KELBURNE PARK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1598, 15 November 1912, Page 5

KELBURNE PARK.

PROPOSAL TO LEASE PART OF It RESCINDING MOTION. CONSIDERATION ADJOUHNED. The decision of Uio Cil.y Council to lease a portion of the Kelbm-ne 3'ai-k to tho Kelbnrne Bowling CHib gave rise to n , lengthy discussion nt last night's meeting of the council. Tho matter canto up again on account of a motion by Counciltor Atkinson thai the following r«;olution passed at the Ordinary meeting of I ' tho Wellington City Council, held on Oc- ■ tobto 31, 1912, bo rescinded., vis. r-'Thnt . a lcafo of a portion of Kelburne, Park (as per sketch plan to bo laid on the table) be granted to the JOslbufne Bowling Club, Ltd., for the purpose of'forming a ■ bowling ground, subject to tho conditions of tho lease being drawn by tho city soli- : citor, and also subject to the rent being fixed by tho 'city solicitor." > ( Councillor Atkinson, in speaking to the ' motion, said he was sUie the- council , would be glad ef having an opportunity of reconsidering the matter and voting on i it again. He thought the etcp it had 1 been proposed to take a fortnight ago was 'one- of the most dangerous tilings for our reserves" they had ever decided to do since he had been on the council-. The : playing of ■ cricket on tho Basin Reserve ■ on, an afternoon Was an entirely different , thing' to the exclusive lease that would, ha'vo to be given to a bowling club. If. this privilege were granted to a bowling club, how were they going, to refuse sinii-. : jar applications from' other sports bpd- ■' ies? Ho could not $eo where this tiring was logically going to stop i{ they- persisted in the attitude adopted a fort* I night ago. The only safeguard against J dangers to tho Teserves was to rescind the | : motion carried a., fortnight a .g*>- ' Councillor M'Kenwe seconded the re' ! Solution, Hβ thought the principle embodied in the. motjon adopted a fortnight ago was altogether a wrong one. Once tho club were allowed to erect -buildings on tho city reserves it would give them : , a permanent .tenancy, and it would to impossible for the council to over again acquire tie grou&d for the pUiposo for which it was formed with ; torrowed ■'. money. While opposing Liegranting of! the lease, ho would support any council-.' lor bringing forward a scheme for form- ;| ing public cowling greens, pablio tennis ■couvts, etc. . Councillor Trogear was in 1. , vaur of .the rescinding resolution. ' He beiieved in keeping the city reserves for tile feo.j-le, and for all the people. ' ■' • ' Councillor Cameron, also supported the! resolution.Councillor Frist said that the jrevicus councillors had based their spuecnJs en i tho assumption that the grouud lutfed .Woujd be for the exclusive use of tho ■! .bowlers.' The council -had no po-wvr to J 'grant a. lease on such, terms. Ho. SUg- ! gested that the council should. Eht resund ' the former but should wait uhtiL I tho conditions of the lease were tubmit- 1 ted. ' •. '■ ' . ••■-■'.] Councillor Fuller hoped thit the coito-. I cii would stand by its previous cucision in.the matter, .•'■-,' Councillor' Sbirtcliffe pointed'out. that ■ a bowling club securing a lease of pfci> tiOn of; file city reserves would spend a great deal of money in improving . and. beautifying , the ■■ground, and the. -pntac would see that ..the lease was really for the.public benefit. - . „ -.Councillor Hindmarsh recalled that the same, club ted been refused rive- same-; piece of ground in 1909. Tno caur.cil should Ke consistent, and iigain reluse;. .the application, .. ... Councillor (Sodbef. considered tiiivt it would be fin improvement to Ksibume Park to haven bawling green there. The Mayor said that'tlie matter involved such an important jiuegtion of .policy that it might be his duty as Mayor of the' city to call a pnblio meeting to discuss the 'matter. The ■council, should not he misled by drawing coin-1 parisona between. bofoughs where,,, there was-a great deal of level ground" and boroughs.where the coHfiguriition of tho land was-such as it was in Wellington. Tho'" Reserves Committee. Had important duties to perform as guardians of tho city reserves, and. a. matter like' the present one should not bo treated too 'lightly. It must not : bo lost sight of hat their were uQw-faee-to face with a ■'■ policy whici established * private vested interest in public 'land. If that policy were to be carried how, they coiild go on until they lia.d cut. up all the .reserves and apportioned them'to different interests. ' Councillor fletcher behoved the counr ; cil had hvado a big; mistake hir oarrying' tlio .resolution , at.the tost meeting, .and as far nsho ; Was personallv Concerned,, he frankly admitted his mistake. . So' was going to vote Jor the reaissftra of the resolution..; .'■■.. .■•.-■.' Councillor' Berber moved as .'art stmend- ■ nien't that tho further consideration of this matter be- adjourned nntil covticillijrs had had an opportunity of visiting' the, locality and see for themselves that;, the* land to be leased, was actually, ciutside Tvnat was generally known- as JCelburnje' Sa'rk. ■ i. The iimcridtnent was seconded by Coun■oillor Fitzgerald, who ; hoped that Genii.-' cillor Atkinson woidd accept the sugges- ■ tioii. Every member, of the council, could then make himself thoroughly, con-, yersctttt with the (juestion before, vot-'! . iwr oh it. ■ '..',. ■' ■' The amendment was then put to the ■ rrieethtg, Mid Carried on the casting' vote of the Mayor.