DOMAIN LANDS

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14592, 16 February 1921, Page 6

DOMAIN LANDS

£ND THE SPORTS BODIES, POSITION OF THE CLUBS. CONFERENCE TO BE ARRANGED. The following correspondence was read at lust night’s meeting of the Hamilton Domain Board: — February 15, mi. “Dear Sir,—lt lias come under my observation that a site is being pi eparud on the Rosstrcvor street Reserve I'or Hie purpose of erecting an electrical power-house or pumping station. As the result of inquiry 1 have waited upon Mr Fow, and Mr Fow states that lie gave authority for the preparation of the site, and for Hie erection of the proposed power-house. Mr Fow further explained that Hie matter carnc before him during the time that Hie Domain Board were out of office, and that lie acted on behalf, of Hie Borough Council, apparently with the intention of asking the Domain Board to confirm his action at some future dale. Tim fact that the Domain Board was out. of office appears to me to he the strongest possible reason why no such authority could he given, or at least those in occupation of the site —the tennis clubs—should have been 'first consulted in the matter. The tennis clubs have been promised a lease of these lauds, and the Domain Board have given us the assurance that this site was set aside foe tennis courts, and would {not be used for any other purpose. Acting upon this assurance the tennis clubs have had plans prepared, and the site of Hie proposed powerhouse lias been chosen as the most suitable site for a pavilion, and, at Hie present time the tennis chibs are spending hundreds of pounds on Hie formation of tennis courts on this reserve. fin behalf of the Hamilton Tennis Club F wjsli to enter a most emphatic protest against Hie desecration of lliis silo by Hie erection of permanent, unsightly buildings, and for a purpose Inal threatens to become a public nuisance. 1 believe that your Hoard will not have the slightest hesitation in refusing such an application for such a purpose. —'lours faithfully. \V. G. Fabling, lion. sec. Hamilton Tennis Club. Dear Sir, —While inspecting Hie Work in progress on Hie Rosstrcvor street Reserve on Saturday last it was noticed that a considerable area was levelled off on top of the hill adjacent to Seddon Terrace. On enquiry 1 was informed' that permission bad been granted to Hie Borough Engineer to erect an electrical station of some kind on Hie levelled site. I have not been able, for lack of lime, to find out details of Hie electrical scheme, and my enquiry seems to make it clear that the Domain Board is not responsible for the permission said to have been given. I have spoken to as many of nry committee ns I have been able to get hold of, and I am asked to place before you for your meeting the view which these members take of the matter, a view which we believe you will share, in Hie first place we have believed that Hie reserve, which includes Hie site in question was to be handed over to us for developing and beautifying—principally, of course, in Hie interests of tennis, but nevertheless in Hie interests of the whole town. In this belief wc have spent a sum which, by next November, involves expenditure exceeding VI0(10. It is not necessary to explain to you that no scheme of beautifying can exist if part or parts of the land are to be handca over to the borough for purposes alien to Hie scheme. Especially is this so when the alien purpose is a purely utilitarian one occupying (he commanding position. The building will overshadow the pavilion we hope to build at a later date, and will cither be in a deadly architectural conflict with it, Or compel a design conformable to that of a building alien in purpose and idea. Wc think that Hie verbal agreements which have entitled us to spend our money on the ground without a definite lease entitle us to suggest that, the arrangement with the Borough Engineer could not have been made by any one cognisant of Hie facts, at any rate without full discussion with our Society.—Yours faithfully, F. A. dc la Mare, assistant secretary. 2nd December. 1920. Dear Sir,—Referring to previous correspondence. the position when I last wrote was that Mr Swarbrick and Mr Manning had been appointed a committee to deal with the question of lease. I spoke to Mr Swarbrick on several occasions. and understood from him that Hie terms of the proposed lease would be formulated and submitted. The, question was not at the time urgent, as the Bill,, which was drafted and sent forward to the House, would, it was anticipated, materially affect the position. The position now is that a certain sum has been spent in clearing and■ ploughing in accordance with arrangements made with Mr George Scarborough, the wellknown tennis court contractor of Auckland, who ;s engaged in preparing the ■ Davis Gup Court. Mr Scarborough was in Hamilton last Saturday, and after consultation with Mr S. B. Sims, a complete system of drainage was devised, and this work must be carried nut at once tin so far as it affects the present needs) if the courts we require are to he laid down in the autumn. Wc have therefore considered it advisable and within the scope of the verbal authority we received from Mr Swarbrick in respect to ploughing and discing, to give Mr Scarborough instructions to order pipes, etc., and to lay Hie. drains at onen. This will enable the old drains, which arc full of blackberry, to lie ploughed and cleaned This work will itself involve expenditure of two or three hundred pounds. It is quite evident that my society, assuming that the proposed legislation has not been passed, is in a very unsatisfactory position. and that tills stale of affairs must exist for some considerable time. We shall during Hie next year expend nearly £IOOO on land to which we can get no title except at the risk of paying a sum in rates which would wreck our finances. W'o are prepared, I think, to take this risk, though my society lias as yet passed no resolution m the matte?'. We are, however, definitely committed to Hie scheme, and in my Judgment cannot afford |o waste nn-

other season, for Ihe present facilities for tennis in Hamilton are liopelesslf inadequate and nnsatisfaclory. There .are apparently two courses open fo n-. The first is lo obtain Ihe permission of your Board In carry on without a lease until the necessary legislation is passed. In this case the terms of (he propose I lease eonld he drawn up and each side could trust to Hie oilier lo fulfil its engagement. The effect would be lint your Board would give an undertaking fo lease on certain terms al a fnlnrc date. The other course, and probably the most, satisfactory, would be to give the lease, and for my society t>> take the risk of the Council imposing Hie rates. In conversation with Mr Fqw some time ago, 1 understood that tliere would be the strongest probability that succeeding Councils would take the view that sports bodies on Domain lends would be exempted from rales, at ail events to the extent provided for by (he proposed legislation. At the presenl time i| is exceedingly important tint we should know the terms of Hie proposed lease and the view which the

