Councillor Creeke Criticises Borough Council’s Policy In Connection With Domain

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 71, 21 July 1948, Page 5

Councillor Creeke Criticises Borough Council’s Policy In Connection With Domain

One of the five members of the Whakatane Borough Council’s Domain committee, Cr J. Creeke, is not at all satisfied with present trends in Domain management and, in a long letter to the Beacon, expresses at the Council’s policy of leasing portions of the grounds. Here is his letter:

Further to your article which appeared in your issue of July 14 under the heading “Domain’s Future,” perhaps it would' not be out of place to shed more light on this subject. , Recently, the management of the Domain was taken over by the Borough Council from the old Domain Board which was unable to carry on. owing to the lack of sufficient fiends to maintain the grounds and buildings in proper order. The transfer to the Borough Council was approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs. - The Borough Council, on assuming control, appointed a committee of five Councillors* to manage and control the affairs of the Domain. As one of the five Councillors appointed, I made it my duty to review the whdle situation with a view to making the Domain more self-supporting and relieving the whole maintenance cost from falling on the general rates. My idea was to make a small charge on all sporting 'bodies using the. grounds .as an annual contribution to assist in providing facilities for their accommodation, which is reasonable, feeling sure the sporting associations would readily fall into line. Arising from my investigations into. the past operations in connection with the Domain, the following matters were brought under my notice:— (1) Disposal of portion' of the grounds by the Borough Council who were in control at that period. This portion of the Domain grounds, extending along Domain Road from opposite McGarvey Road to Francis Street and thence to the main gates opposite the camping area, was surveyed and sub-divided into residential sections, as we find it today. .. The disposal of this valuable area of the Domain calls for severe censure, suggesting as it does a totetf lack of responsibility displayed by the authorities in regard to their important duties as guardians of public property which had been purposely set aside for the benefit of future generations. I trust that action will be taken as a warning against any future attempt to interfere in any way with this valuable playground. (2) Lease of Domain ground^to the A. and P. Association. This lease, which is still operating, was granted to the Association for a period of 21 years at an annual rental of £25 per year. In bringing this matter forward by reason of complamts brought under my notice touching on the terms of, this lease, I want to point Out that it practicr ally takes the control of this area of the Domain out of the hands of the properly constituted body. This lease permits many abuses to creep

in which are in conflict with the Parks and Reserves Act; and which are not in the best interest of alloting the grounds to the various sporting activities. Perhaps it would be of interest to the ratepayers to peruse portion of terms reading thus: “Provided that the public or any incorporated society or body of persons (excepting the leasee) shall not at any time have the right to use the said lands for playing games,, or conducting sports or athletic meetings nor at any time to charge admission to the said lands.”

I may add here that this section of the lease has been amended and forwarded to. the Minister for consideration and is now awaiting approval. Abuses that have crept in are: (a) Grazing rights of the grounds are let and the valuation given to me ranges between £2O or £3O a year; (b) > the letting of the area under their control for hockey, cricket, basketball and Fire Brigade drill grounds (which should be the function of the Domain Board); (c) the holding of auction sale of cattle and pigs on the grounds by auctioneering firms in the town; (d) the erection of stock yards in the Domain.. These two claim to be totally in conflict with the provisions set down in the Parks and Reserve Act. I am entirely ih opposition to any form of long term leases, in which L have been supported by many ratepayers. These objections I have placed from time to time before the Borough Council have been ignored. These objections are considered to be of some importance by the objectors, and in order to place Domain matters on a proper footing within the scope of the Act, these matters have been forwarded to the Minister of Internal Affairs for consideration.

At the last meeting of the Borough Council a letter was read from the Minister’s Department indicating ‘the Minister has hesitated to grant permission to the Council’s application for further encroachment on the Domain grounds which are in conflict with the Act. The/“welcome suggestion” mentioned in your issue of July 14 to have the Domain vested in the Council as a reserve and not as a Domain would give the Council absolute control to do as it pleased, free from the safeguards in the Act which were instituted to safeguard the rights of the people. I can only offer my humble advice to the ratepayers to remain under the safeguards of the Act administered by the Minister of Internal Affairs. I regret that I have to differ from the rest of my #olleagues in the Council but I feel its my duty to bring these matters forward for the information of the ratepayers.