THE BASIN RESERVE

NZ Truth, Issue 68, 6 October 1906, Page 4

THE BASIN RESERVE

The cricket -season approaches: It might hot be .-credited; ip 'vic-y/ of the blusterous return 'of bitter winter weather," such- as- is-pnevailing as' this is being written, but it must lie true', because tlie .almanac says- so. •• • The poor, •' "dear spring -' flowers have been .caught' out oi ■ their ' ground, by wick-et-keeper. Winter, and stumped' •'•oadlv. The little dicky birds -that had begun matiiig' and getting good --and' ready for- the redeeming of the promise of Spring, have been badly fdoled - by j Summer's "-oR" theory, and' the scolding of the deluded little females' who have notwhere to lay their "eggs, after all the fine optimism lind promises of the delutSierin little dock- birds, is heard m the land. But for all that the cricket season" approaches, how-ever-timid its approach. T"his ' being sq, it-ist-Teasonfiblc and'"'fitting to turn some attention to the surto'dndln'gs of the great-Summer game, at which, be it said m sombre sorrow, Kew Zealand will nevei" amount to- shucks, anyway." BUt little as we can play it we love the game" still and we like to pursue it under- pleasant. a.nd favorable surroundings. In fact the absence of favorable"" siirioundings is thc principal- causfe-'-6I oufc .Tacl-j *oE &kill m the grandest gamp-known to Britons —albeit o.ur A-me-ricsn. cousins- vote it slow and boost their- own dashing »rame of baseball, ' (he biggest match at 'which can be played • through m one afternoon. Now much is still to be done to make the Basin Reserve-^ our only - decent cricket ground—anything like- what 'it should be. At present it is a mere village- green and the ''pavilion", bufr-ia -few benches, foi ; the most -part-. -fully exposed to' the weather^ .The- -accommodation - is Av.retobed an-d lias' been „so insanitary that 'jsome time- back the City Council, m,., which' the reserve. -is /vested; was compelled, 'under threat of resignation by the caretaker, m the interests of the. health of his family and ;himseif, to" 'build - Mtn a* residence .away irom the rat-haunted, ramshackle structure contained m the "pavilion." That the "grand stand" -is utterly unworthy of the ground : and the game ; that! ; ' it"' is' out' of date ;and sh&tri'es' us' m (he ; eye's bf'visit--:in*g team's ; esi^eially "those accustorn.ed' to-ths Hah'dSome and'*' co niin odious '.svpucttirt-fr that a(-|orn" the" 'cricket grounds; "of -'Sydney- -and 'Melbourne/ uo.' '"one" who is possessed' of. a ' • 'fhinil' above thef level" bf the village 'oracle wiii deny. Where i!^- one feature about it' that- alone stamps' it' as haying been I ' planned-" by softie person .who wiisnrore at "home" in- designing' pig-stye.s; •and*w.tha*C"isT riilibit-hutch "'that is supposed' to ■be'- for "the 'accommodation of -the representat-'i ye*? of the ' Press and the scorers." Thif- "is ; .4o ' circumscribed -m space Miiat'- "when twar scorers, "two;-' reporters and two -b 03 r s who : hoi,st ; the "telegraph," are" squeezed'-. in, there 5 - is'- hot.' room to'w properly "icai'ry .out", their dttti.es..When' iiwo'oi -three fv isi tors'- who .want. to guide "The reporters as to die . \Krsonality of the players, are" added," (hfr : pladi'" iri' fiiinply Jrupo^i-jible. iii 'i. c(-\"iitised -city and '-on'- that headquarters or its cricket, and' still iijore"so when made the "scehe" -of, -noisy' -arguments between executive officer:/ Ayjip s butt in.' 'W-6* anticipate' a visit- iroiii,' a team of English aniateu'r'playefs.' . l<'or decehcy's sake,' Tet v.s; have decent, quattEf^' j '':tfe cH offer : --them while oiv g'mOi'id*; t Sfn&U as' is'; r this'-"b"ox,''' if ife' rendered' s4;ill more in'cohvenient atifl unillViting'hy'-the "manner' of it3;"\fitf--iiTshing. "''''Se^erAl ydiTrs'-back, tindet' the-^'ressivre-of R'- l pt^'.s 'revolt';' t*iyb new chairs were added !---'Now "iT> : i'-s---difl'icult foi—a _ reporter or a scoter to get a seat -on ;^iy i;am?liackle ruins that represent furniture m the miserable kennel, 'm this. latter, matter the Cricket' Association is' npt fi'^e ■rrom"bia\ne\' It 'is. not, unfort'unatelv. a wealthy iiisUtnticin, Jntt stircly'. it's, funds will, staid.the- gtrain rtfjiatf a i do/fiv Austri.a^ 1 chairs,' .befotre; tlte sea-, iron open's 'in 'earnest. But it is to i thtr^ouneft-'-we -must- -look- -for ~imrroyeirtents to the pavilion aiid an i:!ti>mved'- pavilion-. wduld-iJay for-- it- : .-if m a very short -time ; for if the -.!•!;- ce is raade -cni.o for table and attrac,i >■■..», *ib:»' -li-di.'S ,w ; il- • pa.! rc>n lse -'cricket 'i-itVr tk.ii b-.s !-.r-::n -th.c case • under ' : presei:t linnleiisii-ni ' -conditions.: and ! where (he ia-die.-^arc • 'there .will the fmen be gathered' together also.. It's a i'cinch ! . ' ' , ''■>-_.