THE RECREATION RESERVES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 15, 11 October 1910, Page 4

THE RECREATION RESERVES

THE BILL AS AMENDED.

We are indebted to the Hon. Oliver Samuel for a copy of the New Plymouth* Recreation and Racecourse ReserveAmendment Bill, which, it will be remembered, was, at the instance of themember for the district, referred back to the Local Bills Committee for further consideration. The evidence givenby the lions. Samuel and T. Kelly evidently impressed the Committee (which-, previously reported against the Bill proceeding further in any shape) with thereasonableness of th e New Plymouth. Borough's request for power to lease the? reserves, satisfying them that the Borough is not financially strong enough to« keep its reserves in order without leasing part of them. Under the amended Bill the corporation is declared a leasing authority under the Public Bodies Leases Act 1908,. but provides that no lease or underlease shall be permitted by which anyless area than one rood or greater area that four roods, shall be leased to any one person. The original Bill provided that the revenue from the leasing of the land be applied "in such proportions as the corporation shall from time to time decide in or towards the maintenance or improvement of any public parks, reserves, or places of public resort in the borough of New Plymouth or elsewhere in tie provincial district of Taranaki (whether the same are |under the control of the corporation or not), and the corporation may pay any part of the said sum to the trustees or persons haYing control of any such public parks, reserves, or places of public resort." The new section provides: "The corporation shall in the first place pay or retain all expenses incurred by the corporation in the exercise of the powers hereby conferred or incidental thereto, and pay one-half of the residue of such revenue to the Board of Trustees appointed under the Taranaki Botanic Gar* den Act, 1876, to be expended by such Board in, upon, or about the lands vested in it for a botanic garden and public recreation grounds; and expend the remaining half in, upon, or about such lands as are for the time being vested in the Corporation as reserves for public recreation, or in acquiring other. Iflnd for recreation purposes."