PUBLIC DOMAINS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 10095, 7 September 1925, Page 3

PUBLIC DOMAINS

USE AS SPOUTS GROUNDS. AMENDING LEGISLATION PROMISED. (SPECIAL TO THE TIMES.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 4. For some years, there have been demands from country districts to the Government to allow public domains to be used as sports grounds, the athletic bodies concerned to be permitted to make certain charges for games and sports meetings. The Government has decided to bring in certain legislation regarding the control of domains this session. This, said the Minister for Lands, is one of the trickiest things the Department has to administer at present. There is a special officer of the Department told off to deal with the amendments that are thought necessary in the law. Some people said the“ Minister had to depend upon domains for their sports revenue, and we are thinking of raising the charge permitted to two'-shillings for fifteen days, with the provision that at least 10 per cent of the gate money lnnst be spent on the domain itself. The Domain Boards will make the recommendations in the first instance and then it will be for the Minister to say whether or not ho will agree. The provisions will not he applied to the cities in which there are plenty ot sports grounds. The general question of domains will also be dealt with in the proposed legislation. Each district can lie brought in on a contributing basis. To get over the present difficulty that exists in that respect in large cities, where they could levy a rate, the domains could be taken over by the cities, and the Government will be prepared to give the cities certain domains.