THE SEASIDE CARNIVAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 304, 19 December 1908, Page 6

THE SEASIDE CARNIVAL.

NUMEROUS CAMPING-OUT PARTIES, COMMITTEE SECURES CONTROL 01 THE FORESHORE. Messrs. G. Tisch, chairman, and A. L. Humphries, secretary, ol the New Plymouth Seaside Improvement Committee, waited on the Harbor Board yesterday in respect of a written application. Mr. Tisch explained to the Board that the Seaside Improvement Committee was an organisation of New Plymouth people banded together with the object of popularising New Plymouth, particularly the seaside. The committee had acquired the use of a piece of ground from the Railway Department, and this they proposed to use as a camping ground. Arrangements were being made for a regular supply of clean water and all conveniences. The committee was anxious to secure the control of the foreshore, where they expected numbers of family parties to camp during the holiday season. Their idea in obtaining this control was to 1 enable them to keep off ''undesirables." I' It was proposed to make a small charge to parties for ground rent, but not a prohibitive one, probably a shilling a week. They were making provision for i a caterer to .be on the ground to supp'y luncheons and teas on the "big days" at the seaside, and for those who did not avail themselves of this, the committee ■was providing hot water, milk and sugar free of charge. The committee had becu successful in arranging for a man-o'-war and the Amokura (the training ship) to .be here at New Year time, and they desired authority to control the passenger traffic between the wharf and the warship, the committee to take a certain percentage out of the boat takings. Tlie committee was under considerable expense in providing for catering, entertaining, printing and circulating pamphlets about the Dominion to advertise the town and district. The intention was to entertain the officers and crew • of the Amokura and the warship at a sports meeting and picnic in the Recreation Grounds, and the speaker took this opportunity of extending an invitation to the members of the Board to be present.

Iu answer to the chairman, Mr. Tisej said that the committee required the control of the beach during the camping season only, say, from December to the Easter holidays. Mr. Humphries said the object of this movement was to make New Plymouth ( the watering-place of the West Coast. The work so far undertaken had cost a good deal of money. There were not many sources of revenue, but a little would be derived out of rents for tents, from rents of sites, and from the passenger revenue between the warship and the wharf. They were not desirous of taking control of the beach altogether, but they should be placed in the position of dealing with all applications ! for permission to camp on the sea- [ front, so that they could exclude any undesirable parties. The -committee would not interfere, of course, with those people living on the beach now under arrangement with the Board. He reminded the Board that this was a 'big thing, and the operations of the committee were not going to do the harbor any harm. The presence of a man-o'-war and other attractions would bring to the seaside many (ratepayers and Taranaki people generally who had never yet seen the work that the Board had heen doing. ■ Mr. King asked if Mi'., Humphries ■ meant the Board to understand that be would force everybody on to the cuin-

mittee's own leased ground. 'Mr. Humphries said that they would not do that, but it was feasible that the people would go to the place where the committee was placing the water supply and other conveniences. Mr.' Tisch further remarked that the committee hoped to make a little prolit, which would be used in providing the nucleus of a fund with which to erect an accommodation house near the heach, to lie let to visitors from week to week. Mr. Hughes said his own idea was that many people in the country would he more likely to come in for a holiday under these" conditions than if they had to stay, at boarding-houses. 11l answer to the chairman, Mr. Tisch said that if the committee made the necessary money they would be erecting permanent boilers on the beach for the use of all visitors.

The deputation thanked the Hoard and retired. Mr. Marx recognised that these gentlemen were working in the best interj ests of the community, and the Board should lend them every encouragement. But it must ,l>e recognised that in aay delegation of authority the Board remained the paramount power. But he thought the committee could be placed in the position they asked for, without interfering with the Board's authority over the foreshore. Mr. King said the committee was making an excellent move, and should be encouraged. Mr. Ward said that he knew several families that were coming in from Stratford and Eltham, and these were already making their camping arrangements.

; After some further discussion, in 1 which it was apparent that the members recognised the benefit that would accrue from the success of the committee's operations, it was decided, on tire motion of Messrs. Marx and King, That i (he New Plymouth Seaside Improvement Committee's application .for control of the Moturoa beach as a resort for tourists and picnickers and oilier visitors be granted, subject to the harbormaster's approval of the committee's charges and arrangements, with the following conditions and reservations:— Committee to relieve the Board from all liability in connection with amusements, etc., by having necessary insurance provided, recognition of the 'Board's existing arrangements and tenancies, full consideration conceded to school children's excursions, the concession to terminate on April 30th, l!Wt. The committee was authorised to impound stray cattle and horses from the Esplanade. '