King Country Chronicle WEDNESDAY, NOV. 13, 1912 TE KUITI DOMAIN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 517, 13 November 1912, Page 4

King Country Chronicle WEDNESDAY, NOV. 13, 1912 TE KUITI DOMAIN.

The frequency and facility with which motions are adopted and rescinded by the Borough Council is Bomewhat bewlidering to the average ratepayer, and even the councillors at times betray indications of not realising the why and the wherefore of the various acta with which they are associated. A short time ago the Council took into serious consideration the matter of a recreation ground. Councillors were appointed on a committtee to act with private citizens in investigating the position, and to make recommendations to supply an urgently required necessity in the town. The committee was composed of responsible people not likely to take hasty and ill-considered action, and as considerable time was devoted to investigation before a recommendation was submitted to the Council.it is fair to assume the various points had been deliberated, and tho public interests carefully studied. The report was unanimously adopted by the Council, and an affirming resolution duly carried. To all outward seeming the position with respect to tho recreation ground has not altered in the meantime, but at the last meeting of the Council a motion to rescind the affirming resolution was carried with practically no discussion. No exception can be taken to individual opinion expressed in private or in public. On the contrary it is altogether desirable to have the moßt widely expressed opinion on matters affecting the whole community,and had the councillors, after a full discussion, decided that their previous action in accepting the committee's recommendation was a mistako criticism would have been disarmed. Unfortunatoly a number of councillors were absent, but the remainder of those who were responsible for placing the affirming motion on the minute book, with one exception, failed to utter a word in justification of their change of front. How such facts will appeal to the members of the committee whose carefully considered recommendation was at first adopted, and subsequently turned down without any attempt at' justification, may not seriously concern the councillors, but common courtesy demanded that justification should have been attempted. With respect to tho merits of tho rescinding: motion there is little to Ije said. The' individual councillor responsible for the motion is to be commended, pre tem, for possessing tho courage of his: convictions. Judging from ordinary Council happenings, however, there is ; no reasonable surety that such convictions are not subject to alteration at tho first opportunity. In any case the chief argument adduced in favour of: retaining the present Domain was' that it was convenient for the school! children to play in. No attempt will be made to east the chill of doubt ore the statement. It is irrefutable. Tha question which arises is whether it a sufficient; reason for retaining the Domain in faco of the reasons which)

actuated a responsible committee im recommending otherwise. The atatement made by some people that the> present Domain will probably bo required for education purposes is no< argument against parting with the: ground. These people are advocating': the disposal of the ground, but hold that it should be disposed of in what' they happen to consider the right direction. It is ridiculous to suppose' the public will part with the ground; to the Education Department, or to' private individuals, without adequate' consideration. Furthermore, in the' opinion of many there are othor sitem l much more suitable for school or college than the Domain, and which' could be acquired by the Education Department at a less cost than the' Domain. ?The points which weighed

With the committee were, doubtless, the urgent necessity for a public recreation ground, and the fact that the coat of acquiring the same would be considerable. The reasonable and businesslike suggestion to convert a practically useless Domain into a thoroughly suitable public recreation ground, at little or nu cost to the ratepayers, bears the hall mark of common sense, and is entirely in the interests of the public at large. The alternative to the adpotion of the recommendation of the committee, if a recreation ground is desired by the public, iB the raising of a special loan for the purpose by the ratepayers, _aßd<adding the cost to the steadily growing amount of rates in the borough. Considering what ha 3to be faced in future by the ratepayers, there are strong reasons to agree with the gentlemen who investigated the Diaftr thoroughly, and reported to tfee'Council. If the councillors who played battledure and shuttle-cock with the report can produce equally strong reasons for their action they should have no hesitation in furnishing them.