Permanent Showgronnd.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 3 September 1918, Page 3

Permanent Showgronnd.

THIE DOM AT N-R AOECOU RSE EXCHANGE. •MAJORITY OF BOARD FAVOUR PROPOSAL. PUBLIC MEETING TO BE HELD. At the conclusion of the Borough Council meeting last night, the members sat as it Domain Board to consider the proposal pu|i before tlho Board recently by a deputation of the A. and P. Association. The proposal was, that to enable the A. and P. Association to acquire permanent grounds, the Board should agree to the exchange of 40 acres of its domain at Lake iHorowhenua fon 40 acres of tflie P.ark Company's Toserre in Makomako road, and that at the same time the A. and P. Association purchase 'iho remaining 32 aares, oontaining the grandstand and other building", of the Park Company's reserve, this giving a 72-acre block for public use. _ The Mayor said tihis was a big question but not an impossible one. Provided they made it as certain as possible that the A. and P. Association do acquire the balance of the land, he saw nothing against' ilb, and- was rot re tihio exchange would be to the advantage of the town. Or Matheson: In what way P The Mayor: We are giving a decided advantage to 'ihe A. and! P. Association by encouraging them to acquire per- j manent grounds such as wiH serve for I many- years to come. In return for a comparatively out-of-the-way reserve we are to< gel to all intents and purposes a reserve of 70 aoref. The A. and' P. Association .a;nd tlhte Board will I pull together in the matter and an exceptionally good area and better suited than the Lake domain" will be at the disposal of the public. Or Bull: Don't you think it a lititle out of the way P The ->j.ayor and Or. Bryson considered it no furlbher from the centre of the town than the Lake domain. Gi- Matheson asked why 70 acros was required for a reserve. The Mayor said it ooukl be used for general sporte purposee. Or Maliheson: Would not the A. and P. Association want the revenue from the buildings P Tho Mayor said he did not see anything tih'at would give >rise to friction between reasonable men. Or AiSkou : There would he dual con-

Tli© Mayor: Not necessarily. 'Even af the Board was not able to work with the Association, which wat« most improbable, it would stiUl have its 40 acres. Or Parker asked whaii advantage tilie proposed arrangement would be to tho general public, the residents who hadi an interest in the Lake reserve as apart from the ratepayers. ,He admitted they were assisting the A. and P. Association, but that iapsect had not the same interest for the residents in distinction to the business people. At the present time they had 53 acre?*, adjacent to Lake and dwelt on the attraction this would be in the future and the scenic asset vo constituted!. Was there not any way tho A. and P. Association couldi get a permanent ground withou,': taking this reserve from tho people. He would like to be able to fli'ow the public a better deal than that proposed. Could n<£> this domain be exchanged for the portion of the reserve with the buildings on it, giving the A. and P. Association an absolute tenure for 10 or 15 years So that t/hey would be satisfied to put their buildings there. The public hadi a right to a grandstand for sporfrs pur. poses. He claimed that the present proposal was not reasonable. No man sitting at 'ihc table would entertain it in hio private business. They must not lose sight of the fact that fihey had the Lake, 13 acres and 40 acres all together which would be very valuable as a whole. The Mayor pointed out in regard .to the respect:ve values that the Board would not have the deciding voice in that mattetr. They wou'ldl not be allowed to -make a deal on their own. They wouldi have to get land to the satisfaction of I'Jie Government Valuer of equal value to that parted with. IF that reserve was the only reserve at the Lake .jit, would be a different thing, ,biit they also had the reserve running round thie Lake and he considered that quite sufficient to show off the beauties of the Lake. Tin's was a better, scheme ithan Cr Parker's because it practically save ai reserve of 70 acres. Cr Mackenzie: Is there any way we can assist the Show people and retain tlio reserve. Cr Aitken remarked thtit there was no suggestion that i';he Boardi yliould be repaid the money it had spent on the Lake reserve; The Mayor said that was a mere bagatelle compared with the whole question- „ „ t i i Cr Matheson said the Board had spent £230. Cr Ryder: But see what ha* been spent on the racecourse. Cr Matheson contended that it •would be necessary >':o put up a dividing fence . The Mayor didl not think this would be necessary. . Or Lancaster said tho repidients would have a ground suitable for all purposes—racing, show, football and sports. It would be a great pity ir >hey did not take the opportunity ot acquiring this block as otherwise he wap sure it would be cut up and sold. If the Board took this step its action would be appreeiatedl by thie people in vears to corue. . _ , ' Or Parker: Would Cr Lancaster require access to and. the right to use those buildings for the public. Could we get that as a right? Cr Lancaster: Ye*. I am sure we could. ~ii Or Mackenzie said ho had an open mind on 'the f.ubjeot. Ho considered that the interests 1 oi' the Board and the A and P. were mutual in regard! to the reserve it was proposed to acquire. The Mavor: The public constitute the A. and P. Association aI«o. II the A and, P. Association do not work with , tile Board the public have their remedy in that they could become members of the A. and P. Association and alter the policy. , „ , Cr Parker saifd not one of the dozen leading shows in the Dominion h' . a showground, of the area the local Association was to get—32 acres Cr Aitken: If the A. and P. Association can finance tho 32 acres why come to us to acquire the other 40 acres. Cr Lancaster: Bec&ui-e the ground is suitable for football, spoils and picnics or anything else. . Cr Aitken: It is not wanted for anything else. We have our own football and golf grounds. . , Or Lancaster reminded the tliaib cycle sports were held there last ) o The Mayor said that even if tließoard was unanimous ho should have to put the matter before a public meeting. Councillors: Hear, hear. Or Aitken said the decision of 'ohe Board was going to have some weight withi the public. - The Mayor said in answer to a ques- • tion that he did not think a voLe was necessary. . Cr Matheson reverted to the point as to where the Board; was going get a return for its domain. 'We a're go.ug to give up grounds" he said already fenced and planted, with golf links laidi out, and the Lake near bv. and are going -bo .get ground we have to partly fence, plant and put m order and that will have practically no frontage. Tf we are going to ge(i someof the' revenue that tlie A. and F. Association arc going to make from the buildings it would seem fairer.' Tho Mayor: "Why bother about what the other people are going to make. The question is will the Board be in ' as «wd a position after the exchange ■ as before. I consider it will be better ' o *Or Ryder said the Racing dub when it was operating paidi large sums to the Park Company for one day's use of the

