THE TOWN BELT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1883, 17 October 1913, Page 3

THE TOWN BELT.

THAT TENNIS LEASE,

CONFIRMED BY CITY COUNCIL.

AFTER LENGTHY DISCUSSION.

N Tho question of tho propriety of tho City Council's leasing a portion of the Town Belt to tho Wellington Lawn Tennis Association was again discussed at a special meeting of tho City Council, held last evening. A deputation of about 60 members of lawn tennis clubs waited on tho council, to urgo. tho confirmation of the lease. The subsequent discussion occupied thrco hours, and. little other business was transacted by. the council. Tho granting of tho lease was confirmed.

The deputation was introduced by the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher, who spoke on behalf of tho Wellington Lawn Tennis Association. Ho put in a letter signed by Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C., president of tho Now Zealand Sports Federation, that his body would not object to the granting of tho lease, so long as the interests of sports bodies in general were" safeguarded. In granting the lease the City Council would not be doing anything contrary to the powers of a local 'body. The council could very well follow tho good example of the Christchurch City Council in this matter. The gamo of lawn tennis brought out all tho finest qualities of young people. The Athletic Park, on which every Saturday 60 footballers were playing, would accommodate 800 tennis players. Tho tennis people were in danger of losing tho very valuable Day's Bay ground, and' wcro therefore in urgent need of help. They were endeavouring to encourage tho came amongst school-chil-dren, and hoped to have at least 600 entries for their school-children's tournament. Tho powers reserved to tho council under the Pirie Street Reservo lease'wero ample. They did not ask'tho council to give up any of its rights, but to allow tennis to convert what is now an arid wasto into a firstclass pleasure resort. There were 3000 tennis players in Wellington, and the council would only be doing them justice by giving them whjt they now asked for.

Mr. G. N. Goltlie said that whatever might bo the council's decision, tennis player's would cheerfully abide by it. ■ The Mayor thar'ied the members of. the deputation and expressed especial pleasure that so many ladies should show such an interest in tho affairs of the citr. Councillor Atkinson's Motion. After the deputation had withdrawn, Councillor A. R. Atkinson moved, in accordance with previous notice: — "That the resolution passed bv the council on September 4, 1013, 'That a lease, of a portion of the Pirio Street Reservo bo granted, to the Wellington Tennis Association for tho purpose of constructing courts thereon in accordance with the draft lease submitted herewith,' be rescinded; and that no further lease of any part of the Town Belt be granted under tho Town Belt Reserves Act, 1908, until a report has been obtained from tho City Engineer or somo other competent authority as to what parts of tlio belt are suitable for recreation grounds and other public purposes, and what are suitable for leasing to sports bodies and other private purposes and can be so leased without preiudico to tho publio objects aforesaid."

Councillor Atkinson said that they wdre therp as trustees, and not as partisans, and that tnby should endeavour to deal with the matter judicially. ■ Ho traversed the arguments of speakers at the previous evening's citizens' meeting. Where the danger lay, 110 said, was that they did not know how far the principle would bo carried out. Tho granting of tholeaso was essentially an, alienation of the land in question. Ho admitted that although tho council had been returned 011 the general question of reserves, there had been 110 specific reference to Pirie Street. . Tho council was, therefore, entitled to exercise its 'discretion in tho matter. The sito' was a most suitable one for a general recreation reserve, and was a most admirable place for a children's playground. If the question were one between jam-tins and the Tennis Association, ho might support tho lease, but this was by no means tho whole quesThey must look ahead, and consider tho uses to which the resorve could be put,-and must'be put in tho near future. It was about the most desirable part of tho Town Belt for the carrying out of a general scheme of beautification. Ho hoped that tho council would look at the matter in a. comprehensive manner before it deoided to deal with the Town Belt in a haphazard and piecemeal way. The council might not have enough money to lay out tho Pirie Street reserve for several years to come

Councillor Hislop: And is it to lio idlo all that time?

