EXTRA SHILLING AT GATE

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1929, Page 11

EXTRA SHILLING AT GATE

FOOTBALL MATCH CHARGES

MAYOR’S ACTION CRITICISED. LIVELY MEETING AT STRATFORD. This board regret*- that the Mayor should h..ve arrived at a decision in respect to the charge for admission to the Star v. Stratford football match without first consulting other members of the board. This resolution was earned at a special meeting of the Stratford Domain Board last night after a debate in which warm exchanges ensued between the Mayor (Mr. J. W. McMillan) and those who opposed his views. The resolution was put as an amendment to a motion moved by Mr. A. 11. irotter endorsing the Mayor’s action In the division Messrs. S. A. Ward, D. J. Malone, C. R. Finnerty, H. C. Johnson, R. R. Tyrer, P. Thomson, C. Moore and R. F. Harkness voted for the amendment and Messrs. Trotter, A. Nelson and the chairman against it. Thus is the curtain rung down on an incident that has caused a good deal of discussion in Stratford last week.

The meeting was primarily called to consider an application from the laranaki Rugby Union for permission to charge 2s at the Taranaki v. Canterbury representative match, but the Mayor agreed that the other matter might be discussed. He then read a lengthy statement setting forth his position and his reasons for preventing the inesreased charge of 2s at the match. In the first place, Mr. McMillan said, he acted as Mayor of Stratford, and not in any way as chairman of the board, claiming he did only what people of the towngenerally wished him to do. He had not expected the union to give what he described as a half-pie benefit, and he said he had not acted until the price was advertised. The union knew that football enthusiasts would not stay away and had no right to endeavour by an increase in charge to compel a subscription to the relief fund, for this was what it amounted to. If the attitude of the union was right it would also be right ,for, say, picture companies to do the same. Double the charge and share takings with the fund. He would do anything at any time to protect Stratford from being associated with such a so-called benefit which he deemed an insult to the fund, to the people of the town and country and to visitors who were voluntarly subscribing so handsomely. He challenged the board to get a public meeting to say he had done wrong, but if such a thing happened he was prepared to bow to the decision and resign the mayoralty. Anything else would be of no avail as far as he .’as concerned. THE OPPOSITION VIEW. Mr. Trotter then moved his endorsement of the Mayor’s action. Both he and Mr. Nelson spoke in support. Messrs. Thomson and Finnerty took up a different attitude but Mr. Malone acted as chief spokesman for those who disagreed with the Mayor. He opened by seeking information on a couple of points but. the Mayor said he would not be catechised. “You can make your speech and be done with it,” he said. Mr. Malone: I am not accustomed to be spoken to like that. I claim your attitude is an insult.

The Mayor: So has been the attitude of some of the members towards me. Other cross-talk ensued and then Mr. Malone went on to say that the Mayor by his action had aroused the enmity of the community and in the future the board should have some say in such matters. He stated that the Mayor’s attitude had been wrong, for although he had known for some time what the charge was likely to be he had never mentioned the matter to the board or to individual members. The Mayor: I never had occasion to. Mr. Malone said a lot of people were disappointed in not being able to contribute a small donation at the gate and the cause had suffered. He did not regard the proposed charge as an imposition and neither, he was sure, would three per cent, of those who attended. It was with a view to avoiding any future occurrence he moved his amendment.

Mr. Harkness asked why, the Mayor had not consulted the emergency committee of the council.

The Mayor: Because it was not necessary.

Mr. Harkness: Then the sooner we others resign from the board the better. The Mayor: You can please'yourselves about that.

After further discussion the amendment as stated above was carried.

On the motion of the Mayor it was then agreed to advise the union that immediate application was being nlade to the Minister of Internal Affairs for permission to charge 2s at the representative match, and that provided his sanction was obtained the charge would be authorised.