NORTH STREET PARK.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 1587, 12 June 1920, Page 5

NORTH STREET PARK.

BOWLING, CROQUET AND TENNIS. A meeting- of those interested in the formation of a bowling-, tennis and Croquet Club at the North Street Park was convened by the Borough Council last night There were about 30 present, Councillor E. H. Crabb, as chairman of the Reserves Committee, presiding - . The Chairman explained that the matter was in pursuance of the Council’s policy of providing- for recreation. There had been some talk that the North end of the town should receive the same privileges as the Fitzherbert end,, and this the Council desired to do. At the Fitzherbert end there were three croquet lawns and a full-sized bowling green, and there was room for extensions. The Club had to pay about £l6O a year. Without a pavilion it would cost about £6OO to lay down a full-sized bowlinggreen, tw-o croquet and two tennis lawns at North Street. The interest on this would amount to £36. It would also be necessary to have an attendant to look after the greens. The Council was of opinion that if the residents of the Northern portion of the town could form a club and enter into an agreement to pay £l5O a year the Council would be prepared to furnish them with the ground, undertake the upkeep and supply necessary flowers. It would also be necessary to have a pavilion. The total area to be occupied would be two acres. The chairman pointed out one condition which existed at the Manawatu Club, that two bowling x-inks and one of the croquet lawns were open to the public at a( charge of sixpence per game. Mr Hodder considered it would be as well to ask the Council to furnish them with a full-sized bowling green, two croquet lawns and two tennis courts, and moved in that direction —Mr Dunvard seconded the motion, expressing the opinion that there would be no difficulty in getting the guarantee. Mr L. R. Bryant thought it would be better to elect a strong committee to make a canvass in order to definitely gauge the position so far as the guarantee of membership was concerned, before they asked the Council to furnish the greens. Mr Michie, speaking from the bowlers’ point of view, stated that of the three bowling clubs at present in Palmerston North there had not been the slightest increase in the membership. He doubted if they would obtain sufficient bowlers, and, if they did, they would have to be drawn from other clubs, which were at the present time experiencing great} difficulty in holding their end up financially. If they found they could not get sufficient bowlers, why not make it pxirely a croquet and tennis club? The chairman said that the Council would not go on with the greens until the club was formed and the guarantee assured. He added that the Mayor w r as anxious to see another green established here, to help the annual bowling tournament. If this could be done if would become the largest annual tournament in the Dominion.

After discussion, Mr Hodder’s motion was carried and a further resolution was passed to the effect that a strong’ committee be set up for the purpose of canvassing, in order to ascertain what support would be forthcoming. It was further decided to wait upon the Council at its next meeting. The provisional committee was appointed as follows: Messrs T. R. Hodder (chairman), J. Dawber, W F. Durward, J. Murray, W. Cullen, M. H. Oram, F. Needham, T. MqAvinue, L. R. Bryant, J. Rush, J. T. Pollas, J. H Watt and Sergeant-Major Bell. Mr Finlay Wilson was appointed secretary. A meeting of the committee was subsequently held, when it was decided to call a meeting of all interested on Monday night at the High School. The bowling subscription was fixed at £2 10/, and £1 10/ for privilege members: croquet subscriptions, 30/; tennis subscriptions, to be same as Terrace End. All those present at the meeting joined up for one or more branches of sport.