PROPOSED GRAND STAND SITE NOT YET FIXED

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 100, 11 December 1928, Page 4

PROPOSED GRAND STAND SITE NOT YET FIXED

¥D BE SUBMITTED TO REFERENDUM

DOMAIN BOARD CECISION. L VERY CLOSE yOTING. , Last night the Donvain Board got into a tangle over the site or the proposed grandstand in Victoria Park. The Mayor opened the ball by proposing that" the stand 'be erected on th& side, and thereafter it was a wet*, ter of motion and amendment' and heated argument as to whether motions were permissible. Th© voting on alt "th© motions submitted was close and on one occasion when the decmon rested with the. Mayor's casting vote ho refused to exercise ifj. »r* „ the end it w-s decided to submit the" matter to a- referendum of the ratepayers when voting takes place on the proposal to borrow money to erect a caretaker's cottage in King Edward Park. In moving that the stand be> .erected on the north side, the Mtiyor drew attention to the fact that themeant public meeting favoured the northern site. (Jr. Mctvee seconded. Or. Vvaroi niuveu as *ui amendment, that, as uifi granusuwiu v,a,s u6 D re~ quaed at piesenc. or ui van nW iulure, > l a portion oJ uie' nwjney avaurable be spent on, putting up a ">< rows eft seats on vne terraces, uuu. providing puoiio conveniences. Momurgent requirements, tnau a stanu. were a motor lawn mower and a, light roller. APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC. The Mayor said he could not accept the amendment. The Jubilee Committee donated, money for a grandstand, and if something ellse wfas proposed they must the matter tot the public. Or. Harkness then moved as, an amendment that the stand be erected on the western site. He said that alll who attended the public meeting, except two, were members of the Athletio Club. ~ \,-

Mr Finnerty seconded. Crs, Efletcher, jNorth and Kelfr* spoke in favour of the amendlment and Gfls McKeo and Lawson against it. Mi- Thomson said that on his way to tho meeting Mr Robert Masters had spoken to him on the, matter, and Hid. salU that Mere was no at all—from tho football' point of view the northern site was the most suitable. Mr Masters said the speaker could assure the Board that O. Harkness was not, expressing tho opinion of the majority • of the Football Club committer. The amendment was carried by seven votes to six. When tie amendment was, put as the substantive motion the voting was even —six all. The Mayor said it was not a fair thine to ask him to decide such a question on his casting; vote. Cr. Ward rolled for a division, which commelled every member to vote, and the voting then was sev°u aeainst and six for, sn that the meeting; was in the position of maikinpr no decision. Cr. Lawson said it would noft be right to go oh with the stand when the voting was so close*. The matter should be left to the incoming council. He would move in uirectiou. 'liter© v «*t* uuny, uv said., ; "' GREAT WEAKNESS. 'iho. iuoyor saio/ uiuii wuuid. muUCttltl &X'Cat; VV uaiUitiStt UU MiO jJUl't Cli ui« coniiiuiLee. ii it v*us> Jtuiu 16 Ijuo mourning cutuuriLttio Laiert* Wua»u um no btaua lor line toiunig winter, jj. tlie jjoaid was ingiiteiieu to conm w a uecisioni tiie mutter snoiuu ue iel erred, to a public meeting,, i'ersonaliy, he did not favour tnat course. Cr.. Ward moved tiiat a leterendum be taken on the question when. tnt* proposal to raise money for a caretaker's cottage w<ds 'submitted to a "poll of ratepayers. Cr. Lawson seconded.

Tho Mayor moved >is an amendment that the stand be erected on the north side. Cr. McKee seconded. A long argument tfoUWeJl ft-s to whether or uot the proposal f° r the north site had not already been defeated. The Mavor refused tot /take an amendment by Or. Harkness that the stand be erected on the western site, am? on being put to the meeting the motion for a referendum was carried by seven votes to five. Cr. Harkness said he desired to, Wive it recorded on the minutes that he had voted against th& referendum. The ballot paper for the referendum will have four issues—one for each srue o* {Be park.