HUTT PARK RATES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 97, 18 January 1935, Page 3

HUTT PARK RATES

Question of Payment by Boroughs The question of the payment, by borough councils of their proportion of the rates for the Hutt Park was dis- . cussed at the meeting of the Hutt Park committee last evening, following the reading of letters from the Lower Hutt, i Petone and Eastbourne Borough Coun- ■ cils. ‘ The Petone Council wrote agreeing to i. accede to the committee’s request to contribute toward the payment of the rates, and advising that the following resolution had been passed:—“That the committee be informed that, before next year’s rates became due, arrangements should be made for their remission, and if such arrangements cannot be made, legislation should be promoted to secure exemption.” The Eastbourne Council wrote agreeing to pay its proportion for the current year only, and recommending that steps be taken to obtain legislative relief from the payment of rates by the committee for the future. Lower Hutt agreed to pay its proportion unreservedly. Or. E. T. Hogg, moved that the Low’er Hutt Borough Council and the Hutt River Board be advised of the atitude of the Petone and Eastbourne Borough Councils. Or. W. H. Wilson said he was surprised at the letter from Eastbourne. Cr. C. H. Andrews seemed to show an ignorance of the position, and had influenced the Eastbourne resolution, he said. Cr. F. Campbell asked who would promote the legislation. The chairman, Mr. W. G. Meldrum: “You can’t promote legislation, because you have leased the thing for 40 years to a local club.” Cr. Campbell: “It is the duty of this committee to influence the various bodies to pay their proportion of the rates.” Or. R. W. Toomath: “This is practically an edict from Eastbourne and Petone that they do not propose to pay the rates in the future, and that legislation should be promoted.” Cr Campbell said he thought the committee should urge upon the bodies to contribute to the rates until the committee could pay them out of revenue. He thought the three boroughs should be proud to pay their proportions. The work done at the Hutt Park was marvellous, he said. Cr. Hogg’s motion was carried unanimously.

PICNICKERS v. CAMPERS Hutt Park Grounds A slight decrease in the number of picnic parties at the Hutt Park was commented on by Cr. W. H. Wilson at the meeting of the Hutt Park Committee last evening. He said the complaints made to him were that the tables and forms were mostly used by motor campers, and that as the picnickers could not get the use of them they had to go out and sit in the sun. Cr. Wilson said that something would have to bo done if the campers were to be treated equally with the picnickers..

The secretary, Mr. H. Firth, said the question arose whether the campers were going to be more profitable than the picnickers. On the motion of Cr. R. W. Toomath, it was decided that the executive committee consider the question of reserving a definite area for the campers.