Councillor Atkinson.: I don't know whether it should lio idle, but I do not think it should bo alienated on tho principle of "first come, first served," simply because the Tennis Association offers to improve it. • The motion was seconded by Counr cillor E. Tregear. He said that the trust imposed on the council was to conserve for ever hereafter tho Town Belt for the inhabitants of Wellington —not for one section only.

Councillor L. M'Kenzie asked if a reasonable approach to such a ground as was proposed could be provided with a 20ft. frontage. The tennis people were justified in making their request, and the whole -weakness lay with the council itself. That weakness was tliat there was no definite policy'for dealing with the Town Belt. Tho city solicitor had suggested years ago that there should bo a survey of the Town Belt, but it had never been made yet.'.'. Mo Need for Delay. Councillor T. C. A. Hislop pointed out that the Wellington (City) Town Belt Reserves Act, 1903, had been passed because of a great agitation amongst members of sports bodies. It was pointed out that there was a vast area completely surrounding tho city, which was used for nothing nt all. Thero was ample room for sports grounds, .but such had so far not been provided. Tlio Tennis Association had never had a penny from the public purse, and deserved well of tho council. All that was asked was that tlie council should exerciso tho powers conferred on it by tho Act, and that tho association should bo allowed to convert a barren and useless oyesoro into a beautiful pleasure rosort. No bettor offer had over been made to tho representatives of tho citizens. Tho coiflicil was now urged to turn from its first decision by a councillor whose arguments wero as grotesque as his methods wero reprehensible. • (Laughter.) A comprehonsivo plan for dealing with the Town Belt might he desirable, but surely they wore not going to block tho improvement of one section bccauso Councillor Atkinson did not understand tho whole scheme. Tho .methods which had been used by some in connection with this controversy had been more characteristic of a political juggler and mountebank than of a single-minded public man. (Hear, liear.) Every speech ho had heard Councillor Atkinson deliver, and every hrtielo of Councillor Atkinson's which he had read had denied to every member of tho council except Councillor Atkinson himself, any purity of honesty of purpose. The articles had been characterised by scurrility, and

could not influence the minds of councillors in any degreo. (Hear, hoar.) By way of personal explanation. Councillor Atkinson said that ho had not written a single article with referenco to tho question, nor had ho inspired a singio word in any paper. 110 know no liioro about tho articles than tho gentleman who had mado the statement.

Tho Mayor said that tho council must accept Councillor Atkinson's assurance, and hoped that Councillor Hislop would seo Jus way to withdraw his statement.

Councillor Hislop said that 110 would Withdraw the statement that Councillor Atkinson had written the articles, but he would not withdraw tho statement that no councillor would allow himself to bo influenced by the articles. " A Somersault." Councillor H. Buddlo complimented Councillor M'Kenzie on his somersault. He had sat in council meetings and watched brother members groping in the dark without giving them tiie benefit of his superior knowledge. His' recent change ot front showed that his woolly ears wero especially sensitive to the winds of rumour which blew around Wellington. (Loud laughter). The iUayor said that Councillor Buddlo must withdraw the word' "woolly." Councillor Buddlo said that the word ho used was "willing." (Laughter). He continued that the portions of the Town Belt shown on tho plan for which Councillor Atkinson asked as being suitable for public purposes, could not bo laid out by the council for many years to come, owing to tho lack of funds. Similarly, the portions laid aside for private sports bodies would be allowed to lio idle, and tho Belt would be undeveloped ior years. The kind of tennis ground which some citizens seemed to wish for was si ground on which anyone could intrude, from which players could not exclude outsiders. A man would not buy a racquet if he was liable to arrive on the court and find it in possession of a nurse-girl with a perambulator. (Laughter.) The bost thing they could do was to hand over the ground to the clubs, who would improve it, to the benefit of the whole community. (Hear, hear.)

