THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1912. THE RECREATION GROUND

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 39, 29 October 1912, Page 2

THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1912. THE RECREATION GROUND

"It i' ui/lhiiiij i .tit ninth , nor si I iluiru uiiijht in innlkr."

Toe Borough Council has appointed a eomii.ittce to (onsiaer the question of suitable sites for a "recreation Krtund," to secure options ovtr such piop.rtiis an are offering, and to report to the Council. Already a very attractive site has heen offered o'i Docttu's Hill Ly Mr E. Koose. At the price quoted tne property is undoubtedly cheap, hut we think the coinnii tee should ascertain exactly where the proposed line runs in order to precis, ly d terniine the position of the property and the particular bush that it unbraces, l'erhaps it would he well if the committee made a sketch of the boundarks, llie proposed mads in, and the anas of bush and list lands included, so that the Council may fully undertjtairi tf.e si nation, there is one stipulation in Mr U, rise's offer that we do not like at all. It is this: "I reserve the right to cut the six test puriri trees landing on il e land I am prepared to sell for a domain, and take no respon sibility for damage In shrubs, trees', turf, etc., resulting from felling ami removing the timlier." What the Council will have to consider is the purpose for which the "nuiid is rti|iiired If the chiei end in view is the establishment 01

a (1 rrrin of n ati. -•) I beauty, the d:' tru;l!on of tt.eii p■_riri treps—to spy nothing of the gereral ruin to smaller tree 3 which their felling would cause—would be a serious and tlmott irremediable Blunder Tries of such attractiveness and alFardiuji such fins shade to be preserved at any reasonable cost. Their permanent and artistic value as leafy gems of the landscape would be n.finitply greater than their commercial value as, say, posts fir fencing purposes, Perhaps Mr Kuose would waive this claim for the berefit of posterity, but if not then the Count il ehoull ascertain what cash value is put upon the trees—and pay it. That is, of coim-e, if this site is selected. Within easy distance of Fukekohe there is no such natural beauty anywhere as the native bush anrj punga gull-ys on Uoc r or"s Hill, an! if ever a piece of tush deserved to. be preserved this piece does. It the Council (hoos s this s'te, well and gooi, but if not then the Council and the Chamber of Commerce shou'd are it Ihey ii terest the Scenery Preservation Cimmissnn in this matter ard have this crarmirg spot reserved. If the idea of th2 Couici! \i to secure a r creation ground where field sports as cricket and football could be playrd, th-n the committee should have the area measured which might- possirly be use J for these purposes, and give an estimate of the cost of the necfssnrv levelling of the ground, ihe wi-iUr'" idea,after a cursory a'.d incomplete inspection, is thai, the site will be fund impracticable as a field for cricket anJ football, although this opinitn may be proved to be wrong upon a mure car ful examination The Council, then, will first of all have to deckle the obj ct for which it proposes to secure a site. Shall it be (1) a tomain, pure and simple; (2) a recreation ground for field and athletic sports, or (3) a site «hich can be planted and built up to serve both purposed" We are strongly of the opinion that the ground v-hich would serve the dual objtcts wi'ull be ihe moat suitable.