SUNDAY BOWLING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 299, 19 December 1945, Page 4

SUNDAY BOWLING

WOMEN SEEK PERMISSION FROM CITY COUNCIL APPLICATION GRANTED SUBJECT TO TIME OF STARTING The question of whether the Wanganui Women’s Bowling Club should be granted permission for Sunday play on its green in the Cornmarket Reserve, made available by the Wanganui City Council, was deflated at the council’s monthly meeting last night. Ultimately, after a motion and two amendnients had been moven, it was decided to grant the women permission for Sunday play, conditional on a start not being made before 12.30 p.m. Crs. A. R. Donaldson and A. J. Pritchard asked that their votes be recorded against this decision. “I move the request be declined,” said Cr. Donaldson after a letter from the Women’s Bowling Club had been received. “The council’s reserves should not be used for this purpose." “I see no real objection to the request,” said Cr. R. P. Andrews. He added that railwaymen were permitted to play football on Williams Park on Sundays.

Cr. T. Ni Dickson asked if there were any other reserves in the city on which various iypes of sport were played. “We must be broadminded about this,” said the Mayor, Hon. W. J. Rogers. The council raised no objection to golf being played on its municipal Jinks on Sundays and cricket was permitted on Cook’s Gardens, with a stipulation that play did not start before 11.15 a.m. "We also run our trams in order to take people to the beach on Sundays,” the Mayor added. We must be consis.qnt.” "Would, the women bowlers be prepared not to start play till 11.15 a.m.?" asked Cr. J. F. Broad. He added that the green was on an open section, though the brush fence made for some privacy.

Cr. Pritchard, who had seconded Cr. Donaldson’s mo,ion, said that railwaymen were allowed to play on Sundays because it was their only free day. The women had six other days in the week on which they could piay bowls. Cr. ,S. J. Harris said he believed the women would follow the custom of playing on afternoons only. Moving as an amendment that the women be permitted to play on Sundays provided they did not start before 12.30 p.m., Cr, C. S. Smith said that some of the other bowling clubs in the city played on Sundays. His amendment was seconded by Cr. R. P. Andrews. “The women have made a fair application and I think the hours of play should be left to their discretion,” said Cr. G. P. Hawkins. “We don’t place any reslrictions on the municipal golf links," he added. “We should not restrict the women.” Cr. Smith’s amendment was carried by 10 votes to two, the dissentients being Cis. Donaldson and Pritchard. For the amendment were the Mayor nnct Crs. Smith, Merewether, Dickson, Broad, Rennie, Balt, Andrews, Harris and Hawkins A further amendment, moved by Cr. Hawkins, seconded by Cr. Harris, that the women be granted permission to play on Sundays, and that the question of hours be left to their discretion, was lost - by 10 vocs to two.