RECREATION GROUNDS BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 135, 6 July 1909, Page 3

RECREATION GROUNDS BOARD

TJm Recreation Grounds Board met in ;Y fhe Town Hall last night. There were !>- present: Messrs F. P. OorkiU (chairW man), R. Cock, R. 0. Hughes, Harris' ! Ford, and the Borough Council's repre- ' r —)>liltii|| Messrs 6. TiSch (Mayor), F. 5' ■ 0. Bellringer, and A. E. Watkins, i' Upon the (minutes being read Mr. ?■* Cock complained of the irregularity of the Board's meetings, despite the deci- • ,rion' to meet on the first Monday in ■- eaoh month. This was the first meeting k ■ held since ie beginning of April. f*' f?he chairman explained that no meet* * ?!* heen held in May because the i BdrongJi Council delegates could not |V, nt there oil account of a Council meet|ir- lit. Cock said that the Board could Jf-inot hope to keep in touch with the >work in the grounds unless meetings Were held more regularly. TJiey had a Mr. Tribe, .who had returned aevSral months ago from his holiday, s> * fcut he had 'not regained possession' of ~t'l : the books. The members knew the ||h' Boafd must be in debt, but had no idea SK:' 1 |p yhat extent. It -was' time, too, that KJ, accbunts were audited. k|?' the chairman stated that the Board ffwvWa* certainly in debt, and he had had advance moneys out of his own pock■Jvet. He also explained how it was that annual accounts had not heen audit--s'ied. tf% Considerable discussion followed aproby the Board that th% Board Blight endeavor to provide work for the Wjlinemployed. There was a good deal of ii>'?Work to be dooe in the grounds, partifetularly in making the paths fit for pedre««strian traffic. At present they were jtsfjery greasy and treacherous. pj- The chairman pointed out that whilst £sHiere was undoubtedly much work to ®sbe done, the Board had no money to do »/ : lt with. Mr. Cock complained that the Board 5" was employing the curator, a high-sal-i' l; :aried and highly capable botanist and - -'landscape designer, on pick-and-ehovel 5 work. He agreed that i r tile paths must have attention, and y, compared them unfavorably with the S 'i olden days when Mr. Claffey had them 1 rounded up with a good camber. He .4 ~. was prepared to give towards em- '} f ploying casual labor ia improving the K paths, which were a disgrace as they ttood at present. 'j['\ The chairman said the Board was un.doubtedly suffering in its finances as tho J' result of the formation of the new sports ground. The Board had lost .'"folly £BO or £75 in revenue from letWT": .ting the grounds, besides which the tide W of practical sympathy had .been turned i * the sports ground. The Board I , could not expect to receive revenue from jfcj"" VJthiS source for some years to come. • Mr. Cock sai(l it was useless for the ®.A V Board to talk. He felt sure the ladies jJßti would help if they were asked to ara fund-raising function. ajftv' Members thought the Sports Ground SH*? v Committee might tome to the assistance He! \of the Board. Mr. Hughes said the Board would do afey-''better if the meetings were held more SBBfegj tegular and frequent. The secretary Should call the meetings for the due SK.rr.,l|gLte without consulting the chairman anyone else. Only four were needed i|to form a quorum, fe&.'ltr chairman said that the Board tad always been in a precarious finan%f(- Cial position as far 'back as he could

i'. remember it. A "joint-and-several" o{ ;,ljre members had been no-means uncomirnon. It waa decided to convene a. special " jneeting for Wednesday, July 14th, to . oiscnss ways and means and adopt the annual report and balanctfsheet. VANDALISM. : t *Ehe' chairman drew .the Board's at- . -leption to the depredations in the - grounds of late. The tame trout that bad loved to feed had been .' Stolen; ducks that bad ibeen caged up ■ ior nestinghad also been stolen, their Souses being broken into; the jackass wins pelted with glass and nails; and ■ '-How the peacock's pen had been ruthlessly damaged. | vtttcy encouraged the depredations. If «he discovered offenders were punished, ■witho" 1 reference to their standing or W:, ,j' li t , '.'iere would be lesa of this misSrf'*'' , It'v.io decided to communicate with Wilson,'in charge of-this po= lice district, and Sergeant Haddrell, a view of obtaining some measure jjliy- of-aseistance from the police.