PUKEKURA PARK.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 October 1920, Page 4

PUKEKURA PARK.

MR. W. W. SMITH'S RESIGNATION. FURTIIER CORRESPONDENCE.

The resignation of Mr. W. W. Smith ns curator of Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, is the .subject of further correspondence to the editor. '•Subscriber'" writes:—"Tin; news that .Mr. W. W. Smith has resigned his position as curator of the Pukekura Park has been received by the citizens'of New Plymouth with deep regret. Apart altogether from his able management of the Park, Mr. Smith has endeared himself to Hie people of Taranaki, old and young. .Mr. Smith's research work in botany and entomology is well known throughout the scientific world, and lie has made the beauty of the Pukekura Park a household word throughout the Dominion. Now wo find he has been forced to leave us by the action of a self-appointed board." Quite recently "■ large sum of. money was subscribed iii New Plymouth to maintain the Park, and it is safe to say that the esteem and confidence in which Mr. Smith i-- ! held prompted the giving. I understand ; subscribers intend to hold a meeting and demand of the Park Board the cause of Mr. Smith's resignation." "Fair Deal" writes: "The causes surrounding Mr. Smith having to consider severing his connection with the Pukeleua Park set, the minds of many thinking. A man with the botanical, entomological and meteorological knowledge the present curator has. would be a distu:ct hiss to the town of New Plymouth and the province of Taranaki. Tile work done by the curator has been of a wide nature, considering the amount of labor available to him. Let the members of the Park Board consider a man of Mr. Smith's ability having to plan and lay out the work of the Park, and lit the inline time take the place of an unskilled laborer. What he has done these as!, four years towards improving and beautifying the grounds has been admired and spoken ( of by people from all over the Dominion and various parts of the world. Some two yea's ago n visitor here drew attention iJuenji the Press to the trees near Carrington Road hiding the view of the mountain from the band rotunda, and these were thus removed. Now the unsightly and dense mass of trees between' tlio road and the top lake have been topped. Why did not the Board cut them down to i the ground and be done with it? Some I time ago. when the tram route through the park was pegged off, one gentfo- | man was noticed going tlirouj.li tlie park with book and pencil dotting down all 'he trees that would be taken down if the trams went through the Park to Vogeltown. Then appeared a letter condemning the route, and how if would spoil the Park if trams were taken through. ] venture to say that if that route to Vogeltown was taken, the Park would benefit more in beauty, than (he Park Board would do in the next twenty years as regards that part of the Pnik. 1 he lighting of the Park and the plantnig of tree ferns and English trees the route would add greatly to the pre." ent unsightly pin.e trees,' which have outlived their beauty. With the salary paid to the office'of curator, a man (if Mr. Smith's ability could not be expected to bow down to all the ideas of members of the Board. He must more or less have the. privilege of a free hand as regards time and work, which seems to be a matter of difference. To my mind, wc want men on the Board with enlightened minds, and more modem experience in such work as is carried out in this beautiful, park. Then with money, to provide necessary labor, a man 01 Mr. Smith's ability* could and would make Pukekura the finest Park in Australasia."

Mr. R. Neville Renand writer,: ''After reading the accounts as given in the Daily News setting out the two sides of the question, from Mr. W. W. Smitli am! the Pari; Board, one. cannot help reading between thn lines and comhi" ti> the conclusion that all is not before the public that the public have a right tn understand. I would be glad if the secretary to tlie Board will reply and state who the members of the 'Hoard vrern who wore present at the Board meeting when the letter accepting Mr. Smith's resignation was .'.rafted" and also bow is the secretary in <iw position to aoeept a resignation which Mr. Smith (Winitely states be did nor, band to the. secretary 0 f the 'loard. I think a public meeting ought to he called on .Saturday evening next in the Soldiers' Clubrocrn to protest against the action of the Hoard, and to request, their resignation a ; i the only means tr>. plice the 'iijhlio in the position of rectifying a great wrong." " n ° " [The secretary of the ■Park Board is at present in Wellington.—Ed.]