USE OF SPORTS GROUND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13967, 28 September 1918, Page 8

USE OF SPORTS GROUND.

HOCKEY PLAYERS' TENANCY.

AGREEMENT FOR ONE YEAR.

1 As arrangement ha« been made between : the Dilworth Trust Board andtoe Auckland Hockey Association, by which the | latter has been granted the use for one year, at a rental of £60, of that portion I of the Remuora Sports Ground which it formerly held under » sub-lease. The association in turn has entered into an agreement with King's College, by which the students of the college will have access to the grounds as i in the past, and the rental will be paid in equal shares by the two bodies, The Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, stated yesterday that if the Trust Board intended to reserve the grounds for recreation purposes as in the past, 'the object Vhich the City Council had had in view in its recent negotiations would be fully attained. A statement of the position from the point of view of the Hockey Association was made yesterday by Mr. K. */ Fawcett, acting-secretary of the association's emergency committee. He said that some years ago the ground was leased by the Dilworth Trust Board to several gentlemen, including Mr. I . ban. , Thev nub-leased the ground to the Auckland Hockey Association and Kings College for athletic purposes. The association's lease was for seven years, renewable for another term, but terminable by either partv after five years by Riving notice. About a month ago Mr. Earl exercised his right of terminating the least*. " Owing to war conditions, the association had got behind in its payments,", said Mr. Fawcett " Over seven hundred players/ arc away, while those remaining are younger, and cannot pay the same amount for management that those at the front could. Also, the standard of play fell away with the departure of the older players, end (rate receipts fell off correspondingly. About eighteen months ago we approached the Dilworth Trust, asking that some remission of rent be made to Mr. Earl, so that he could allow us some reduction. Negotiations have proceeded continuously since, but rather slowly, owing to the peculiar position of the parties involved. '•' The board received a deputation from the association at its next monthly meeting, after Mr. Earl surrendered bis lease, j and the next day granted us the use of the ground for a 'jear at a nominal rental of £60. This will tide us over our difficulties.- Tho control is vested in representatives of King's College and our association. "We-are quite . content to leave things as they are now until conditions become normal. Mr. Givnson informed me to-day that the City Council had no desire to take over the ground as long as it is used for its present purpose; but in the event of it being lost to sport by being cut up for building, then it would move. Mr. Fawcett said the association desired to retain control of the ground. _ "We look on it as our home," he explained. "We have built a pavilion, and the money expended on the playing area has brought it to its present goo"d condition. I think i we can claim to be an efficient, business-] like body, and able to control such grounds. We oppose losing Vontrol, be. cause we would not retain the sole use of the ground—we do not want to share it, as we use it all now; it would cost us, more for ground fees under City Council i control than it will cost us for mainten-i ance of the ground—such cost is calculated I on fees charged before the war for the use of grounds on the Domain and Vic- j toria Park; and we could not charge en- 1 trance money. This is a consideration,' especially when representative matches are > resumed, as thev will be next year." Mr. Fawcett added that the association' is indebted to the Dilworth Trust Board for the generous treatment it had received,: and is satisfied with the. arrangements now made. It appreciated the efforts made by the Mayor to ensure that the ground was not loe.t to sport, but wished to retain tho control of the ground it had been occupying and improving for the last 13 years, : and not to relinquish it to the City Council.