WELLINGTON'S BEAUTY SPOTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 63, 7 December 1917, Page 6

WELLINGTON'S BEAUTY SPOTS

A TOUR OF THE RESERVES

NEW WORK PROPOSED

Does Wellington realise the value of the < assets it possesses in its many garuens and reserves 't It is extremely ucubtlul if it does, and perhaps 80 per cent, or the citizens would be driven to ecstasies of delight if they could only be persuaded to visit and take pleasure in the places they help to make and maintain.

lesterday the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), Councillors J. 0. Shorand G. Jfrost, J. Castle, W. 11. Bennett, tfne City Engineer, tho iown Clerk, Messrs. J. 15. liareourt, G. Remington, and H. A. Fox (president and vice-president) of the Rose and Carnation Club), and Mr. A. Marryalt, of the Citizens' Committee, paid an official visit to the Botanical Gardens, Central Park, and the-. Wellington Zoo. Summer in tlie Gardens. The day was fair, and nature sat smiling on the city, when the little" party of citizens drove up to the Botanical Gardens—that fine stretch of woocied hill and shady valley, of velvet lawns and flower-set paths, where everything whispered of the gladness of summer, and put on its brightest regalia in its honour. A Lost.Lake. The Mayoral party after drifting slciiwy through the tail timber—our Botanical Gardens boast the tallest trees in tlfe district—inspected the lake. At least it would have been inspected had there been one, but, alack, there was only enough water for a solitary black swan to take a cold bath. The swan looked as though it would like to dcputationise the Mayor and council about the disappearance of the lake, but thought better of it on noticing that Councillor Castle was of the party, dreading a removal to tho Zoo, or, worso still, to the Newtown Museum. The fierce rains of winter and early spring brought down so much spoil that tlie hike bed lias risen level with the ornamental by-wash, and.the only water in evidence is the little stream that trickles disconsolately through the silt in search of its own level. The problem of how to reinstate the lnke furrowed the brows of the entire party. One said build up the by-wash to the level of the dam: others suggested scooping out the silt, so as to leavo tho original basin as it was. Another idea thrown out was to raise the dam for its i full length, and put in silt beds higher up tho stream. Something will have to be done—there must bo no swan songs in the vernal glen.

In tho ■ rose-garden, where the airwas fragrant with the breath of thousands of blooms, tlio general effect was slightly marred by the lack of a little clipping. The number of full blooms and blooms dropping to pieces was too great. ' The nursery in the gully and , the twilit fernery were also visited. A New Entrance. Four years ago a new main entrance to the Gardens, a couple of hundred , yards up the Karori Eoad, was proposed, and duly planned, but it was discovered that the garden fence encroached upon the road for a certain distance, and in the circumstances it was thought inadvisable to proceed with the scheme. Mr. Morton has now another idea. Still holding that an entrance directly in a line with Tinakori Road is inadvisable, as it allows the winds a clean sweep up the main drive, he now proposes to excavate the bank at the rear of the tramways waiting-shed, and, taking a lino from a point to the north of that structure, make a road that will lead into the Gardens about twenty feet more to the eastward (into the hill) than the present entrance. A good deal of earth would have to be removed from the hill, and a brick or stone symport-ing-wall would have to be provided to hold up the hank. The scheme is feasible, it is approved by th'c Reserves Cominitte?, and yesterday the Mayor stated that the cost (£500) would, be provided for in next year's estimates. Central Park. At Central Park' surprise was expressed at the amazing change which had been brought about during the past three years. Here is one of Wellington's brightest and most bizarre beauty spots in the making. The bank that flanks the <Brooklyn tramline is at present a sight not to be easily forgotten. "Roses white and roses' red" by the thousand smile gladly at every tramload of citizens that passes. Dainty "Dorothy Perkins" is there in all her elegant glory, lending a. wealth of colour to what was once a rather dreary waste. On the plateau above is a snlendid upland playground for chifdrcn which the makers never troubled to level, and down below on the western side tho gully is being filled in with street sweepings to form further flower-beds in keeping with those already in gay array just within the entrance.

A feature at the new parlc is the Blundcll. Fountain, which consists of nicely-curved steps leading up to a concrete face of" chaste and dignified design, with a bold lion's head in the centre overlooking the main basin, and surmounted _ by the inscription. On either side is a porcelain bubble-foun-tain, the American idea of a public drinking fountain. This is an ingenious spring-tap, on clutching which water rises to a height of two or three inches vertically, and can be drunk easily and' in a cleanly manner. The lips cannot touch the mouth of the. tap itself, as it is surrounded by a metal guard.. The. lake below the ornamental bridge spanning the gully on the Ohiro Road side of the park- has silted up almost completely, and its sole use at present is as a concert chamber for frogs. It is to be cleared out sooner or later.

A horticultural novelty is to be provided later on the flat now being formed lower down, in the shape of a Japanese garden—rocks, plants, trees, quaint "Jap" bridges, hung with wistaria, etc.

Pines, bluegums, firs, etc., to the number of 78,000, have been planted in Central Park, and are thriving satisfactorily, a provision, that should provide a splendid arboreal heritage for the coming generation.

