AUCKLAND ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 681, 4 December 1909, Page 11

AUCKLAND ITEMS.

GOVERNMENT : HOUSE AND ■ GROUNDS. V';- (By Telcffraph.f-SDecial CorresoondenU •..'.' v. The-,/'-Northern.. Company's steamer Daphne broke .{JierV .rudder shortly after leaving Waifor Auckland. ■- The s.s, .Waitangi'iivas at once'sent from this.port to the Daphiio's' assistance, and towed the disabled steamer up to Auckland, arriving here at 5 p.m. yesterday. . .■" , ~ • ; When the Government decided to hand overGovernment House and grounds to the University College Council, other bodies, such as the Grammar ; School, wanted a slice of the'rich cheese' also, and the inevitable wrangle'-'is now proceeding.; The City Council is taking a hand, and is now suggesting.to the Government, that.the ground should be cut into .three., slices. At the meeting last evening, Councillor ,Mackay moved that the Government be asked to set.aside a share of>tbe grounds for a grammar school playground, another for a' modern permanent school, the balance to go to the university. Mr.,L. J. Bagnall pointed out that some time'ago the council carried a resolution'urging, that the Metropolitan Ground be handed over; to the university, and.' ho; questioned,, in view of this, .whether the council would be consistent in passing the resolution now proposed 1 .! J No opposition even from- the Grammar School had ever been offered to tho. Metropolitan .Ground proposal, but now that the!' Government had gone .a little further .by promising,the- University College the "whole. Government House,area, the Grammar "■ School :wanted, -to come in; The. Grammar School should..have, got ;suitable.' grounds elsewhere. He thought. it-, was a mistake that more: than the Metropolitan'. Grounds should bo' handed' :over.to.any body.'. He moved an-amendment i two.-. sections. The,' first' approving, of." tho .Metropolitan-Ground, being handed over., to, the University--College, and; the second expressing the: opinion that.- Government House ana grounds. be'- retained as a .residence .for . the Governor of the' Dominion or for the, Admiral of' the-station. Mr.' J. M.'Mennie. favoured /the-proposal to devote the grounds .to a university, . but to.': his mind! there was ample ground also to provide sites for a grammar school and admiral's house. (Hear,-hear.) Mr. Bagnall's amendment was lost, only the mover voting in the affirmative. Mr. Mackay agreed to withdraw his motion in favour of the following further amendment, moved by Mr. Mennie, and seconded by Mr. Read:—"That the City Council strongly recommends the Government to retain ■ the present Government House with about four acres as a Governor's resi-' dence,and to allocate the remaining area betweon the Auckland University, and tho Grammar School." The Deputy-Mayor (Mr. A. J. Entrican) supported the amendment, which was carried and converted into the original' motion. Mr. P. J. Nereheny, then moved as a further amendment: "That'this council urge .upon the Government the desirability of handing over the whole of the 13 acres of .land in connection with the: Government House and grounds to the citizens of Auckland as a public ■park. The amendment was defeated, only securing the support of the mover and the seconder (Mr.'. Patterson). The motion was caT,ried on the voices.