PUKEKURA PARK.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1916, Page 5

PUKEKURA PARK.

.MEETING OF COMMITTEE. At the monthly meeting of the abo>e committee last evening there were present Messrs S. Percy-Smith (chairman), R. C. Hughes, H. Ford, and C. H. Drew (lion. see.). The following letter (translated, the original being in Maori) was received fiom Mr. W. Swanson, jr., Maori interpreter, Auckland: —"Please accept from an admirer and appreciator of your beautiful Pukekura, Park the enclosed cheque for 20s, as a subscription towards its upkeep. I consider that it is an ideal park, and the very best I have so far seen in New Zealand. May God preserve all you guardians of the Pukekura Park and grant you long life to continue your good work, for great is my wonder and pleasure in seeing its beauty. I regret that n?y poverty pievents my making my contribution larger. Please ask your secretary to remind me each Ist of January, that I may send my ) early contribution." The curator, Mr. W. W. Smith, reported as follows:—As in the month of January, the mowing of rough grass, grubbing of gorse seedlings, and burning of dry rubbish accumulating under the areas of pine treea has been the chief work of the staff for the past month. Two days were devoted to mowing and dragging out by the roots certain objectionable plants that hnd made their appearance in the upper lake this season. Owing to the continued drought the Svater in the upper lake i 3 now lower than it has been for eight years. There is. however, no offensive smell in the much lowered waters of the lake. The small streams flowing into the park from the Carrington Road and the one from the racecourse valley, are the only sources of water supply we receive to keep the lakes up at present. The dry season is also responsible for the rapid decay of some of the older seats in the park. Some of them on the brow of the cannon hill and others around the upper lake will require new planking immediately. Two small planks will also be required soon to replace others in the floor of the Poet's Bridge. The drought has caused a lot of extra work to the staff in watering tree-ferns, etc., planted last winter. The general and older vegetation of tlie Park is not showing any signß of the continued dry weather. Owing to tile high price of fowl feed at the present time I would suggest to the Board that it dispose of two dozen of the tame ducks now inhabiting the lower lake. We have 28 native wild ducke on hand, and, as the sporting season is drawing near, numbers of others will come to the lakes. They soon become tame, and are very much more interesting to visitors. Mr. Newton King offered to present to the committee an outrigger canoe that he had secured from Rarotonga, and the committee accopted the gift with thanks. Mr. Harris Ford was appointed visitor for the month, and two small accounts were passed for payment.