A Rosery in Full Dress. At tho Wellington Zoo tho chief point of interest was the rosary, which adus a rare touch of the beautiful to the extensive Zoo grounds. This rosary is one of tho happiest thoughts ever given expression to by the City Council. It was not a council idea. The tiibiig'Tit came from the executive of the ftqse and Carnation Club. The result is a rosry to be proud of. There are half a dozen beds, no two alike, but all dovetailing in harmonious symmetry—one, tho largest, occupying a commanding position on a sloping bank at the southern end of the garden. At present this pleasant place is a verit-ablej-iot of colour. If the people of "\Vofi7ngton really knew there was such a place there would not he trains enough to convey them to ' Newtown Park'.

The party nodded familiarly to Bruin, acko, Ostium, tlie dingoes', the ten-month-old lion cuiis, Queen Dick (tlic "King" was dining out of sight), made obeisance to the peacock (whose outspread tail was a dazzling sheen of exquisite colour), discovered a sun- . struck rabbit, and then took tea at the cool, well-conducted tea-house on the hill. After tea tlio Mayor welcomed

ex-Councillor J. B. Harcourt, whom he said had been a "strong feature" on tho Reserves Committee at one time, mid who had not abandoned interest in tTio work since he bad left the council. He also welcomed Mr. A. Marryatt, who was one of tho, forcible personalities, connected with tho organisation of the Citizens' Carnival, the financial results of which, with annual grants from'the council, liad enabled them to inaugurate Central Park, a work which all would now admit had been fully justified. The Mayor also mentioned Messrs. C. G. Wilson and J. P. Firth in connection with Hie movement. He also paid a compliment to tho City Engineer, to whose vision and imagination, combined with his engineering skill, they were indebted for such jv picturesque lay-out. He was sure that as the years rolled on Central Park would be more appreciated by the citizens of Wellington. Referring to tho Botanical Gardens, the Mayor said that they were always to be found in an up-to-date condition, thanks to the curator. Mr. Glen, to whoso zeal and knowledge the city was much indehted. At the Zoo an object-lesson was provided in the rosery, which was a fine example of how ritizens could help the council. He considered that the money spent had heen fully justified by results, and he wished to pay testimony to the energy which Mr. Langridge had displayed in connection with this addition to his duties. The chairman of the Reserves Committee (Councillor Frost) liad a. great deal of work to do to keep in communication with tlip men in charge of all the reserves, and to visit them, and to his assiduity was due the state of perfection they hud found" them in. The Mayor also mentioned the work of Messrs. George Remington'nnd F. A. Fox, of the Itose and Carnation Club, for the activity and resource they and their club had shown.

Councillor G. Frost said that, though a p:on(l deal had been done in the pnst, ret there, was n lot to he done, in the future in making the city beautiful, which he considered equally as important as keeping the streets in repair. Good work' had h?en done, and more pood work would be done, hnt_ for the Finance Committee over which the Mayor presided. They often wished they could add to their renorts "ns recommended by the City TCncineer." as sucli were ppnerallv fnvnurnbly received by councillors. The reports from their own men did not go down so well. Referring to the proposed notv entrance to the Botanical Gardens, ho stigmatised the present entrance ns "abominable and ugly," and dwelt upon tho Mayor's promise to provide the. money for a. new entrance. He thanked the members of the Hose and Carnation Club, which had provided the "Zoo with a rosery which, if not. the largest in New Zealand, had been crowned with as fine results as any in the Dominion.. He knew- those of Auckland; Christchurch, and Dunedin, and they were not more beautiful than Wellington's rosery. A Proud Citizen, Mr. J. P. Harcourt said he had not seen the Botanical Gardens for years, and he was more than surprised at the deep beauty of the wooded groves and charming garden beds there. To him it was one of tho prettiest sights in ■Wellington. He said that Central Park was destined to he one of the prettiest spots in Now Zealand. He was equally charmed with the rosery. Wellington is regarded as' not being beautiful because the people did not know any better. Visitors did not know Wellington's beauties, because our own neonle did not know them. If they did they would take the visitors to them. When he came to Wellington fifty-one years ago there were no gardens and no reserves. The burnt stumps of the trees were still on tho hills, and there were a row of huts along the Quay, and" the rubbish from them was taken across the road nnd thrown on to tho sea beach. Ho felt proud to belong to Wellington, and proud of the progress that had been made by the city. (Applause.) Tho Duty of Citizenship. Mr. A. Marryatt said that he realised more than ever now how little the City Council could be expected to do unless they.- had the support and aid of the citizens, and that it was in their (the citizens') hands to do good work. They had made a start some five_ years ago, but when the war came it interfered with their scheme, and they had to turn their energies into another channel. He was pleased to say that the sports bodies knew now that they would get the £3000 they sot out to raise, and they hoped that tho money would bo sufficient to see the. war out. The City Council had in forming these reserves and gardens done something to heautify the city, but when in the rosery the thought had occurred to him that in establishing such a plaoe they were educating the people to leave the flowers alone, and in doing so were helping to educate them in the principles of proper citizenship. (Applause.)