CITY'S RESERVES

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 48, 25 August 1933, Page 6

CITY'S RESERVES

PJIAISE POII DIKECTOR

IMPROVED SURROUNDINGS

The great improvement in the city's reserves and public gardens, during the last few years, including the Botanical Gardens, particularly the begonia house, was referred to by the chairman of the reserves committee (Councillor J. Burns) at the meeting of the City Council last night.

No doubt, said Councillor- Burns, tho tramways had benefited from all this work. Residents -must recognise the improvements in the Town Belt, which has undergone a great transformation. No fewer than 50,000 pohutukawas had been planted and they would make a great display in a few years. Outstanding improvements had been made in Central Park, which now presented a beautiful sight, -including even the rubbish dump, whero it was later proposed'to install a municipal bowling green. Tho Otari Reserve was another great attraction, which, with more favourable transport facilities would be much more largely attended. The city was much indebted to the scientists and to those who gave free labour towards making the Otari garden a success. The street gardens had alsoshown a great improvement, and the removal of the trees in Fitzhcrbert Terrace was fully justified. NEEDS OF SPORTS BODIES. While all this beautification had been going on, the reserves committee had not lost sight of tho needs of the sports bodies, or of the need of recreation grounds for women and children. There were great improvements at Kelburn Park, Lyall Bay, and tho golf links. The latter were always overcrowded, and he believed that if the city \>msessed another golf course such as Berhampore, it would pay inside a couple of months. Children's play areas had not been forgotten. Tho Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) congratulated the director on the scope and meticulous care evident in his report. At times it must have appeared that tho councillors had been at loggerheads with the reserves department, but he could say with every confidence of support that there was no officer of tho Corporation who worked more assiduously and effectively than the director of reserves. Anyone who looked round the reserves of the city must bo pleased with the result. The report was ablo and exhaustive. Councillor C. H. Chapman, M.P., said it was evident that all the sports wero well looked after, and the council received £10,000 a year in fees from them, which has a decided offset against tho maintenance of the reserves. Referring to the Town Belt, Councillor Chapman spoke of the 63,000 trees awaiting planting. In a few years tho hills would bo transformed.

Other councillors warmly congratulated the director upon his report* Councillor W. H. Bennett referring to the necessity-of protecting the Haywards ■Reserve, and Councillor B. Sample, M.P., emphasising the care."and^attention with which the director had utilised out'Of-therway-. and neglected spots for the beautification of the city. Few. people realised-the magnitude of the work nor the skill with which it had been done. AERODROME RECEIPTS. Councillor P. M. Butler also expressed his appreciation of the report, but remarked that in one particular it was not quite correct. It was stated that receipts frOm the aerodrome- had met expenditure, with the exception of interest and sinking fund. Actually tho position was that the receipts last year were £1324, and the expenditure, excluding interest and sinking fund, was £.1684.