GREEDY GRAB-ALLS.

NZ Truth, Issue 164, 8 August 1908, Page 5

GREEDY GRAB-ALLS.

THE AVARICIOUS ATHLETIC

PARK CO.

The Baskiville Benefit Football

Match.

What the Co. Got Out of Public

Charity.

la "Truth's" football columns last issue a query from a correspondent was published, anent the 'Balance-sheet of the benefit football match played on the Athletic Park in aid of the widowed mother of the late. A. H. Baskiviile. xt is, ox course, well-known that the deceased young man, a prime favorite with every body who had the pleasure of his acquaintance, was the .organiser, in fact, the very life and soul .of the team of professional footballers who last year toured Great Britain and Australia. The deeds of that team need hardly be recapitulated here, inasmuch as everybody* is well versed in the result of the tour. Unfortunately, however, to relate, while the .New Zealanders were nearing the conclusion of their successful tour, Baskiviile contracted a severe cold. He.developed pneumonia . and the fact, the unfortunate fact is known that in Brisbane the poor fellow, the almost sole support of his widowed mother, succumfced. His dead • body was brought across from Australia,, and. quietly interred in the Wellington cemetery.' ■ Now/ "Truth" takes this opportunity ol AGAIN EXPRESSING ITS „•;/.-.,•■ INDIGNATION, , at .the cold-heartedness ol the N.Z.R.U. and the W.R.U.-, who, forgetful of the services that young Baskiviile had in his amateur days tendered to the cause of "pure" 'football j allowed him to be buried without any tribute whatever, notwithstanding the fact that football unions, amateur' and . so-called professional alike, in Australia, not only forwarded wreaths, but sent letters of condolence to the heart-broken mother. This, •Truth" knows, is now practically ancient nistory, 'but the revival of the matter will. serve a very useful purpose just at present ' considering- the great unpopularity of the N.Z.R.U., who seem to have made football a trade, the proceeds from which enable members of that august tody to go gallivanting about the country and crowing -like so many cockerills on the least provocation. ''Truth," however* fancies that it is expressing the opinion of a vast majority of. New Zealanders when it declares that it earnestly prays for the conclusion of the football season as everybody is sick, of the &ame and of those who have made the most out of it. Now, however, reverting to une Mrs Baskiville benefit, "Truth" wishes to mention that the returned professional footballers, with a sympathy that did • overy individual of them infinite credit, gave an exhibition match, , played under Northern Rugby Union rules', the proceeds from which were to be handed over to Mrs Baskiville. Certainly a balanceWieet . should have 'been published before this, and ' •Truth's" correspondent was quite within his rights in .asking when the, public were to

BE ENLIGHTENED ON THE MATTER. Nbw,, "Truth" is in the position to enlighten the., public, and though we have not space enough to publish every item, we are informed to ' this extent : The benefit was an exceedingly successful one, not ; so much to Mrs Baskiville, , but to ■. thajb greedy, grab-all, grasping corporation, known as the Athletic Park Company. This gilts of a company received a. cheque almost equal to that handed over to Mrs Baskivjlle, and as the promoters of the Lenefit match shortly insend to publish the figures, it will be seen that "Truth's" strictures are thoroughly justified. .Will it be believed by an ever-confiding and charitable public that before the promoters of that football match could secure the use of the Athletic Park, it had to guarantee the greedy, grasping; company/ fifty per cenb. ol the takings' at the gate, wow, anybody can see whp.t this meant. It meant, in a, word, that the match was a benefit not only in \ aid of a distressed au>l heart-broken widow, but a BIG "BEANO" FOR THE ATHLETIC PARK (JO., and, by the-'-way,, "Truth" would very much like to know when ( the Athletia Park Company intend to declare a dividend. Now, the charitable folk ol Wei lington who paid for admission to witness that football match,, will- be interested in the figures "Truth" has had placed at its disposal. The sale of tickets so far accounted for (all the roturns are nofc yet in) together with the takings at the gate, amounted to £333 15s. 6d. Out of that sum the Athletic Park 'Company, which., was guaranteed bO per cent, of the takings, received a cut which amounted to £151 6s Id. Theie were certain expenses, such as the ground i. taff and! advertising,, and here "Truth" j wishes to say that ijt lent its advertising" columns free of cost. These' expenses Lhad to be paid, and a balance of over j £160 wasi handed to the widow. In due course, . when further and more fuller Jig-, ures are available, "Truth" will go more deeply into the matter. It, However, j suffices td say that so far as the pro- ! nioteis are concerned, everything has beeh fair, square, and above board, though it is to be regretted that a reminder had to be given them to lake the public into.their confidence. Now, the truth is out. Though the ;gross takings amounted to over £800, though the expenses j necessary expemos too, were cut to bedrock, we have the fact 'before us that though in jname the benefit was in aid of Mrs Baskiville, " THE GREEDY, GRASPING. GRABi A LL Athletic Park Company had a benefit also. We have heard of the widow's mite and we have heard of the bitterness of charity, but in making the distress of a widow the means of piling up a dividend, the Athletic" Park Company makes the name of charity stink in the nostrils of every man and "woman. One would have thought that on such an occasion as a benefit match, the li'at Company would have relented a little and [agreed on terms whereby a substantial- ! cheque would have been assured the | poor, heart-broken woman. The greedy ghouls that they are have literally rob bed this poor woman, and as the concern was not setting a "cut" (we presume) out of the sale of tickets, it is 'a thousand pities that their money-making j machinations were not circumvented oy the public purchasing tickets instead /.ol parting with their cash at the turn- | stiles. This Athletic Park Company is ; notorious for its avarice. It is true [that the Wellington Rugby Union have been victimised by the sharks, but to bleed the W.R.TJ. is quite a different rflati?" to making exhorbilant demands for the -asc of a ground where the object is , THE ALLEVIATION OP DISTRESS. Under these circumstances, •'Truth" thinks -that publicity is warranted ; it only emphasises the greater necessity of ihe civic authorities sicquiring possession of. the Athletic Park, because, under municipal control 1 any charity -carnival or football of cricket match benefit would not be a benefit for the greedy, avaricious monsters known as the AthleticPark Company.