MEMORIAL PARK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 18, 14 October 1937, Page 9

MEMORIAL PARK

-Presa Association.)

Proposal to Honour Founder of Auckland "HOBSON PLACE"

(By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, Last Night. The utilisatioii of the old dock sito on the waterfront near Princes Wharf as a memorial park for Captain William Hobson was suggested in a recommendation brought before a meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board by the chairinan, the Hon. T. Bloodworth. A lively diseussion was provoked, several members objeeting to the disposal of a valuable property in this wayf and on a vote of eight to live the recommendation was referred back to the board in committee. "Since the board decided some weeks ago to consider the question of elearing the deck site, it has occurred to xne to suggest a use for the area that has not been referred to before," said Mr Bloodworth. "I suggest that, as part of the board 's contribution to the centenary celebrations in 1940, it should agree that the area should be suitably ' treated and set aeide as an opeh space to be known as Hobson Place, retained in the board 's ownership and maintained by the board as a memorial to Captain Hobson. "It may be said that the area is too valuable to be set aside for the purpose," said Mr Bloodworth. "With that I would not agree. ' The founder of the city should not have a memorial which is of little value. The area is valued at £173,563. Part of it hae been avaiiable for building purposes for 22, years, and the other part since 1924, so that the wliole area has been avaiiable for about 14 years, Except for one small part, the area is still untenanted. It' costs the board about £400 a- year, that being the. excess payable in rates over the amount received as rent. • " The "board could well afford to do this. Its last published balance-sheet showed a surplus of assets over liabilities of £2,860,275. I do not suggest that the area should pass 'from the board 's ownership. ' ' Moving as an amendment that the whole matter should be referred back to the board in committee, Mr W. E. MeCallum said it was preferable that the matter should receive some publicity before such an important decision was made. The present scheme had never before been indicated, and the public should be made conversant with it. The amendment was carried.