CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUNDS

Evening Star, Issue 19004, 28 July 1925, Page 2

CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUNDS

to Tin: imiTon. Sir, —Heading my ‘ Star ’ on Saturday evening under the heading ‘The Jjijr Exhibition,’ 1 came across a paragrapli roternng to special children's playgrounds, in which parents visaing the Exhibition will find their children’s needs well attended to. I sincerely trust that will ho so, but it the “ children's corners ” in the several municipal reserves are any criterion, then I prophesy that all parties will be woefully disappointed. At first these playgrounds and sand-pits were fairly wedi looked alter, but, speaking for those in the southern suhmhs, more neglected quagmires could hardly bo imagined. The .sand-pits are hall empty, where three or four loads would put ‘them right ; the ropes for the swings are seldom up, and when they arc are usually monopolised by hallgrown hooligans, who drive the youngsters away; and the sce-saws arc very seldom in a workable condition. 1 understand that in some cases a corporation employee receives a small additional pay for putting them up in tins morning and removing them _o( an evening tor safety, il that is so, it is time his “ boss ” was called up on the carpet for Ids man’s neglect of duty. It is no wonder the youngsters are playing about the streets to the annoyanccof pedestrians and to their own danger 'when the General or Reserves Committee, or whoever is responsible, allows things to come to such a discondition. _ There _ also is - no excuse for the councillors living- in the south end not having the state of things rectified, unless it is that tlm children have no votes, as each of tlfera passes one of the reserves at least once a day. I refer more particularly to the so-called playground at the Oval, the ten acres, and corner of Melbourne and King Edward streets. When we had the ward system a parent know whom to go to, hut now a ratepayer with a grievance is handed on from one to another without the slightest satisfaction. Hoping the youngsters will get some relief, —I am, etc., Nti. BnsFEiuxDrM. July 2S.