DEPUTATION TO THE HON. W. ROLLESTON.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 2994, 29 January 1881, Page 3

DEPUTATION TO THE HON. W. ROLLESTON.

A deputation, consisting of His Worship the Mayor, Captain Bower, and Messrs, Swan, Leonard, Monteith, and Ellis, waited upon the Hon. W. Rolleston yesterday in reference to the constitutes of the Domain Board of the Meanee recreation reserve.

His Worship the Mayor, on behalf of the deputation, reminded the bon. gentleman that a petition, signed by nearly a thousand electors of Napier and the neighbourhood, had been forwarded to the Premier asking that the reserve should be vested in the Corporation of Napier. The petition was read, and several members of the deputation added arguments in support of it. One of the deputation stated his belief that the Government, in their action in this matter, had been prompted by Mr Ormond.

In replying, Mr Rolleston said he took upon himself the entire responsibility of the action of the Government. He did not approve of boroughs having these reserves in their hands ; he thought the country districts had an interest in such reserves, and should have some say in the management. The appointment of the Board had been made by the Governor in Council, and could not be altered without legislation, and he did not think the House of Representatives would be willing to legislate in the direction desired by the deputation. He said that members of the Jockey Club had been put upon the Board because it was thought that racing would form a portion of the recreation for which the reserve was intended. He would suggest tbat the Board should be called upon to carry out their trust by having the reserve fenced, grassed, and prepared for the purposes for which it was intended. If any vacancies occurred in the Board, the borough and the districts contiguous to the reserve should be considered in filling up such vacancies.

It was pointed out by the deputation that the interests of the Jockey Club were diametrically opposed to those of the Racing Club, which was composed mainly of residents within the borough. The hon. gentleman said he could give them no hope, at present, of any legislation in the direction they desired. After thanking Mr Rolleston for his courtesy in receiving them, the deputation withdrew.