KILBIRNIE RESERVE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1155, 16 June 1911, Page 2

KILBIRNIE RESERVE.

A BIG DEPUTATION. COUNCIL UEGED TO PROMPT ACTION. A deputation, over fifty strong, was introduced to the City Council la?t evening by Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P. . The little army camo to demand better treatment for an. area that has been hitherto, au "ugly duckling" among (ho city reserves, the ivilbirnie Recreation Ground. Introducing the deputation, Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P., said it represented Kilbirnie and adjacent districts, and all the sports bodies of Wellington. Mr. J. A. Heginbotham (chairman of the Kilbirnie Ratepayers' Association) presented a petition bearing -152 signatures which asked that the sum of .£2OOO, originally ear-marked to be spent on the Kilbirnio Reserve, but actually spent on other reserves, should be expended during the coming year in improving, planting, nnd extending the reserve. The petition further asked that the council should exercise ils right, granted under the Wellington City Reclamation and Empowering Act, 1000, of reclaiming an area of 22 acres adjacent to the present reserve. - Speaking in support of the petition, Mr. Heginbotham said there, were now 7000 people living beyond Mount Victoria, and

1000 children attending the district schools. These children were cut off from the privileges enjoyed in other parts of Llio city. In the matter of recreation grounds, Kilbirnio was tho most neglected area ill tho city of Wellington. Competent valuers had stntcd that tho portion of tho reclamation area which the council had power to lease would bring in a revenue, of from .£BOO to .CIOOO per year. K-esidents of Kilbirnie were prepared to take up the land, when it was made, at the figures stated. The City Engineer had estimated that tho reclamation could bo carried out, at a cost of about JM/W per acre. The necessity of facing the reclamation work with a concrete wall had been named by previous Mayors as an obstacle, but as things now stood, the concrete wall was unnecessary, ami its cost could bo saved. In addition to the sum of of loan money diverted from Kilbirnie, tho suburb had been deprived during the past fivp years of a sum of £2000 or X3OOO that should have been spent on the reserve out of revenue. Kilbirnie should havo had its share of the sum of £33,000 sppnt on the reserves during the period named. Kilbirnie residents considered it unfair that, up to tho pret-ent, they had received practically only .CoO, spent last ' year upon the ground. Concluding, Mr. Hcginbpthnin stated that the deputation earnest y urged that tho reclamation work should bi> proceeded with at once. Only two and a half years remained in which to complete the" work, and it was most undesirable that there should be any further delay. Mr. R, A. Wright, M.P., said ho was "speaking on behalf of the Wellington South Cricket Club and other cricket clubs around tho city, and a number of other snorts bodies. He also apologised for the "absence of the Rev. H. G. Blacklmrne, vicar of All Saints, Eiltirnie, and Mr. N. Holmes, chairman of the Wellington Football Association, both of whom, he said, fully supported the request for the recreation reserve. Proceeding, Mr. Wright spoke of Ito lack of recreation grounds in tho city and suburbs, nnd said it would be criminal to neglect the opportunity of forming the one in question. Snoil could be taken from the route of the Constable Street tramway extension, and thus two birds would be killed with one stone.

Mr. S. Brown, chairman of the Wellington Rugby Football Union, said that body had the us-o of 17 private grounds, and spent noarly .£7OO on rents last year. \ny of these grounds might be token away from them, and they felt that if the council did not help them by findins; grounds, they would have to say to tho rising generation, "We cannot provide recreation for you, so you had better walk the streets."

Tho acting-Mayor (Councillor Smith) said the views expressed by the deputation would receive every consideration. Ono committee bad already reported favourably on the proposal, and it had to be dealt with by nnothor committee. No doubt the council would favourably consider the request of tho deputation, "otherwise the city would lo.=:e the chance of getting a valuable ground, nnlos; they moved a little quicker than they had done. After the deputation had withdrawn, tho acting-Mayor said, in reply to questions, that the Reserves CommHlee had recommended the council to effect the reclamation, and it was now before the Finance Committee.