CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12452, 5 January 1904, Page 2

CO RR ESPONDENCE.

(We are not reap on^i bis for the opinions expressed by correspondents. The writers mame as a guarantee of good faith, must be endowed in the letter). „ . . THE KECKEATIO.V GjROQND. To the Editoi. Sir, — Your readers " moist generally have been impressed with the scheme for extending- the sj orts ground in the Recreation Grou.ids — as explained by Mr T. K. Skinner to your reporter. While acknowledging" the good services rendered bj him for so many years as a member c i the Board, as one of the public' interested in the maintenance of these beautiful grounds, will you allow me to enter my protest against ;-.ny reduction of the area of land and water scape for which they are so noted. Rather, Sir. extend the area than have it reduced. At present they are as nearly perfect as it is possible to get them, and there can be no reason win- their beauty should be marred, and the pleasure of peace and auiet loving wanderers should be sacrificed to the clamour for increased accommodation by the so-called lovers of gport\ As it is. the Jiowling of the mob that congregates in the winter months to watch the football matches seems almost a decoration. The desire for increased accommodation is legitimate on the part of sportsmen, and would be reasonable so far as the Recreation Ground is concerned if there were no other places that could be utilized for ■ this juirpove. But this is not so. :.s near at hand we have the new Wt-.^tern Park to be put in order and made beautiful. In this Park is an area of about eight acres, almost yjiiaie and perfectly level, that v.oi Id make :m ideal cricket ground, merely requiring grassing out and shelter belts planting, which could lie done at a very low cost,. -Then, again, ' there i* the reserve for. purposes of recreation in that portion of the town known as the racecourse^— an arete of over 20 acre?, now only occupied during the whole year,— with . tjio iP-xception of the four racing day.-j— by dairy cows. What better grounds could possibly be required than the.-c, beinjf practically level and well sheltered on the west by the Recreation Grounds, and also within easy distance of the centre of the town ? It is unreasonable that this beautiful should bo locked up for the whole year merely that the sport oi Kings — and spielers be indulged in' on- four days of that year. it tfa" Taranaki Jockey Club have a large interest In the ground, as undoubtedly they have, there is no reason why they, as members of the community, should not — as undoubtedly they would — assist in making this a sports ground yecond to none in the colony. A banke/1 course would be as useful for horse racing as for cycling or motor car racing. Stands to be used by spectators could be made movable and on race days taken down, if necessary. All these little difficulties could be easily overcome and the public made comfortable. The propo^l of Mr Skinner is an c.v endive one, and one that in a few jears would be found' insufficient f»r the requirement w of this growing t< vn, so that it would be better to start with the larger hut much lc.-:* expensive, :.uhomes aa suggested above. :\nd tliuy leave the beauty spot par » xcellonco in the colony to the lmers (old and youii^) the embryo poet, tho tired matron, and the children, and to those lovers of nature who, uiuibli- to travel further afield, can ho!e indulge in their delight at the cost of a few minutewalk. The Wphl Enders have Uarl«"l work in a l>usincK-;li' o manner with regard to their Park : it is for the East Endcrs to band together U> do likewise, and I would suggest Uiat a meeting be called for this purpose, and thus get things moving before the winter is on *~* t ™-J*~ Jsfm^