RESERVE GROUNDS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16121, 9 May 1923, Page 9

RESERVE GROUNDS.

COUNCIL HEARS ARGUMENT,

DECISION DEFERRED

The Borough Council Reserves Committee met last evening to arbitrate upon the dispute between the Football Association .'ind the Rugby Union, concerning the allocation of grounds upon tiie reserve in Childers road. Mr. G Harvey represented' the Football Association, and' Mr. A. Billcliff the Rugby Union, while Messrs Henderson and Plank watched proceedings in the interests of hockey and' primary schools' footbiil respectively. The delegates r-nb*r. ,'U.d their arguments in support of i.'eir claims to the grounds, and! gave t'leir .respective versions of the conference at which a deadlock had developed, Mr. Harvey stressing the fact that the Rugby Union expected' to vacate the Reserve in favor of the cricket ground in the course of a year, in any case, and if the Council refused' the claims of the socer tody, it would' be pronouncing extinction ucai them, instead! of helping a body tnat would in twelve months' time be quartered on the oval. Mr. Billclilf, in replyto this contention, stated' that the Union bad' wanted a favor from the Association, and unless it were granted, the Association could not expect favors from Kugby later on. The Union iiad to cater for 7CO players, as against 21 who had tlulled out lor soccer om Saturday last. Ten thousand people had 1 paid to see Rugby last year, while only 14 spectators, Mr. Billcliff stated, had turned up to soccer on Saturday last. In reply to a question from *( r. Coleman, Mr. Billcliff stilted that the union had thirty-three teams playing this season. This included the Te Karaka area, for which tncy had to make provision. He resented C'r. Coleman's remark that they had been hid' to believe that there were thirtythree teams playing in Gisborne. Cr. Todd' .asked what the Union was prepared to concede to soccer. Mr. Billcliff replied that they would cut out one junior match eacli Saturday, and give soccer the ground from 1.30 to 3 p.m. c'r. Cray held! that it was not for the bodies to strike their own bargains l ow, since the Council hadi taken the matter up. The question of a. division of the "gate" was introduced! into tho c'.isfussion at various stages. Mr. Harvey stated that if the soccer people got a ground on the Reserve, they would not expect to receive more than 25 per cent, of the gate.

Mr. Henderson, for the Hockey Association, pointed out that if there were .any question of a division of the gate, his Association should! receive consideration.

Mr. Plank spoke briefly, pointing out that the primary schools' football dvew its support from the Rugby Union, and the inroads of soccer were viewed with alarm. Anything that tended'- to reduce 1 tho Rugby Union's revenue could not be regarded by them with indifference. The Council later discussed,the question, in committee, and deferred' its decision until to-dav.