HAWERA NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 September 1924, Page 7

HAWERA NEWS.

CATERING FOR SPORT. TRAINING SHEDS SUGGESTED. (From Our Own Reporter.) Hawera, Sept. IkJ. The provision of up-to-date training sheds, with bathing and other facilities, on King Edward Park, for the use of the sports bodies, was proposed, by a deputation consisting of Messrs. L. O. Hooker (organiser), B. McCarthy and A. Gray, which waited on the Borough Council last night seeking support to the scheme. Mr. Hooker said he had agreed to organise a scheme to raise money to provide a training shed with all necessary conveniences attached, on behalf of the various sports bodies In ‘ the town- Hawera bad lagged behind every other town in New Zealand so far as public provision for sporting conveniences were concerned, the progressive moves in other Taranaki towns being instanced in contrast. What would the position be if the present tentative arrangement with the A. and P. Association for football ground accommodation fell through ? The only conveniences for dressing and bathing for sports bodies at present were in the hotels, and when football teams crowded into the hotels after matches they turned the houses into turmoil. The masters of some of the secondary schools and colleges objected to their teams going Into hotels, so that they were in a very awkward position for adequate bathing and dressing accommodation. Hawera must be brought up to at least a level with other towns in this respect, so that they could cater for eport under the best and cleanest conditions.

He said it was impossible to ask support to a proposal to put buildings upon grounds which had no security, such as on the showgrounds, for instance. There was an excellent site in King Edward Park next to the Technical High School and near the showgrounds, so that the buildings could be made to serve both the park sportsground and the A. and P. showgrounds. The co-operation of the council was wanted in the scheme, in such matters as drainage and water. By reason of the fact that the buildings would be on borough property, they would become the property of the borough. Mr. Hooker was prepared to conducr, an art union, queen carnival or any other scheme to raise the money. Mr. B. McCarthy said the main object of the deputation was to secure the council’s approval of the principle of the scheme. Anything they could drt to encourage sport would be the better for the town. The council might perhaps appoint a representative on th? committee promoting the scheme. Mr. A. Gray, headmaster of the Technical High School, said he was chiefly interested from the schools’ point of view. If the training shed were erected the school would have the use of it aft certain times, and this would fill a long-felt want, as at the present time the students had no shelter wherein to drill in wet weather. Hawera had bpt-n very long-sighted in the past tn setting aside such a wonderful block of land, right in the town, for recreation purposes. It only required a building of the kind suggested to perfect the block and make the park one of the finest recreation blocks in the Dominion. The school was willing to give the scheme the very heartiest support. Tn answer to the Mayor, Mr. McCarthy said there was ample room in the park to play representative football matches if the proper accommodation was provided.

Mr. Hooker said that everyone was agreed on the possibility of the A. and P. Association moving their grounds at some time. If the A. and P. grounds came into the market he knew who would be the first after it (meaning the Rugby Union), so that the buildings proposed would still serve that football field.

Cr. J. J. Goodwin mentioned the effect the provision of proper accommodation at the New Plymouth Park had had in keeping the teams away from the hotels.

The Mayor replied to th? deputation in a sympathetic strain, stating that the deputation could rely upon the council giving the most serious consideration to the proposal. “We will go right on with the scheme for raising th? money,” said Mr. Hooker an the deputation retired. On the motion of Cr. E. Morrissey the matter was referred to th? reserves committee of the council. TENNIS AND CROQUET CLUB. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Hawera Tennis and Croquet Club was held to night, Mr. J. Bayley (vice-president) presiding over an attendance of about fifteen members. The annual report stated that the season had been a successful one and £44 13s had been paid to the accumulated funds account. In addition £47 10s had been expended in equipment. Miss R. Blake and Mr. E. M. Hodder won the tennis ladder competition and Mrs. Bennett the croquet championship, with Mrs. Morris runner-up, while Mrs. Bennett retained her position at the top of the ladder. A team of six croquet players consisting of Mesdames Bennett, Morris, Suisted, J. Campbell, Dowling and Miss Power, won the association’s rose bowl at the New Plymouth tournament for the second time. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, Mr. J. Bayley; vice-presidents, 'Mrs. Suisted, and Miss Catlen; secretary and treasurer, Mr. J. M. Hobin; auditor, Mr. R. J. MeGreggor; committee, Messrs. R. A. Douglas, S. Studhokne and Miss Burgess (tennis), and Mesdames Dowling and Bilton (croquet) ; grounds committee, Mrs. Dowling and Mr. R. A. Douglas; delegate to the association, Mr. E. G. Foden; match committee. Messrs. Studhokne and Hobin and Miss Wills; tea committee, Misses Joll, Blake, Sutton, Huggins, Messrs. Bilton ai d Suisted. The date of the opening was left to the • grounds committee. A vote of thanks was accorded Mr. E. Hodder for his work on the grounds committee. The retiring secretary, Mr. N. H. Catlen, was granted an honorarium of ten guineas. EAST END PARK

When discussing the improvements recently made in the East End Native Park at the meeting of the 'Borough Council last night, the Mayor (Mr. L. A. Bone) said the thanks of the people were due to those who had donated trees and wslsted with the work. He

suggested that it would be a good idea to invite donations of seats for the park, and he offered two seats, one from himself and one on behalf of Mrs. Bone. The donation was accepted with thanks. The question of cleaning out the pond tn the park so as to make it fit for swimming was referred to the engineer and the reserves committee, GENERAL ITEMS An excellent enlarged photograph of Hawera’s most prominent landmark, the water tower, was presented to the Borough Council last night by the Mayor (Mr. L. A. Bone), and was accepted with the thanks of the council. The Hawera Fire Brigade received a call this afternoon and hastened to the brush factory, in Glover Road, only to find that the alarm was a false one.