Domain Board takes of the genera situation. My society will spare m pains to see that the courts laid down arc as good as anything in New Zealand. When completed Hiere i s no reason why it should not he Hie best tournament ground in the Dominion.— Yours faithfully, F. A, de la Mare, ho.i. secretary. 1 lie Mayor’s Explanation. The Mayor Mr .1. It. Fow) said Ik desired to make an explanation. The j mailer of Hie provision of a IronsI former house, im| a power house, asslated in one of the lei tors, hail been | cue of great importance and some ur- ' policy. and the site selected was con- ] sidored to he the most suitable, both ■ for economy and efficiency. As Hie ! only active member of Hie Domain Hoard at the time, lie did everything he could to‘keep things afloat, and took on himself to offer no objection to the Public Works Department operating on Hie proposed sib'. He looked to the Hoard to confirm his action. The building proposed |o he erected was simply a small Iran .dormer station, tor breaking down tin (Vivnt. and would no| he an eyesore or inconvenience in ‘any way |o the tennis players, II would not interfere in Hie slightest with the tennis scheme. A few shrubs would cover Hie building in a few months, and it would he of such a type as would add to rather than detract from the beauty of Hie area. II was a vital Hung for Hie progress of Uptown dial Ihe iieparlnieiil should get the lilies in a certain direction. The Chairman’s View. The chairman (*ir A. Swarbrick) said lie was just as anxious as the tennis players that nothing should he dune to detract from the beauty of the grounds or to interfere with the enjoyment of the players; hut he strongly Objected to Hie tennis people speaking as though they were the owners ol (he ground, and saying what, should or should not he done. They were expending - money on their own responsibility, and the expenditure did not tie Hie Board, tie and Hie other members of the Board were anxious to help all sports bodies, and to see the tennis courts made as attractive as possible, and would do their utmost in Hi a! direction; hut they had an entirely free hand as to tlmir action in Hie matter. The site for the transformer house would have to be taken under Hie Public Works Aid, and Hiereforc an opportunity would he given for any objection to he lodged. On the motion of the chairman it was decided Unit tin- Borough Council he asked to submit plans of the proposed building. The Board could then judge whether it would he detrimental to the grounds. The Legal and Finance Committee was instructed to go into the matter o f Hie proposed agreement with the Tennis Association. It was further resolved to inform the writers of the letters that the matter was receiving the attention ol the Board. The Hamilton Rugby Union notified that it whs now in a position to consider Hie matter of leasing Domain lands. The Hamilton Bughy League Club asked for a lease uf section I. 2 and •’!, .Hamilton Wesl Town Bell. The elnh intended to prepare llm grounds and provide pavilion accommodation. Needs of Sports Bodies. Later in Hie ineernig Hie chairman referred to the matter of going thoroughly into Hie matter of playing fields, and said: ”.\| nor last meeting Hie members expressed lliemselvs as desirous of continuing the work of Hie Board in accordance with the principles adopted during our previous term of office, and in order to give effect to those views I have prepared two resolutions for your consideration; (1) That Hie Sports Committee he instructed to prepare and submit to the Board schemes for providing additional grounds for football, hockey, tennis and cricket: (2) that Hie various sports bodies he each of them requested to appoint two or llirec of their members to advise with Inc Committee as to Hie best moans of providing for their respective sports. One present sports grounds are quite inadequate for the requirements of the sports bodies, and no deveiopmnt of (be grounds at Seddon Park or Steele Park can meet the requirements. It is essential that wc should provide considerable new areas for each of the chief forms of sport, such area to be organised and managed by (he players themselves, with the assistance of their friends, subject to sui f de provisions for Hie protection of public interest. It is manifest that Hie funds of Hie Board are quite inadequate for tile purpose in question, and it will he necessary to limit (lie work of the Board to providing the necessary areas on suitable terms with such limited assistance ns can he given by Hie board’s workmen. To provide an adequate scheme it is essential that we should have the advice and co-opera-tion of all those interested in sport, and with such advice and co-operation I believe that an entirely practical scheme can lie prepared, (hie of Hie most important points will he to secure that each ground shall he available for all players who comply with certain reasonable rules and provisions. AVe arc dealing with public lands of very great and increasing value, and we propose to hand them over for a term of years at much less Ilian I heir actual annual value. AVe must so arrange Ilia I there can lie no possibility of thyic failing into Hie hands of any section of players to the exclusion of others morally entitled to use them. In the case of.the Golf Milks wc have let, the grounds at, an annual rental less (ban a private owner would accept, and in return we have secured that all members of Hie public who wisli to play golf can do so on suitable terms. The same principle must underlie \ all arrangements for dealing with public lands' of this nature. The Domain lands are a sacred trust, and we must deal with them in Hie lies) interests of the people as a whol for all lime.” Tlie motions were carried unanimously.