PUKEKURA PARK.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1926, Page 11

PUKEKURA PARK.

MEETING OF THE BOARD. PROGRESS OF IMPROVEMENTS. The Pukekura Park Board met last night. Present: Messrs F. Amoore (chairman), W. F. Short, W. C. Weston, R. C. Hughes, G. M. Spence and the secretary (Mr. P. E. Stainton). Apologies were received for the absence of Messrs C. E. Bellringer, M.P., and J. McLeod. The superintendent (Mr. F. H. Horton) was present. The men engaged on the fernery excavation work had heen paid off, reported the superintendent, since it was not advisable to do more until the glass roofs had been erected. The whole fernery area had been wired and locked up until such time as the work could be completed. That portion of the old open drain which existed on the right hand side of the pathway to the men’s lavatory had been filled in, and on the site a small rockery built and planted with ferns. A new punga screen had been erected and what- had hitherto been an ugly spot was now ornamental an?f attractive. Flowering annuals had been put in where necessary.

On account of the very slippery nature of the centre bush path at its southern end, a number of steps had been put in and the worst portions of the path metalled. It was proposed to extend this work as opportunity offered. On October 21 the first"batch of ferns for the new fernery were received. These were temporarily growing in a corner of the nursery until such time as they could be transplanted to their permanent positions.

The necessary work of general maintenance had been done, but on account of the excessively wet and stormy weather activities in this direction had been somewhat hampered.

On account of the main drain becoming blocked a considerable amount of extra work had had to be done on the sportsground area. One man had been fully employed here during the whole month, and with extra labour provided by the sports committee the work of putting in several concrete examination pits and sumps, together with relaying a part of the drain, had been completed, and further trouble from this source was not expected. The necessary cutting, rolling and preparation of cricket pitches had been attended to, and the open drain at the far side had been cleaned out. The boat returns were below the average, no doubt due to the inelemgney of the weather.

It was reported that the fireworks display held on November 6 was estimated to yield a profit of approximately .£35 to £4O.

Jt was resolved to have the boats painted; With regard to the fernery, it was reported that Messrs Dunean and Davies had obtained a collection of ferns from the Bay of Plenty and other North Island districts, and that they had offered to keep these in their nursery until such time as the board was ready to receive them.—lt was resolved to aeeept with thanks this generous offer. At the previous meeting of the board the finance committee had recommended that all bands giving recitals in the park should be charged 15 per cent, of their collections, the board to reciprocate by allowing a rebate of 15 per cent, on collections taken up at band concerts given in order Jo augment the park funds. —It was resolved at last night’s meeting to accept the offer of the bands to give two benefit concerts in lieu of die charge of 15 per cent.