HAGLEY PARK.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 47, 1 April 1914, Page 3

HAGLEY PARK.

AND THE POSITION OF SPORTS BODIES. There is some dissatisfaction amongst sporting bodies in Christchurch regarding the methods of the Christchurch Domains Board. It jfound expression at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Football Union, when a suggestion was made that sporting bodies should try to secure representation on the Board. Tho matter was further referred to last evening, at a meeting of the Managing Committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union. The president (Mr G. H. Mason) said that the clubs using Hagley Park were trying to obtain co-operation from other sporting bodies to secure representation on the Domains Board. The union probably would > receive a communication from one of the ciubs. later. He might have something to lay before the union at its next meeting. The Act under which the board was constituted provided that three members should be appointed by the Governor-in-Council, six by the Christchurch City Council — one of the six being the Mayor for the time being—and one by each of the other contributory bodies. It seemed to him th'at the number provided for was ten. It was a fair proposition to represent to the City Council that the council should appoint four of its members and two representatives of sports, bodies in the six it nominated. The matter cropped up again later in the evening, when the president, re-' marked that the union should consider the question of improving such of the football grounds in Hagley Park as called for improvement. "If the grounds are in any way dangerous to players it is our duty to put them right," he added. Mr C. Hasell said that he understood that the Domains Board would not allow improvements to be made. The Merivale Club even had difficulty in getting permission to have long cuttygrass on its ground cut. Mr Mason referred to sums ' f money which-some bodies had paid for improving grounds." The Canterbury College Board of (governors had paid £4O for the improvement of the college football ground. The secretary said the trouble did not lie so much with the Domains P.oar I as with the people to whom the park is leased for grazing. A member ejaculated that there was too much sheep-run about the park. Other members pointed out that each club had to pay 25/-, in addition to its £5 rental, for having the grass,cut on its ground. The clubs were not allowed to put their own men on to cut grass on their grounds. The president: It's scandalous. It's a public ground and a public park. The matter will come up again at the committee's meeting next week.