MUNICIPAL GOLF

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8646, 3 February 1914, Page 8

MUNICIPAL GOLF

LINKS FOR WELLINGTON

... A. meeting for the purpose of organising a campaign for the formation of municipal golf links was held in tho Town Hall last evening, and was fairly well attended. Dr Cameron occupied tho chair. . , Tho chairman in outlining the facte regarding the proposed new golf links stated that while he was recently touring the British Isles he gave the matter very serious consideration and investigated in every possible way. At Edinburgh it was extremely ’pleasing to see children going out to the golf links and getting thorough recreation. The general feeling in Wellington at tho present time was that golf on the City Belt (where it is -proposed to form the new links) would he dangerous and would drive people off the ground, hut tHe chairman! gave illustrations of golf in Edinburgh, on links which were largely frequented by tho public and were almost surrounded by people, where accidents never occurred. There was insufficient recreation indulged m by the public generally in Wellington, and the great difficulty experienced at the present time among doctors was the utter impossibility to recommend recreation of any description to their patients. Lawn tennis clubs, he said, ■were taxed to the utmost with , members, and he therefore urged the necessity of forming a Municipal Golf Club. There were a few difficulties in the way, and the main one was the question of finance, but a little headway had been made in that direction, and he promised to donate fifty guineas iu four years to give the scheme a start. He would give ten guineas when tho first course was started, and an additional ten guineas if a children’s course was started within twelve months. If the course was started immediately he felt confident that one hundred guineas would be subscribed annually. Mr Whitemore had also promised a yearly subscription of five gL Appoint was raised regarding ladies being allowed to play on the links on Saturday. It was pointed out that they were better able to gpout any day during tho week, whereas the men had to rely mostly on Saturday afternoons for their game. At the present time this question is causing all the golf clubs in Wellington considerable consideration. The matter was left over to he dealt with at a later date. . The following resolution was earned regarding the council’s permission to use the ground;—'That a deputation be organised to wait upon_the council with aview to promoting this object and to obtain their permission to use the site marked on a plan previously submitted to them for their approval.

Messrs Whitelaw and Cameron were elected to represent the club and wait upon the coun'cil at its meeting on Thursday next. Tho following resolution was also carried:—“That those present get the names of those who are willing to give donations or guarantee subscriptions ol one guinea per year.” Mr J. Mclntosh was elected secretary. Tho following scale of charges was fixed:—Yearly tickets for players over nineteen years of age, £1 Is; yearly tickets for playens between sixteen and nineteen, 10s 6d.; yearly tickets for players under sixteen (first player of one family), ss; after that for each additional child of the samq family, 2s 6d; casual players under sixteen 6cl per game; casual players under thirteen, 3d per game. The links, which will he _ eighteen holes, aro situated below Vogeltown, and expert players advise that the first part of tho game should bo played from tho Island Bay side.