BASIN RESERVE

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 30, 5 February 1935, Page 7

BASIN RESERVE

USE. IN EVENINGS , TRAINING OF ATHLETES . • ■ i Provision upon the Basin Reserve for evening training every Monday, instead of every alternate Monday, was requested by a deputation from the Amateur Athletic Association, comprising Messrs. A. C. Kitto, president of the association, and C. A. Willis (secretary) to the reserves committee yesterday afternoon. The deputation ? ls° m,a.d<! a plea for permission to •hold children's races. _ Mr. Kitto referred to correspondence from the Town Clerk regarding damage, to the turf, the keeping 01 spectators off .the green, and requesting the discontinuance of children's races. The association had always tried to keep spectators off, he said.- They . had had children's races on the reserve for thirty years and had had no trouble. He could see no reason for stopping children's races there, but if it were deemed necessary the association .could at least have been approached in the matter without pinpricking. The children should be studied. Evening meetings had been run by "the association for many years every Monday, said Mr. Kitto. Permission had been given for the first half of the season, but on applying for evening meetings on Mondays for the rest of the season, they were told that on account of the state of the ground they could have the reserve only every alternate Monday. That he. considered a hardship. The evening meetings did not make any difference to the condition of the ground. Cricket was practised there three nights a week, and he was of the opinion thai, if anything, running round the green had less effect than cricket practice. He suggested that all 'applications for the use of the Basin Reserve should come through the controlling body, which would save worry. ATHLETES MUST HAVE A GROUND In regard, to Saturday-afternoon meetings, there must be some ground for the amateur athletes of Wellington, said Mr. Kitto. As soon as a new ground was 'quiained in Wellington it was passed overtO«{jrp&;os. There was not one ground in VAi£iftgtoh. which the .Amateur Athletic Association could have Saturday after Saturday. Even the polo ground at Miramar had been taken from them. Perhaps when the Hataitai Recreation Ground was finished part of it could be reserved for them. . Councillor L. McKenzie pointed out • that if provision were made for athletics at the Hataitai ground, a pavilion.and dressing accommodation would be expected. According to the Magistrate's decision, a window broken by cricketers was the council's responsibility. The point was that there was no proper supervision of the'training on the Basin Reserve, . He had seen a javelin thrown which , would have transfixed a man if he had not jumped, and if anything had happened without 'supervision the council would have been responsible.! That was one of the difficulties 'in allowing children on <the ground. It was not the question of. damage to the green. He had also seen la javelin thrown, over the fence on to the'walk used by the public. •■'-.•■» : . ; Mr. : f Kitto said'that- they might be able to help on the financial; side in regard to the Hataitai ground. As far as control was concerned, his club deputed a man every-night to-watch the, competitjwg^but:; there were four clubs, training;* there; > each of which should: do the'same. :■•..■ Further consideration of the request was promised by the chairman of the committee (Councillor 3. Burns). The question of reduced' days upon , the Basin Reserve had not been before the committee j he said, but they would understand that if the Director of Parks and Reserves said that the ground was getting in bad condition he was quite within his fights in reducing the number, of days or nights on which it could be used. ;If it were found that no real damage was-being done by the training, the matter would be further gone into, and the committee would certainly consider the matter of the children." !;; " ■ , RESPONSIBILITY TO CRICKETERS. ' "We have ascertain responsibility to the cricketers,'!; said Councillor Burns. "They' are s the main -revenue-produc-ing body, and this season they have been harassed a bit by small losses. We have not. sufficient ground in Wellington to accommodate .the A.A.A. wholly and solely.. Part of the Hataitai ground has' been ; concreted for basketball arid tennis, and accommodation has been provided for football. Whether there will.be sufficient ground left there to accommodate the A.A.A. is a piatter for ■investigation."