund covering the outlay by the board." Mr. Strand: "Can you now decide whether you will be able to meet the payments?" The golf, tennis, and Association football representatives agreed that the charge was reasonable. Mr. Prendoville considered it would be, provided they were given a satisfactory tenure. Mr. Boys also agreed, provided they were given a say in any roading works for which they would have to help pay. It was then decided that Mr. Sladdon should prepare a contoured plan of the island, and Mr. Shallcrass should call a meeting of delegates, one from each body, and Mr. Sladden. The meeting will be held in Wellington on Monday, j 6th February.