CORRESPONDENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1930, Page 12

CORRESPONDENCE

PUKEKURA PARK FEES. (To the Editor). Sir, —Up to the present I have not received any reply to my repeated courteous requests to the officials of the Taranaki Rugby Union to make public the amount of ground fees paid for the use of the park in connection with the Britain v. Taranaki match. I am therefore reluctantly driven to the conclusion that the said officials are simply afraid to face the music. Their silence surely amounts to a tacit admission that a correct reply io the requests made would disclose particulars that would necessitate disagreeable explanations. .

Now, let me briefly state the position. The park belongs to the citizens, and should now be a source of considerable revenue. The Borough Council holds the park in trust for the people. A large amount of public money in the form of rates and public subscriptions has been expended upon it in improvements, etc. A board has been appointed by the Borough Council to control and administer the affairs of the park in the interests of the public. The playing area has been leased to the Taranaki Rugby Union for per halfyear, with the proviso that the ground shall not. b® sub-let. This sum of £240 works out at approximately £lO per match —all to be played under the jurisdiction of tlie Taranaki Rugby Union. We come nosy to th® Britain v. Taranaki match, which was controlled by the New Zealand Rugby Union; in other words, the Taranaki Union handed over the ground to the Nesv Zealand Union — a direct breach of the lease under which the use of the ground was granted. Thus the New Zealand Union, with the assistance and connivance of the Taranaki Union, was- allowed to use the ground, to fix and charge what entrance fee they wished, and secure a gate amounting to from 15 to 17 hundred lovely sovereigns, and were also graciously allowed to get away with the “boodle,” less £lO ground fees and expenses. Verily this is a great world. Will someone please supply the keen business officials of the Taranaki Union with a bottle of “pink pills” to be administered to the “pale pup” sold to them by their astute friends from Wellington? By the way, would it not be in accordance with the fitness of things if the Taranaki Rugby Union secretary (Mr. Nielson) were to publish a bal-ance-sheet showing the financial ' position of affairs in connection 'with the match in question? Why not? What an illuminating and educative document it would prove,' provided, of course, all items on the expenditure side were given in detail. Why not? If such a document were “hung on the line”' there would surely be some hustling to secure the best position from which .the ‘‘crows could be stoned.” However, this being the condition of affairs, what is the Borough Council going to do about it? As trustees of the park and guardians of the ratepayers’ interest, does it intend to sit in a comatose condition and without protest allow the people to be victimised in this barefaced fashion? At the very least 10 ■ per cent, of the gate takings should have been the fee charged for such a match if the responsible officials had. exercised the same business acumen as they would have done had it been their own private concerns. Unquestionably 10 per cent.—and probably more—would have been charged and obtained had the ground been privately owned. Thus on a £l5OO gate the ground rent would have been £l5O, instead of a paltry £lO. Anyhow, what is the Borough Council going to do about it ? If the other parties to this discreditable transaction refuse to move, it is the bounden duty of the council to demand an explanation and insist upon the. public being compensated, Are the people to be fleeced in this barefaced fashion and no effort made to secure an equitable share of the proceeds from the match referred to? Much more could be written, but for the moment I refrain. —I am, etc., W. H. HAWKINS. ’

AN APPEAL. (To the Editor). Sir—As this is the season of the year when residents are seeking casual labour for the purpose of such activities as hedge trimming, digging and general cleaning np, and farmers are requiring labour in preparation for the .coming season, we should be pleased, if you will kindly allow us, through the medium of your columns, to inform those requiring such labour that we are in daily attendance at the Mnicipal Offices, Liardet Street, from at least 9 to 10 a.m., and that w® shall be pleased to receive communications from them. Thanking you in anticipation, — we are, etc., W. G. Reid, O. Johnson. Honorary secretaries, New Plymouth Unemployment Relief Committee.

WAGES AND UNEMPLOYMENT. (To the Editor.) Sir,—l was not greatly impressed with “Half-a-Loaf’s” solution of the present economic puzzle. It is easy to see that he is either a farmer or much interested in primary products. A rash reduction in wages such as he suggests would spell financial chaos for this country at present, if not worst trouble such as bodily injury, etc. For quite a period | after primary products advanced in price wages remained stationary; in fact, there was no movement until the use in the cost of living absolutely demanded it. The natural result was that during that period all primary producers reaped a rich harvest, with no one to suggest

they hand a gratuity to the struggling day-man. Now that primary products have fallen all other commodities will most assuredly fall in sympathy. These little readjustments all take time, though, and naturally cause a certain amount of ill-feeling. Still the farmer must now show us he is the hero we have all taken him to be, by working harder and spending less, so adding that extra push the commercial wheel seems to require at present.—l am, etc., . FAIRPLAY.