Bodyline Over Cricket Pitch At Kensington Park?

Northern Advocate, 30 November 1937, Page 11

Bodyline Over Cricket Pitch At Kensington Park?

'JHERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE CRICKET PITCH RECENTLY LAID AT KENSINGTON PARK WILL RESULT IN A MILD BODYLINE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN THE WHANGAREI BOROUGH COUNCIL AND THE A. AND P. SOCIETY.

“My executive learns with regret,” stated a letter from the A. and P. secretary received last night, “that a concrete cricket pitch has been laid down at Kensington Park, without giving my executive an opportunity ■of conferring with the council and the Cricket Association, which it is felt, is in contravention of the rights held by this society in Kensington Park, and also of the spirit of co-operation which the society has endeavoured to foster between the council and itself.

“At the request of the Mayor, our president met him at Kensington Park, and was shown the position where he, the Mayor, proposed that the pitch should be laid.

$ Strong Objection. “A strong objection to this position was voiced by the society’s president, on the grounds that it was close to the site of the hurdles and would be a danger at show time. Two alternative positions were suggested, but none decided upon, the society’s president being given to understand that a conference with the Cricket Association, the society and the council would he held prior to a final decision. “The society is extremely disappointed that this did not eventuate, but now that the pitch is down, the executive will endeavour to meet the position, although so doing will necessitate the complete re-arrango-ment of its show ring. This, the executive is prepared to do for the coming show, without prejudice, “At the same time, it fully appreciates the promise made by the Mayor to the president, within the last few days, ‘that if the society found the pitch was an obstruction to them he would have it removed.’ ”

No Assurance. The Mayor; I did tell the A. and P. president that if the pitch was found to be dangerous, I, and I believe the council too, would favour its removal. However, I gave no, assurance that we would remove it if the society found it to be an obstruction. In answer to a. question by Cr. H. N. Janies, the Mayor saM the council had not received the A. and P. Society’s permission to the laying of the wicket. That was not necessary. The delegates met on the ground, but the cricket people were just as strongly in favour of the site decided, upon as we were. Cr. R. S. Finch: There was no need for our committee to have met the A. and P. delegates. The' invitation for them to be present was purely an act of courtesy. I can visualise the time when six wickets will be laid at the park, Cr, J, Donaldson, chairman of the parks committee and one of the council’s committee which selected the site, said it would be an easy matter to fence off the wicket for the two dayf ~2 the show. It would not be dangerous.,

It was proposed that the letter be received, but Cr. E. G, W. Tibbits pointed out that if ij; was placed, on record, with the last paragraph reading as it did, future councils might be misled as to the actual position. Tile Mayor said he did not anticipate any difficulty arising from the matter, and, on his suggestion, the letter was held over for him to confer with the A. and P. president, in order that an alteration in wording might be made.