MATAURA DOMAIN

Southland Times, Issue 20489, 17 May 1928, Page 15

MATAURA DOMAIN

ANNUAL BOARD MEETING. (From Our Correspondent.) The annual meeting of the Mataura Domain Board was held on Tuesday and attended by the Mayor (Mr C. D. McConnell) and Councillors W. P. Thorn, J. W, Aitken, C. A. N. Mac Gibbon, J, Ingram, L. McKelvie, J. Walker, W. Piercy and John Heslin. The annual report and balance-sheet for the year ended March 31, 1928, was submitted by the secretary (Mr T. K. Fisher). The report stated that the work done during the year consisted of general maintenance, and the proposed operations for the ensuing year consisted of improvements to the present buildings and general mainenance. The statement of receipts and expenditure showed—Receipts: Balance £8 19/7, rents of reserves £l7 5/-, donation £3, total £29 4/7. Expenditure: Gates £3 18/6, wages £9 4/-, extra labour £3 12/6, tools 10/6, caretaker £2, advertising and printing £1 1/-, secretary £2 2/-, insurance £1 3/8, bank charge 10/-, cash in bank £5 2/5. The assets are set down as follows:—Balance Bank of New Zealand £5 2/5, pavilion and sheds £95, electric lights £4O, lawnmower £l5, arrears in rent £26 7/9, total £lBl 10/2. Liabilities, nd. On the motion of Councillors Ingram and Aitken the report and balance-sheet were adopted. Consideration of the resolutions carried by the sporting bodies as follows were then gone into—(l) To approve of the appointment of a grounds committee representative of the local sporting bodies who use the grounds for the purpose of maintaining the grounds. (2) To authorize the proposed committee to fix an annual subscription not exceeding £2 2/- per annum on the local sports bodies who use the grounds. (3) To make a charge of 33 1-3 per cent, of the gate takings on outside sporting bodies who use the grounds, such charge to be on club fixtures only. (4) In the event of the Domain Board agreeing to the foregoing proposals that another meeting of sports bodies be convened to consider ways and means of improving the grounds. Councillor Ingram said the board would either have to accept or reject the report. Councillor Rowe: The 33 1-3 hits the Eastern District Rugby Sub-Union. The Mayor said he did not think the board could give the committee control of the grounds. Councillor McKelvie moved the adoption of the report subject to the approval of the board. There was no seconder to this. Councillor Ingram said there were objections to the report. Clause 1 was all right, but clause 2 in its present form gave the control of the grounds to an outside body. In clause 3 the words “outside body” were very vague. He considered that the Eastern District Sub-Union was not an outside body as two gentlemen from Mataura were on that body. The Domain Board could do with the 33 1-3 per cent., but would the Eastern District Sub-Union accept it. Clause 4 was not a sporting proposition. He would move that the report be merely received. This was seconded by Councillor

Rowe. Councillor Mac Gibbon asked if the report were not adopted were they not going to do anything to improve the grounds. The Mayor: Yes, something will be done. Councillor Mac Gibbon moved as an amendment that the first three clauses be adopted and the fourth clause be rejected. Councillor Ingram said the amendment could not be accepted as they must deal with the whole lot. Councillor Piercy considered that if the second clause was adopted the board would be handing o\ er control to the sports bodies. Councillor Aitken thought the matter should be referred back to the sports bodies to confer with the Domain Board. He was of the same opinion as Councillor Ingram that the Eastern District Sub-Union was not an outside body. If they met the sports bodies no doubt something could be done, and he was satisfied that a fair amount of money could be raised from a gala. Councillor Mac Gibbon contended that the Eastern District Sub-Union was an outside body. i t did not matter whetfeej there were delegates from Mataura on the sub-union. The Mayor said he could not take Councillor Mac Gibbon’s amendment as they would have to deal with the whole report. Councillor McKelvie moved as an amendment that the matter be referred back to the sports bodies with a recommendation that rhe words “for one year” be added to clause 1. and that 20 per cent, instead of M 1-3 per cent, be inserted in clause 3. Inere was no seconder to this, Councillor Ingram in reply to the mi» tion about the Eastern District Sub-Union being an outside body stated that any time the sub union came to Mataura the xlataura loot ball Club was playing. The motion was then put and carried. Councillor Ingram moved that the standmg orders be suspended until finality was reached in the matter. This was seconded b, Councillor Mac Gibbon and carried Councillor Ingram moved that the motion held over from last meeting of the co'imyi “that a charge of £2 and 5 per cent of the gate takings be made on all sporting bodies using the grounds" be rescinded this was seconded by Councillor Rowe and earned. Councillor Ingram moved that a charge ~7 ek be eon each occasion on which the grounds are closed, to take effect Cou“ncm™ e M;Se. SeC ° nded by Councilor Aitken said the Hockey Club had decided to close the grounds in two occasions during the season for the purpose of building up a fund towards paying the whhX ° £ a ” V PlayerS Picked t 0 With the rep. team. Would it be a fair hing to charge the Hockey Club £2 2/- if thej' only got perhaps a £3 gate? that’X’rb R °'V ?„°, ved an am ™dm™t that the charge be 10/- for each day the grounds are closed. Seconded by Cr. Aitken After some further discussion a vote was r St en r and r “ ulted ln ‘ho motion being carr^X rS t hei Ik vot2 OW i n A f ke “ “ nd ?° r “ amendment “ faVOUr of the It was resolved that the matter of a eareta£d teT”w u y A - Thorn rcsidemtion. C ° mmittee for Councillor McKelvie moved that with a new to improving the buildings on the bomam Grounds the Domain Board meet * h T f r . ounds at an early date. This was seconded by Councillor Thorn and carried.