MILITARY TRAINING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7872, 7 August 1911, Page 1

MILITARY TRAINING

HOW IT WILL AFFECT SPORT VIEWS OF FOOTBALL AND ROWING MEN. SPECIAL TO THE “TniES." CHILI STCInJRCK, August 5. Tho outcry from Auckland ns to the provisions of the Defence Act interfering with athletic snorts does not meet with much favour from leading men in athletic circles in Christchurch, and as one gentleman aptly expressed it, ‘'Aucklanders are snorts mad; they take their games too seriously." i KFFECT ON FOOTBALL. Mr G. It. Mason, president of the Canterbury Kugby Union, said he considered it was the duty of athletes to put up with a Jittlo inconvenience in connection with tho matter. lie did not think the footballers would make any (rouble if they could possibly help it. If tho parades, etc., did interfere with tho footballers' games they would simply have to put up with it. Most of their players who were experienced enough for representative honours, wore over twonty-ouo years of age, tho age at which compulsory service ceased, Dvery-, ono hud to make sacrifices for the dct’cuco of his country, and tho footballers had to make them to a certain extent. INJURIOUS TO ROWING.

A distinctly pessimistic view of the effects of tho Deience Act upon athletic sports was that of Mr F. JJ. Jiestoven, president of the Canterbury Rowing Association. “it will interfere with rowing/' said he, “break up all training, all crows, all combination. ' Supposing tho military camps como on at regatta time they will smash up the crews. The men will have to give up rowing. Without a doubt it is almost as big an evil as tho weeds in the river. 1 think the Defence Act is going to ' bo ono of tho biggest bugbears to sport."

interfere ■ with the carrying out of the more permanent improvement works shown on the plan. Wo want to show clearly where tho roads of tho future will bo and tho best means of access to all suburbs both by road and tramcar. A tewn improvement plan would also embrace street widening. It should' be finally determined what streets are to be widened and tho council should concentrate its efforts on a set scheme instead of dealing with tho question piecemeal as we do now under tho Public, Works Act. Thousands of pounds have been spent by tiie council in paying for laud dedicated by private landowners as required by the Public Works Act iu ‘ localities - wlicrc street widening was not really necessary. If the council had Had a free hand in such matters the money paid could have been expended much moro advantageously in improving the main thoroughfares." AN OBJECTION ABLE CLAUSE. - Mr .Morton then.quoted section 117 of the Public Works Act to illustrate his,: point. , Sub-clause one reads .as follows : Where land having a frontage to an existing road or street of a less width than sixty-six feet is subdivided into allotments for tho 'purpose of sale, the owner shall, set back the frontage of the land to a distance of at least thirty-three feet from the centro-line of the road or street, and shall' dedicate as a public road or street the strip of land between the frontage-lino so set back and '-tho frontage-lino as previously ’existing, - and the land so dedicated shall form

part of such existing road or street, “That clause/' 'added Mr Morton, “should be griped off the statute book and any town planning or town improvement logdstation, that is 'introduced should contain a clause to increase the powers of mimicipalities ia regard to street widening and general improvements. The improvement plan. I speak about would no doubt be costly to prepare, but it would, be a groat advantage to know what wo are going to do im the years to oomo. It ie very necessary tlvat the municipalities should look to the future/'’ MAYOR INTERVIEWED SCHEME FOR IMPROVING ELLINGTON. RECEIVING CONS ID ERATI OX. Tho Mayor (Mr T, M. Wilford, M.F.) also had ©omothing to say on the subject. "Th© opinions of the city engineer/' ho remarked, “in reference to town improvement—l object to tho word town planning where a city is iu being—are well known to me. The subject has given mo much concern for some considerable time. I know Mr Morton's views thoroughly, and believe that the danger of a' Government Fill will be the possible interference will} a municipal authority in its programme of improvement, especially if the Government is given the right to veto-tho calmly considered proposals of tho local authority and substitute a scheme initiated by departmental officers. I hop© such a contingency will bo carefully guarded against“ln all matters concerning town improvement finance is undoubtedly the question that must have the greatest consideration. Her© in Wellington with our up-to-date municipal system in regard to the health of the public, we find all our outlying districts without suitable road approaches. Without covering tho whole ground, just look at Kelburnc. Wo-find a rapidly-growing and wellbuilt adjunct to the city with, practically no approach for vehicles except by tho narrow and extremely steep road known as Mount street. Some months ago the city engineer, in discussing the .matter with me. suggested a scheme of improvement, which is being carefully' considered now.

QUESTION OF FINANCE. In all town improvement schemes tuio resumption of private property, especially in closely congested 'areas, is an important factor, and a great difficulty: but if the scheme which we are elaborating at the present time, can be satisfactorily financed and a modus vivendi arrived at the citizens of Wellington will have placed before them in the course of the next two or three months a comprehensive and elaborate suggestion in regard to town improvement. Wellington is the healthiest city in Australasia. That cannot be disputed, as statistics prove such to be the case.. I believe that what wc aro suffering from is not ‘slum-

dom/ but merely congestion. The small houses closely packed in congested areas are all efficiently drained and regularly inspected by corporation officials, and although some houses inspected to-day may be filthy in a week’s time owing to the habits of the occupants, this is undoubtedly the -exception and not the rule. NOT A CITY OF SLUMS. I do not admit that Wellington, is a city of slums, and I repudiate that eng-" gestion with all the strength in my power. You cannot compare a cottage with a perfect and up-to-date drainage system with on© that has never been connected with anv such system at .all. The citizens of Wellington can. be certain that the councillors are unanimous in desiring town improvement. They aro all with mo in wishing to relieve congested areas and make the city, if not beautiful, at any rate much improved, compai-ed to its present condition.

‘‘Whether or not the scheme at present in hand will be carried out in its depends absolutely upon the council as a whole. I have a groat <lcsiro to see improved, but I am not going to rush into print with a scheme until I can give to the public every detail, including the financial side, ■which I have already said is the main consideration.”