GREATER CHRISTCHURCH AND THE DOMAIN.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11503, 9 February 1903, Page 4

GREATER CHRISTCHURCH AND THE DOMAIN.

Among the various echemes which will probably com* before the Mayor and Councillors of Greater Christchurch, referred to by the gentlemen whose opinions we publish' in this issue, is one which we hope will not be lost eight of. The questions of a high pressure water supply, the extension of the drainage system, the removal of rubbish in boroughs where this is not done, and the consideration of the Waimakariri powex aoheme are of the highest importance, and will no doubt engage the attention of the rulers of the amalgamated city, ac soon as possible. But there is no reason -why the acquisition by the City Council of t-Ee control of the Domain should not also be undertaken at once. It in one of the most natural and inevitable results of the union of the city and boroughi that they ehould take OTer the management and responsibility of the city's great public recreation reserve. We cannot imagine that the Domain Board would raise the slightest objection to such a course. They have been hampered for many years by want ot funds, and the difficulty must soon become more acute, as they are epending out of xpital every year. The Board's finances, un&r the present system, must in time reach a point at which further economies would be compulsory, and it is not ».asy to see where they could ba made without i seriously affecting the appearance of the

Public Oardene. There are several ways in which these could be rendered more attractive to the public if the controlling body,had money to epend on any but the barest necessities, and it would be the bueinesa of Greater Christchurch to make these improvemente, co that the Gardens and Park would be more popular than they are at present. Apart from this, it would be absurd, now that the city and boroughs have united, for the present state of divided authority to continue any longer than is necessary. A city should have control of its public parks, as it has control of its street*. The Domain is bounded by three of the boroughs in the Greater Christchurch, and, as will be seen from the interview we publish, the Mayor of Linrwood, the fourth and most distant borough, joins with his brother of St. Albans in urging that the city ehould take it over. Wβ trust that among the many questions which will come before the Council of Greater Christchurch, this one will receive early consideration.