THE PARK.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1921, Page 5

THE PARK.

QUESTION OF CONTROL. NEW CONSTITUTION SUGGESTED. A CITIZENS’ COMMITTEE., The question of municipal control of Pukekura Park was discussed at a meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council last night, following a promise made by the council in reply to a deputation from the Park Board received at the previous meeting. In effect, the decision which was arrived at last night is in favor of vesting the control in the council, who, however, do not undertake any further financial liability beyond the usual annual subsidy of £250. The management will be in the hands of a citizens’ committee, on which the council will be represented, and one of the alterations which will be effected through this change will be the elimination of the system which now prevails of electing members of the management board to office for life. The terms of the moved by the Mayor (IMr. F. E. Wilson) at last night’s meeting of the council, when the subject- came up for discussion, are as follows: “That the Pukekura Park Board be informed that the council is prepared to have the park freehold vested in it, and to assume control.” “That if the control be vested in the council a meeting of citizens be called for the election of a committee of management, to which* the council will appoint one or more representatives.” “That the council regret that an increase in its present subsidy of £260 per annum is at present improbable.” In stating his reasons for moving the motions, the Mayor said he had always held the opinion that the chief park of the borough should be under the control of the council, and a further reason was that the board had asked it. He also pointed out that if the council did m>t accede to the request the Park Board had the power to throw the park on the council’s hands, whether they wanted it or not, by a majority of members of the board petitioning the Governor-in-Council for a dissolution of the board. The idea of handing the park over to the council was not, he thought, so much to rid Hie present trustees of the management as to do away with the present system of life representation. This system, of course, under modern conditions, was quite out of date, and though it might be claimed that the present condition of the park was a testimony to the system of life membership, he did not hold that view. At the same time he did not wish in any way to detract from the great work that past boards had done with Insufficient finance. The time had arrived when the park should be controlled as other parks were, and that was the object he had in view in moving the second resolution referring the question to a committee The park was for a botanical gardens and recreation grounds, these being the terms under which the reserve was vested in the board. Under the present system the recreation branch, as represented by the sports committee, up till lately had hail little representation in the management, and it was desirable that the recreation area be also fully developed. As regards finance, the Mayor said, he did not wish anyone to be under a misapprehension. The counci were absolutely unable to take over the park and carry it on, providing the whole amount required for maintenance, such as the board was now paying out. The committee that would be formed would have to be prepared to make an appeal for funds. Personally, he was satisfied that the public would respond. The resolutions were carried without discussion.