H.V. Cricket Club

Hutt News, Volume 10, Issue 20, 21 October 1936, Page 5

H.V. Cricket Club

, high charges fob grounds.

!1 last week's meeting of • the Borough Council a deputation was received from tho Hutt District Cricket Club asking "that the change of £100 d!or the season, be remitted to £90 as the club felt that it was rendering a service to the many young players who Were mot in a position to pay increased (fees. The charge made for tho use of I:he committee room in the pavilion, was also considered excessive as they were galled on to pay £7 13s for the sea'lion. The council decided by seven votes .to> three to abide by its original decision. •

Mr. E. J. Aim, captain of tho club, complained of the method of the icouncil in rendering the account after the season had closed, and also contended that tho • committee room iad beep/ used only eleven times instead of fifty-one, as charged 4'or. The amount charged for the ground, he said, was excessive and he quoted figures ■- to show that the icharge had increased ' from £40 in 1924 to £100 in 1936. The rent for tho ground accounted for from 52 per cent, to 53 per cent, of the club's receipts, and to ,pay more than half its revenue in rent was more than the club could stand. The charge for seventeen wickets and seven practice wickets ifl Palmerston North was only £125, against £100 for six wickets and three practice wickets in Lower Hutt. The charge in Masterton was £78 4s, in Wangauui £97 Bs, and in Dunedin £89. In Wanganui the charge was £20 and half the wages paid.

"Would y.r/u,'be prepared to do that heTe'?" said' the Mayor (Air. J, W. Andrews), "because, if you would it would save this council hundreds of pounds."

Although, said Mr.. Aim, members of the club thought £90 too much he would be prepared to consider that amount reasonable. The council had not only to balance its budget but to provide recreation for youth. It was impossible to make the reserve pay, and .therefore the council ought to be prepared to charge only'what the club could reasonably pay. At present the costs of each player each Saturday • apart from material was 3s Cd. The Mayor: The cost to tho council per flayer is 7s. Mr. Aim: Well that's how it should be. Mr. B, T. Pegler, treasurer for the club, said a duty developed on the council and on the club to find means lor the youth of the district to spend their leisure.' K cricket was made too dear the bovs would bo forced to spend' their spare time in perhaps more ot> j Oct ion able ways. The cricket club had no -opportunity of raising funds in other ways as the Rugby clubs raised funds, iSome arrangement should be made for allowances for vyet iSuturdays. The clu'b liad in the past assisted in many ways with the recreation ground The Mayor again asked if the club would be prepared to pay £20 for the use of the ground and prepare its own wic-kets. The cost of g-rounds during the summer was £124 5s Od, and fur this tho council received only £100.. 'Councillor P. Dowse asked if the club would be prepared to pay lis per wicket per Saturday and prepare its own wickets, as, the Hutt Cricket Association. -did, After answering several other questions the deputation retired. Later in the evening the council discussed the question. The Mayor said he was of opinion that the council should in future deal direct with the Wellington Cricket Association, of which the Hutt District Club was a member. The Hutt Club was the only cluib .Within the association which arranged for its own grounds; and this would bring the council into line with its negotiations with other bodies. It dealt direct with the Rugby Union, the Football Association, and the Hockey Association. The charges of the Wellington. City Council for the grounds it supplied, other than the Basin Reserve, were much, than the charges made in Lower Hutt and worked out on '.he Wellington basis the Lower Hutt charge would be- £172 instead of £100. The Hutt Cricket Association paid lis per wicket and did their own preparing while tho Hutt Club had its wicketa prepared on the recreation ground a t ® on ty P Ol wpefc Tfye loss on the recreation ground for °n° y ea * as £305j while the l|?ss pver the cricketing season was £324, 9howing that in the winter the councj l made a small .profit but during tho summer a heavy loss, Councillor K. M, Russell moved that | tho charge fox the coming season be £90. The borough was receiving a great benefit from the work the iclub was doing for the boys and should be prepared to assist the club. The Mayor pointed out the the Waimarie Croquet Club paid £00 for a very much smaller area and one which cos't the council very much less to maintain. Councillor Dowse said he was prepared to support Councillor Eussell if Qouncillor Eussell' would "agree to ledutce the charge to the Hutt Cricket Association I>y"2s per wicket. Councillor Cole said that considering |,he cost to the council was £424 the charge of £l,(jO was small enough. The eoiiiicil would hot see why the xa-t'e-should be asked to pay .for this Particular cost. Councillor Macaskill seconded Councillor Russell's motion. Hq consido yd tljat Icouncillors - wore lopkiug fit th.e jitter in a very miserly way. The yilifa flf .cricket ;to the youth cf the district coulcl not 'be estimated. Councijjpr? should not haggle over £10. If £00 was alj the club could pay it sfcoold 'be aieccptod. The rcvenuo of tie club was: only about £174 and £100 was too much for it, to poy for

rent. Councillors should remember that the ground l was closed to the pubIk, cxcept those who paid, during the Rugby season >but was open to everyone during the- crielcet season. Councillor Mitchell moved and Councillor Dallenger seconded an amendment that the charge be £100. Councillor C. J. Ashton said it was very questionable whether the council should let its grounds for any spoTj;. However, he icquld not see that the extra £10 -jvas going to break the pricket clulf. The amendment that the charge'tip £100 was put and carried, 'the voting being: F.qr t]ic ameiiK3<mpi}t, .Councillors Asiton, Bowse, Hall, Cole, Ejallcnger, Mitchell, ami the Mayor; against, CauncilloTß Russell Macaskill, and Rainey,