Councillor W. H. P. Barber reminded tho council that at the previous night's meeting of citizens they could gei only 22.porsons to vote against the principle which the council had adopted. Councillor Atkinson: I should like to analyse tho majority. ■ Councillor Barber said that the Tennis Association's application had been before the council for seven years, and there had been numerous protests against the delay in dealing with it. For the life of him, he could not say why councillors should complain that the matter had not received sufficient publicity. Deserving of Consideration. Councillor Jl. Luckio said that there was 110 sports body in the city which had so little consideration as the Tennis Association. All the new reserves had beon handed oyer to other bodies, tho tennis people always being shut out. He wanted to know why it was that people had suddenly realised within the last fow months the enormous value of tho Pirie Street reserve. By refusing the lease, tho council was standing in its own light. Those who opposed it, 110 felt suro, had not taken the trouble to examine the terms of the lease.

Councillor Godbcr said that they had read a great deal of "piffle," and very little argument against tho granting of the lease. Councillor Atkinson had a , vory poor caso to make, and he had nover been heard to worse advantage before tho council. He congratulated Councillor Hislop on his excellent statement of the caso. There wero numerous other objects for the expenditure of public money than the provision of sports grounds—the conversi<?n of slum areas, for 'instance. Surely,' ~ '3000 people—of whom at least 2000 were young women —were entitled to two of the 100 acres which the council had to •disposo of for the benefit of sports bodies. Councillor Atkinson's "Conversion." Councillor Fletcher congratulated Councillor Atkinson on his conversion. Councillor Atkinson: Conversion P Councillor Fletcher: Yes, conversion. Ho said that Councillor Atkinson had always opposed tho leasing of any portion of the Town Belt, but his present resolution showed that he would agree to tho granting of leases, so long as a detinito scheme was adopted. Councillor Mackenzie had also shown a change of front, but tho council did not pay so much attention to him, as lie was -always liablo to turn round. (Laughter.) i'hero seemed to be a genoral idea with certain citizens and newspapers that tho Town Bolt should be reserved for kerosene tins and rubbish. Councillors: and gorso. Councillor Fletcher: Yes, gorse, which costs tho council a certain sum every year to keep down. Councillor R. A. AVright said that the council had for years been abused for doing nothing to develop the Town Belt, and now that'it proposed to do something there was a terrible'hullabaloo. (Laughter.) Meanwhile the gorse was growing more luxuriantly than ever. Tho council had been elected on the very issue now before the council, and not a single voice of protest-had been raised. Surely it was late in tho day to bring down opposition now. Councillor J. E. Fitzgerald said that tho time liad como when tho council should permanently settle tho question of the Town Belt. He intended to support Councillor Atkinson. Councillor G. Frost (chairman of the Reserves Committee) pointed out that Councillor Atkinson had brought down no scheme for tho imprpvement of tho Town Belt. His idea seemed to be simply to let things remain as thoy are. He was pleased that tho committee had received such hearty support from the rest of the council. ■ j Councillor J. Fuller said that there had been much ado about nothing, and Councillor Atkinson had succeeded in wasting a great deal of time. Ho thought that all tho leases should bo arranged so that they should all fall in together. Ho hoped that at that time —bo it seven or ttvent.v-one years hence —tho council would bo in tho financial position to resumo all tho reserves leased. ; Councillor Atkinson having replied at some length, tho Mayor expressed his intention to vote against the motion. Ho was sorry that tho general plan which had been drawn up by the Assistant City Engineer for tho improvement of tho Town Bolt had been attacked. It was really an oxcelleiit plan. Tho motion was put to the voto at 10.40 p.m., and was defeated by 11 vctos to 4. Tho division list was as under:—Aye: Councillors Atkinson, Fitzgerald, Mackcnzio, Tregear. Noes: The Mayor, Councillors Barber, Buddlo, ■ Fletcher, Frost, Fuller, Godbor, Hislop, Luckie, Thompson, Wright. Tho Mayor apologised for tho absence at tho' division of Councillor Hindmarsh, who liatl 1 had to leavo tho meeting to tako part in an important division in ,tho Houso.