THE SHOWGROUNDS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 93, 19 March 1936, Page 6

THE SHOWGROUNDS.

The proposal that has been made to the ManaAvatu A. and P. Association for the sale of part of the Showgrounds, and the purchase of an area of land at Awapuni Avheretm to Hold the Spring Slioav, is one that demands first the closest attention of the’committee and then of the members. It is a matter, too, in which the city and district should exhibit the keenest interest. In recent years the Association, like others of its kind, has found it most difficult to perform its functions, and maintain its property to the best advantage, AA'ith the revenue at its disposal. In consequence annual losses have been made. The situation Avas aggravated by the disastrous storm of February 2, Avliich caused damage to the buildings, chiefly the main grandstand, to the extent of* at least .£2OOO. The Association, as pointed out at a recent meeting of the general committee, faces the problem now of repairing the damage and meeting its annual liabilities, without any immediate prospect of reducing its mortgages or bank overdraft. As a means of overcoming its difficulties the proposal has been advanced that portion of the very valuable Showgrounds—a heritage to the city and district from pioneer and later members of the Association —should be. subdivided and sold. The net return to the Association, it is calculated, Avould be £20,000, and this sum Avould enable liquidation of the existing mortgages and the bank overdraft, provide funds for acquiring an area of land at Awapuni and transferring thereto existing buildings, and enable the Association to emerge Avith a liability of £2500, with an interest bill of £ll2 annually as against £750 at present. The Winter Slioav buildings and the remainder of the ground Avould be retained. Briefly, the effect of the proposal, if it is endorsed and results as planned, Avould be to bring the Association’s liabilities within range of extinction and to g-We the toAvn and district two separate showgrounds. The matter is too important for a hurried decision and an extension of the time when the option over the AAvapuni property Avould expire seems highly desirable. If the general committee finds much in the neAV scheme, it should be brought before a meeting of members _to permit them to carefully Aveigh the pros and cons and pass a considered verdict.