NEW GRANDSTAND

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 147, 19 December 1933, Page 21

NEW GRANDSTAND

LOWER HUTT PROJECT

APPLICATION TO LOANS BOARD

The proposal to erect a. grdndstand on the Lower Hutt Recreation Ground was advanced a further step last evening, when the report of a special committee recommended to the Borough Council that subject to the approval of the Loans Board 'the proposed poll be proceeded

with., The committee reported. that it .was Mtisfied that on the figures produced the stand -would be self-supporting. The main, factor which led the committee :to. its recommendation was the receipt of a .definite offer from the Wellington' Rugby Union to take a lease of two football grounds- on the recreation ground and to use the stand for a period of ten years at a rental of £300 per football season.

The.-Mayor (Mr. J. W. Andrews) pointed out that it did not mean that the council accepted tho Rugby Union's offer, and-'his. only purpose in producing the offer-was to show that the financing of the proposal was possible without cost to the ratepayers. The acceptance of the offer would mean that the hockey players would lose a ground.

A committee consisting of the Mayor .and Councillors K. Campbell, B. Singer, and A. Anderson was set up to interview the other sports bodies to see if they would agree to the proposals of the Rugby Union, or alternatively to ask what offers they would make towards financing the proposal. .

The estimate of receipts, and expenditure showed that, with the acceptance of the offer of the Rugby Union, the receipts from the ground would yield about tho same net income from the ground, after allowing for the annual cost of the stand, as at present.

Councillor Andoi'son said he was not yet altogether satisfied with the scheme, and Councillor Campbell pointed out that no arrangements had been made for furnishing the stand or providing cooking and water-heating appliances.

The stand is estimated to cost £4000. The sum of £500 has been granted by the trustees, of an estate which recently donated gates and fences to the recrear tion ground, and it is proposed to borrow £3500, the interest on which it is. considered will be entirely covered by the takings on the stand itself.