PUKEKURA PARK BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 May 1916, Page 8

PUKEKURA PARK BOARD.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Fukekura Park Board was held last night, when there ..were present: Messrs. S. Percy Smith (chairman), \V. K. Newman, K. 0. Hughes, W. A. Collis, R. Cock, Harris, Ford, W. F. Short/and C. H. Drew (secretary). An apology was received for the absence of the Mayor. ANNUAL REPORT. The Curator, Mr. W. W. Smith, Submitted his report on the work completed in Pukekurft Park during the year ending March 31, 1916, as follows: "On the occasion of the first meeting of the board members at the park, after the annual meeting held a year ago, it was decided to purchase sufficient pipe 3 and timber with which to drain the walks around the upper and lower lakes, and other parts of the pari: requiring draining. The work was undertaken and completed in a month, which proved a comfort to visitors, and now prevents much less scouring of the walks. "The decaying trees ordered to be removed from several parts of the park were duly felled, cut into firewood, and sold. The walk leading up the hill from near the triangulir bed at the Sports' ground, and around the top c»f the Sports' ground valley, was continued and completed. The floors of the four bridges were well repaired with new planking, (nd all are now in good order. ''The reclaiming and remodelling of ine swampy valley situated near th.i tearooms was also completed and planted chiefly with "native trees, shrubs and ferns. They have all grown vigorously whilst the work has greatly improved the entrance to the bank from the sports ground. On completion of the work v at the swamp we resumed the work of reforming end shingling parts of the walks so long as -the shingle I lasted. We propose to return to the , tt'ork when the forthcoming ten loads of shingle comes to hand from the gaol quarry. All the seats and fences have recently been repaired which work will not again be required for some considerable time. The planting and transplanting undertaken and completed during last season have proved a success. Several ladies and gentlemen living in different districts in the Taranaki pro-, ince having offered to send packages of native plants. We propose to adopt a vigorous system of planting all the available spaces, and there are many, with native trees, shrubs, and ferns, during the coming planting season. Some of the older trees and straggling undergrowth will require to be removed to enable us to continue the annual planting with success. The past season was one of exceptionally vigorous growth of : the general vegetation of the park. Owing to the extremely dry season, the lower- .'. ing of the water in the upper lake impaired its appearance much. The water lias risen considerably lately, and is now almost normal. In addition to the work of the park staff noted above, the chief ivork during the spring and summer , months was that of mowing, and burni mg rubbish, grubbing gorse, cleaning, and 1 the general maintenance of the board's ■' properly. Although the hoodlum clement has asserted itself on several occasions during the year there was not so much of it as was practiced during the ! two previous years. At the present .1 time all the board's property is in good / condition."

• BALANCE-SHEET. The balance-sheet showed that recepits had amounted to £358 Ss )d, the principal items being: Cash in hand £36 5s 7d, Borough subsidy £lB7 10s, box donations £2 13s lid, subscriptions £(l4 3s, firewood £4 2s, rent £56 2s Gd, boat license .£2 2s fid, sale of drakes 13s 7d. Expenditure amounted to £372 10s lfld, the principal items being: Wages £3IQ 6s 7d, bird food £lO 10s, gravel £2 4s, bank charges and interest £1 15s 9d, petty cash -£9 Is 3d. tools, cartage, insurance, etc., £8 Ss 7d. The debit balance is £1!) 3s 9d. The. Board started last J-ear with a credit of £8 10s lid. The chairman and members considered that the balance-sheet was very satisfactory, seeing that "Pukekura Park Saturday" had not been held. The position was better than was anticipated. Mr. R. C. Hughes said that no new work had been undertaken. On the motion of Messrs. Ford and Hughes, the report and balance-sheet were adopted.

THE COMING YEAR, Mr. Hughes said that he had interviewed Mrs. Dockrill, in connection with the holding of Pukekura Park Saturday this l year. It was thought that despite the numerous oth*er calls a considerable sum could be raised, and Mrs, Dockrill suggested that a meeting of ladies should be convened. Ot the motion of Messrs. Hughes and Cock it was resolved that the chairman convene a meeting of ladies to consider the best steps to be taken for paying off the bank overdraft, and providing means for maintaining and improving the grounds. GENERAL. The Board regretted that it could not accede to the assistant's request for an increase of Is per day, owing to the state of the finances. The Borough Council notified that it was prepared to sell electric light poles to the Board at 25s each. Letters were received from the Borough Council and the Taranaki Jockey Club, agreeing to the Park Board taking water for the upper lake from tho ; Jockey Club's Tnain with a 2-inch pipe", subject to certain conditions. The offer was acepted and votes of thanks were accorded to the Borough Council and the Jockey Club. A special vote of thanks was accorded to Mrs. Walker for a donation of £5 5s to the funds.