PARK PLAYING AREAS.

Wairarapa Age, 21 August 1929, Page 5

PARK PLAYING AREAS.

PROPOSED LEASING POLICY TURNED DOWN. CONTROLLING COMMITTEE’S STANDPOINT. MATTER FOR THE COUNCIL. The Park Committee recommended to the Masterton Borough Council at its monthly meeting last night, that separate tenders be called for the hire of all Park playing areas and boats, and that specifications be drawn up by a sub committee appointed by the Council. Councillor H. M. Peacock, chairman of the committee, said that there had been a general feeling among the Council that the games in the Masterton Park had been too expensive. If the dubs took over the areas and undertook their upkeep, it would hardly be necessary to have a man in the Park at £6O per year to collect possibly about £4O from the boats. “Has the Park Committee got absolutely tired of looking after the business of the Park, or is it getting too much for Hf " asked Councillor A. Rippen. The committee had recently got two representatives of the Beautifying BocietyTo assist it, he said, and yet it asked the Council to take over the matrer of letting the Park. He considered that the Council should do everything It could to assist those who in the past had used the playing areas. He did not think there should be any sub-let-ting to individual bodies. Councillor A. D. Low said that it would be very unfair to the general ratepayers to farm out the playing* areas in the Park to separate bodies. The ratepayers had the use of the Park and paid for the facilities, and the c-mncil should be quite prepared to do what it could for the general ratepayer rather than hand over Hie areas to separate bodies, unless very stringent provisions were made. He would be very sorry to see them handed over as suggested. Councillor T. Jenkins supported Councillor Low’s contention. PROPOSAL OPPOSED. Councillor Low moved as an amendment that the clause in the report calling for tenders for the sports grounds be deleted. Councillor Peacock said that the reason the clause was put in the committee’s report was purely for the purpose of creating a discussion. The point he wanted to make was that for some considerable time councillors had said that the upkeep of the sports grounds in the Park wa« too high for what was received from them, and it was not fair to the ratepayers. The proposal made was what the people wanted, as they could obtain cheaper games. The intention was to rent the areas at a peppercorn rental and allow the respective ■ports bodies to do their own cutting •nd rolling. He contended that it wtm • matter for the council. Councillor Rippon’s criticism was destructive; he was not suggesting anything better. , The Mayor (Mr. T. Jordan) threw out as a suggestion that the council eonld ent its loss by leasing Hie bowling green, as a lot of time was occupied in keeping that area in order. He •greed with Councillor Rippon that the whole matter was one for the Park Committee. Councillor Peacock: “If people are •atisfied with things as they are, carry on for years and years ana years." COST OF PLAYING AREAS. In reply to Councillor Low, who naked what the loss on the playing areas was, the acting-clerk (Mr. D. T. Herbert) said that the revenue for the year 1926 from the playing areas was £263 12s. including £49 from the hire of the Oval and £36 donations from the eroquet club. The receipts in 1927 were £l7l Ils, including £22 rent from the Oval; 1928. £lO9 Ils (£l4 from the Oval), and 1929 £136 (£2O from the Oval). The expenditure in 1929 was: Croquet, £76; tennis, £6l; bowling, £B5. bowling fees were: 1926, £49 10s; 1927, £44 ss; 1928, nil; 1929, £26. Councillor Low: “We are catering for a very small number with the bowling green.” The Mayor pointed out that when the . green was closed in 1928 for repairs, a lot of the members had evidently joined another club; and Councillor Peacock stated that in that year the capital expenditure was at least £250. The deletion of the clause was agreed to. At a later stage of the meeting, Councillor Low said it was evident that ■the council was paying to much for the bowling green considering the number of players, as on last year’s figures only 14} players were using it. He recommended that the Park Committee review the position of the bowling green, that course being agreed to.