Civic Square Plans

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 140, 30 June 1937, Page 5

Civic Square Plans

REPLY BY MAYOR Comment on Mr Ebbett's Criticisms CENOTAPH TO REMAIN "No-one deplores more than X do tne cutting-down of any tree or slirub, but sornetimes necessity compels such action to be taken in a system of town or sectional town-planning," said the Mayor of Hastings, Mr. G. A. Maddison, m a statement to the Press today. " Personally, " he added, "I think that their destrnction may have been rather preraatwe, and it appears to me that this work has ,oeen the suhject of some inisunderstanding. I was not awaxe that the trees were being cut out, and it was my hope in carryingont the Civic Square development that these trees would be allowed to remain so long as it was possible, "In the minutes of the oouncil meeting of March 16. last," the stafcer ment continues, "it was agreed that. arangements be made for the levelling oi the square, and the sowing-down of the area in gr'ass, and there is, no doubt that this is where the misunderstanding has arisen. Again, at a meeting of the council on April 8, a, resolution was passed reoommending that the proposed plan of the lay-ou^ of the Civie Square be, deferred for consideration wh.en the &upplementary estimates were being dealt with. "However, may I make this observation : that far more. planting, has been done in the borough reserves since 1921 than was done in the previous 36 years and no forward move was made until that year in the progressive imprp'vernent of any or all of the parks or reserves. "I appreciate the eentiments expressed hy Mr Ebbetfc, that. the surroundings of the. Cenotaph should have, au atmosphere of their ownt and, it is, the council' s. intention to, preserves that purpose and to provide an improved setting for this memorial, that will ]be in keeping with its, maiesty and dignity and solemnity, and will be observable, I hope, from every point, of the compass, and not merely from the. north and west, as has been the position until reCently. "I do not give, place to Mr Eibbeit of to anyone else in my respeet for and recognition' of those brave and seif-sacrificing men, who gave their lives for me and for others, and so far as it lies, within my power every effort will be made fo, provide surroundhigfs for this great soldiers' memorial that will be adequate, beautiful and appropriato. * - Not intended as "Rough- House." "The Civic Square ia not intended to be a 'rough house' for children or anyone else, as Mr Ebbett suggests, and this is quite a wrong statement for him to make. The trees that have been cut down, I fully reoognise, have been a great comfort to so many of our womenfoik during the hot, suuny days, but nevertheless they were the rendezvous (unfortunately within a few yarda of our aacred Cenotaph) for nocturnal prowlers of an undesirable character, and for misdemeanour. "The destruction of the trees was certainiy to be regretted, but 1 understand they could not possibly eonform with, or be included in a successful Civic Square plan — a plan that was prepared by the leading authority in New Zealand at that time, on town and/or garden planning, and whose credentials and performances in nation-' al qnd municipal and qommunity undertakings of this nature could not be questioned, and certainiy Mr Hammond ia not deserving of the insinuation made by Mr Ebbett. "Again, I thought Mr Ebbett followed publio alfairs more elosely, because there has been no concealment or secrecy in Civic Square matters. I repeat an adverfcisement which appeared hf Ihe Press, and which is as foUows HASTINGS BOROUGH COUNCIL PUBLIC MEETING ; An address on the proposed Oivic Plan and Town-Planning generally will Ue given by Mr. E. B. Hammond, F.N.Z J.A., M.T.P.L., A.M.T.P.I. (Lond.) on Wednesday, 4th November, 1936, at 8.0 p.m., dn the Council Chambers, Hastings. The publie is cordially invited to be present, and in view of the general interest of the subject, His Worehip the Mayor will be pleased to soe a good attendance. NOEL O. HARDING, Town Clerk. ' TOWN-PLANNING ADDEESS » A public meeting has been called by the Mayor, Mr. G. A. Maddison, for next Wednesday evendng in the Council Chambers, for the purpose of hearing an address by Mr. R. B. Hammond, the well-known town-planning expert, who has been epecially asked by the Borough Council to address the townspeople on the proposed Civic Square and on town-planning generally. Mr. Hammond has already drawn preliminary plans of the proposed Civic Square under instructions from the Council, and in view of the great limportance of town-planning in general, it is hoped that there will be a big attendance at the meeting, which will commence at 8 o'clock on Wednesday night. "Con/sequently," Mr. Maddison 's statement adds, "Mr. Ebbett, if he was sufficiently interested, or if he happened to be m Hastings at the time, and his_ health allowed, had every opportunity of participating in , that meeting, and we would have welcomed his co-operation. To Mr. Ebbett, the Civic Square may be a paltry job, as he deseribes it —there are many things that could be desribed as ' paltry '—but I am of tho opinion that the Civic Square, when eompleted, will not be a paltry affair, but ^will be one of the outstanding achfevements in civie progress. "Further, Mr. Ebbett can rest assured there has never been, and I hope never will be, any thought of oioving the ' Cenotaph to any othot position. Mr, Ebbett can make what

threats he likes — I am accustoxned to them — nor do I indulge in 'flag-flying;' and hia remark about three or fom praetical men with common seasb, from the council, requires further interptotation. If it means what he says, it is a refiection on at least five otbui members of the. council, who possess undoubtedly coaunon sense, and who ply their time and (sommon sense is the service of the borough. "So far as the new library bnllding is concerned, its loeation will be a matter, I presume, for some council many years .ahead, unless some kindly-dia-posed person leaves us a legacy of ap» proximately £12,000 to £15,000; and the present council has decided to leave the library where it is at the present time, and to enlarge it by eventually occupy« ing that part of the Municipal Build* ings now used by the Power "Board. "I am sorry that I have been compelled to make the above commentary, because Mr. Ebbett is well aware of the code of courtesy that exists between Mayors and Mayora, or Mayora and ex-Mayors; and'l thought that ha might have shown me this consideration as an ex-Mayor, to come to my room, or I even for that mafter could have gone to his officej if he was too busy to come to me, and discussed tbia matter of guch public importanc,^'*