ground and this would be a likely noiirce of revenue again and the rental would be divided with tlio Board. The Mayor ;:aid he did not think tine Council would bo justified in taking over ft lot of perishable buildings. He would strenuously oppose taking the reserve loaded with the b nil dings and necessitating heavy expenditure on upkeep. Or Matheson: How is thle A. and P. Association going to do itP Or Pairkeir: Tlie party that holds tho buildings is the party that will geti the revenue. * Tlie Mayor said the A. and P. Association wonldi, he believed, be delighted with Or Parker's proposal, which ww a very much worse deal for the Bojird than that proposed by the Association. To bring tne matter to a head he inov--1 That the Board fail ! l in with ilie suggestion of the deputation aflid notify the A. and P. Association of their willingness to take the necessary steps to bring about the da-ired exdiange, subject 'x> the approval of the scheme by the public to be expressed: at a public meeting called 1 for the purpose. Or Lancaster seconded the motion. 1 Or Matheson moved an amendment: That'; a public meeting be oaflled and that the proposal of the A. and! P. Association be put before them_. The Mayoir expressed the opinion that the amendment was burking i';lie question. The Board should state its opinion. Cr Aitken: Why not get , public opinion first? 'J'h9 Mayor: Tlie amendment just means passing the matter on to the public as if you were afraid; to give am opinion of your own. Cr Matheson: I dlon't think you caJi fairly say that, sir. There has been no fear shown ih'ere to-nigh l '; in discussiivs: the matter. The .Mayor contended that the Board should give its answer first. The A. and P. Association had a.sked for an answer and lit should be given yJiem. Or Parker: Our answer is thlat the matter is of sufficient importance to go before the public. Cr Ma':ehson said, the motion asked the Board to vote Yes or No without knowing what the public wishedl. The Mayor: Suirely tho public are justified in expecting ■m know the. attitude of the Board before the proposal is placed before them. Cr Matheson: They will get that alright. Cr Barker: If we defeat you i';he proposal will not go before the public. Cr Matheson contended that the motion forced those opposed to the pro posa.l to vote against a public meeting and Or Parker urged the Mayor to divide his motion into two clauses.

The Mayor said' lie could noi (see his way to do that. Ho failed to see tho point Councillors were trying to make. It at any time a demand came to him ais Mayor of the iown to call a public meeting he should feel it his duty to call that meeting, even if a motion like this was lost. Or Mackenzie :..Tt can easily be nl'xitcd at the meeting that the BoardV decision was not unanimous. Hie .Mayor said lie wanted to be able to .tell ihc deputation what the attitucle of the Board was. Or Matheson: I fail to see how oouncillors can hoivestly vote on this question wif:h the little information before them at prevent. Tho Mayor: What more information dio you want? Or Matber-on : All we know is that the A. and P. Association wair; to exchange 40 acres of tho racecourse for 40 acres of our reserve. The Mayor :That is not so. The basi)s of the* exchange is for value, not acre for acre. Or Parker said some members of £he deputation thought otherwise. The Mayor said he specially asked •'..hat question and was asf ured that i:t was value for value. At Cr Bull's suggestion, the Mayor included in his motion the words: "It being understood that the proposed exchange be made on an oven ba> ! is of valuation." The amend'omnt was then put aud lost, the voting being: Noes (6), The Mayor, Crs Mackenzie, .Lancaster, ltydor, Bull and Bryron. Ayes (3), Crs Parker, Aitken and Mathoson. Tlie Mayor's mooicn was tTieJi carried 'iv the same division.