ART UNION REFUSED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18192, 13 September 1933, Page 10

ART UNION REFUSED

DISPOSAL OF PARK STAND BY MINISTER BUSINESS PROPOSITION (Per Press Association.) •CHRISTCHURCH', last night. > The Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. J. A. Young, to-day refused a request made on behalf of the City ’ Council and the Monica Park trustees for permission to hold an art union to clear off the indebtedness, on the ground. Monica Park was formerly the liead- • quarters of league football, but- the league abandoned the ground last season, and now the trustees derive a reduced income from the ground. Last night the City Council had before it an oiler from the trustees to hand over the park to the city free of liabilities. provided permission could be obtained for holding an art union. The amount of the indebtedness is £II,OOO. Two deputations waited ou the Minj ister to-day. First a deputation of city , councillors' met the Minister in private, and then a deputation from the Council of Churches, led by Bishop WestWutson. urged the Minister not to grant an art union on general anti-gambling grounds. Mr. Young said he had come to the conclusion that there were no grounds to warrant an art union. The park was origb■•By bought bv a syndicate for business reasons, but it had not been successful as a business proposition. Had it been, he did not think they would have heard anything about an art union. Mr. Young said he agreed with the deputation that gambling was anti-social, but lie had to administer the law as lie found it.