THE WAR MEMORIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1921, Page 6

THE WAR MEMORIAL.

QUESTION OF THE SITE. DEPUTATION TO HARBOR BOARD. WILL DISPOSE OF PROPERTY. A deputation from the War Memorial Committee waited on the New Plymouth Harbor Board yesterday asking if they were prepared to facilitate the transfer to the Borough Council of the three or four sections abutting Queen and St. Aubyn Streets (opposite the railway station) for the purposes of the War Memorial Park. The deputation comprised Messrs. W. J. Penn, W. H. Skinner, and .1. McLeod. Mr. Penn, speaking for the deputation, said it was suggested that an obelisk, or some form of memorial, should be placed in the centre of the reserve and that the property should be formed into an ornamental park. He pointed out that while some of the land opposite the station was owned by the Borough Council tne War Memorial Committee desired to see the whole block procured. He asked would the board make an exchange, or lease the sections to the borough at a peppercorn rental, or whether they could make a straight-out grant of the sections? Before further discussion proceeded, Mr. Penn informed the board that the committee had not yet placed the suggestions before the Borough Council, but the position would be probably discussed by that body next week. The chairman of the board (Mr. Newton King) said he did not think there was the slightest possibility of the board being able to donate the land They were not permitted to give anything, and he thought exchange would be the only possible way. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson said the procedure mentioned by the chairman would require special legislation. Mr. C. E. Bellringer pointed out that the board had almost any course open to them, as whatever their decision was it would have to be sanctioned by Act of Parliament. A GIFT NOT POSSIBLE. Before retiring, Mr. Penn said the deputation realised that the donation of the land would mean some sacrifice on the part of the board, but he thought that if the Borough Council was willing to forego the presumptive value of its holdings the board also might make some concession.

“We are a pretty poor body, you know.” said the chairman. “The borough can put their rates up, but we have none.”

When the board proceeded to discuss the request Mr. C. A. Wilkinson pointed out that each district was providing its own memorial, and he thought that as the board represented quite an extensive area they would have to go carefully in the matter of donating any land. Personally, he would like to see the land in question owned by the Borough Council. If the council was desirous of facilitating the matter they should offer the board something suitable by way of exchange, and in such an event the board should not drive too hard a bargain. The chairman said that the question of a gift, or what amounted to it, namely, a peppercorn rental, could hardly be entertained by £he board.

Mr. E. Maxwell said that the question of the gift of the land, or of a peppercorn rental, could not be considered by the board. New Plymouth happened to be the town where the harbor was situated, but the Harbor Board were trustees for the whole of the large harbor district, and as such had a responsibility to guard their assets. The lands were already pledged as security for the loans. As trustees for the whole harbor district the board dare not consider New Plymouth before any other district; they must conserve their reserves to the utmost, and in any deal concerning the endowments, which were very important, care must be taken not to do anything that would depreciate the properties. MERITS OF THE SCHEME. Mr. Maxwell further contended that the site chosen for the memorial was unsuitable. They should not look on what New Plymouth was to-day; it was only a village compared, with what it would be in the future. It would become a great city, and the land now under review would be occupied by big business premises. Those in charge o? the memorial question had other alternatives for a site, namely, Pukekurn Park, one of the finest in the world, and also Western Park. These would be right in the centre of the city of the future, which would extend from Bell Block to Moturoa.

Mr. Wilkinson: You are painting a big picture.

Continuing, Mr. Maxwell said if proposals were put into effect it would mean the taking of land of immense value. When it was turned into a park it would suffer through being so close to the railway station, and he also thought that they would see the park occupied by wasters and idlers. Mr. C. H. Burgess pointed out that when the Borough Council took over the other land in this locality the prevailing idea was that the land should not be used for warehouses or any kind of building except, perhaps, a theatre. As ■ regards Mr. Maxwell’s contention that ii New Plymouth did make rapid, strides, a city of such dimensions and wealth as had been portrayed could well afford to bear the loss of the former endowment. Mr. Burgess said he believed that the citizens would see that the memorial was kept in order and that the grounds were not the resort of “wasters.” BOARD’S DECISION. Mr. Wilkinson said it was not for the board to discuss the merits of the scheme; that was a matter for the townspeople, but personally, he had always favored keeping an open space in this locality- The board should confine itself to the practical argument as to whether these lands on which they were paying £64 per year in rates, and from which no income was being received, could be allowed to remain idle. He thought they ought to turn the sections into revenue producing land if a fair rental could be got for them from the borough. Alternatively, the sections could be exchanged for land of suitable value.

In reply to Mr. Maxwell’s comment on land of such value being used for a park, Mr. C. E. Bellringer pointed out that in nearly every city of importance there were some open spaces of .probably fabulous value developed as a

park. He did not think that because the board agreed to allow this area to be turned into a park the value of the other property in the vicinity would depreciate. Mr. Bellringer supported Mr. Wilkinson’s proposals. Mr. D. J. Hughes said he could not understand why the Memorial Committee had not selected Pukekura Park as the site. Mr. Wilkinson moved that the War Memorial Committee be informed that the board was prepared to put the land up for rental on the usual conditions, or, as an alternative, was prepared to exchange it for property of equal value. The motion was seconded by Mr. C. E. McGuinness. r l he chairman said the proposition in regard to exchanging seemed to be the more favorable one. The motion was then put and carried, Mr. Maxwell voting against it.