INJUSTICE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8648, 5 February 1914, Page 2

INJUSTICE

RATING SPORTS GROUNDS COUNCIL TO BE AGAIN APPROACHED. Under the auspices of the New Zealand Sports Protection League, a meeting of delegates from sports bodies in the city and suburbs was held last evening, to consider the rating question and other business. Mr C. P. Skerrett, K.C., presided over an attendance of about fifteen. The chairman said that the question of rating upon sports grounds would recur till it was settled. They were convinced of the expediency of a remission of the rates, which was in the interests of the public generally. Mr Luckie had suggested a remission of one-half of the rates, but tire speaker would! not be satisfied with less than a remission of the whole. Rational recreation must be provided for and the City Council should give reasonable opportunities for physical improvement. The object of the league was not to specialise in one or two highly-trafoed athletes. ,It wias absurd .for Councillor Buddie to talk about the sports bodies not providing for the recreation of the poor. If the membership list of any sports club were looked up, it would bo found that a largo proportion of the members neither played football nor tennis, but contributed to the upkeep of the club. They would find that the sports clubs would be unable to hold their freehold or leasehold properties In the city because of the rates they had to pay. The Mayor had said that the council spent £IO,OOO on recreation out of its ordinary revenue last year. That was a feeble answer to the application. What the league proposed was something that brought into the interests of the corporation a vast number of active energetic men, desirous of relieving the corporation of the necessity for providing further recreation grounds. The total amount of rates involved in the appeal to the City Council was £464 12s 6d a year. The application was not for the remission of rates in respect of every sporting club, but of the present athletic and sporting clubs, on the ground that they were performing great public functions, and their income would not permit them to pay rates compatible with the performance of their duties as sporting clubs. The council’s refusal was dictated by a cheese-paring policy, and a want of that wide outlook that every man should possess. Mr J. Gamble stated that the Thorndon Bowling Club had reclaimed a couple of slums at the lower end of Tinakori road, out of its own funds, and had spent between one and two thousand pounds. The club did not press for the, remission of the whole of the rates, but considered a half or a third would bo a fair return for the services rendered. The Mayor, in granting a remission of hall rent to the Competitions Society, had said that it was not a trading concern. The same argument would apply to the sports bodies, SEPARATE VALUATION SUGGESTED. Hr J. R. Stansell, president of the Lyall Bay Bowling Club, suggested that the Government be approached and asked to make a special valuation of grounds that were used only for sport. Mr Tringham moved that the City Council he asked to receive another deputation in reference to the remission of rates on sports grounds. The mover said he thought the deputation would receive a better hearing, by applying to the council before the estimates were made up. Mr M. Luckie said ho felt confident that this time the deputation would have a much better hearing, it they approached the council before the estimates were made ready. There was rn injustice in charging rates on the commercial value of the properties in question, as though they were rentproducing. Mr J. Fuller, junior, said he hoped the meeting would not lose eight of the suggestion to interview the Government. City councillors were a little narrow, but the Government could force upon them the power to do justice to the various sports clubs. The council would press all the clubs out of existence. The council was going to establish a public golf links, but it would be more private than municipal. Why should the golf links not be rated too ? He thought the sports bodies would meet with more sympathy than was extended to them on the last occasion.

Mr Stansell moved and Mr Gamble seconded, that if the council do not see their way to grant the request of the deputation, steps he taken to interview the Government regarding the special valuation of sports grounds. The motion was subsequently withdrawn.

Mr 'VV. Perry pointed out that the Rugby Union, out of the revenue from the Athletic Park, provided grounds in various suburbs for clubs which could not get the use of the park. The use of the park was given free to the schools every Friday, thus preventing the city reserves from a great deal of wear and tear.

The motion to interview the council was carried unanimously, and it was left to the league to arrange the personnel of the deputation.