Tuakau Domain

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 338, 14 December 1917, Page 1

Tuakau Domain

[TO» THE EDITOB") Sir—After this letter I do not t intend to tromble you further in connection with the above subject as the argument is not worth the ink and ' paper, much Jess space in your valuable columns. Mr MeGhure evidently thinks that I should hare corrected the report t appearing in your paper which read " formerly undler control of a Domain Board," but I am not responsible for any error thai may occur in a newspaper report. I said in my last letter that the Press was not represented when the deputation waited on the Prime Minister, but the re- , port nevertheless gave the substance I of the deputation's request, that is to say, that the Town Board were seeking to acquire a portion of the Domain for the purpose of purchasing a recreation ground nearer the township, where it could be used for all purposes by the public. Mr McGuire asks "why all the secrecy over the matter " and " why the deputation did not consult the controlling body ? " My answer to that is because we did not know who the controlling body was. I did ' know that Mr McGuire had some•thing to do with it, but I did not know he was tile Chairman of the Board until his letter appeared in the paper and I did not know who the other members were until a few days ago when I was talking to lb McGuire on the subject. Considering that Mr HcGuire told me that there had not been an election of officers for abo<ut ten years and also that when any member of the Board dropped out by reason of leaving the district, or by death or any other cause, they (die Domain Board) pimply appointed another member to take his place without the approval of the Franklin County Council, the Minister of Lands or Internal Affairs or of anybody of authority, can one wonder that the Tuakau Town Board did not know the personnel of the Domain Board. ? Mr McGuire says I was quite wrong in stating that the Domain has not been used to any great extent and he refers to the Tennis Club being in a very flourishing condition prior to the war. Why, Bir, we see dozens of tennis courts at private homes and at publ.c schools, and almost in every district there is a tennis court, all of which are much appreciated by the young people, but they are quite apart from a public reoreation ground. We have an ashphalt tennis court on a portion of the land donated to the public by Mr A. Madill in the township and this was much used previous to the war, but it does not constitute a domain or a recreation ground for all purposes. Mr McGuire goes on to say that it is the people's own fault that the Domain is not used more. We admit that frankly enough but also state that it will never be used because of its unsuitable position and unsuitable ground, which quite justifies the Town Board in seeking to better the position for the district as regards a domain. The Chairman of the Tuakau Domain Board concludes lift letter by saying that his statement still stands that it is one of the best pieces of Domain property near Auckland and he adds that it is for Mr Fulton to show to the contrary. I will endeavour to show its value as briefly as possible. The Domain consists of some 37 acres. The outer portion of thirty acres, all laid down in grass, is let for £2l per year, and the value of the land is easily worth £4O per acre. Beckoning the 30 acres at £4O per acre makes a total of £I2OO and works out at less than two per cent on the capital value. The portion near the road consisting of seven acreß, excluding perhaps one and a half acres of flower beds, tennis court, etc, is let but the Chairman could not tell me from memory what rent they received for that. This portion of five or six acres of grazing land was only laid down in grass about three years and 1 would venture to say that it is not bringing in more than £7 per year. As capital value it is good at £6O per I acre, amounting to £420, so that anyone can see from a glance the value of the Tuakau Domain. It is useless to the public and as an endowment it does not pay 2 J per cent on its face value. Enough said. —Yours, etc., D. FULTON, Chairman Tuakau Town Board