THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1907. DESERVING OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 9010, 20 December 1907, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1907. DESERVING OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

There was a tendency on the part of the Borough Council, at its meeting on Wednesday evening, to take a narrow view of the subject of grunting to a local syndicate curtain rights in connection with the proposed erection of a water chute on the Park Lake, and the placing of a motor launch upon the water. This was doubtless due to a misapprehension upon the part of the Mayor and some Councillors as to the real meaning of the application for the concession and the real intention of the applicants, it would be quite proper to resent and resist any attempt of a money-mak-ing syndicate to exploi'; the beautiful Park at the expense of the townspeople; but in the present instance no such attempt is being made. The object of the applicant syndicate- which is a "purely local one is one which deserves encouragement rather than rebuff. It is to provide amusement for the local public, and to attract visitors from the settlements around Mnsterton. In doing this the syndicate hopes to increase outside interest in the town, and make Masterton S3me\vhat brighter than it is. The syndicate has no de sire to make dollars, though, naturally, it does not desire to lose money. All it seeks is the right for a few years over the amusements it

provides, so as to protect itself from loss. The ayndkate is willing that the Borough.Council should., take over . the affair at any time upon paying the actual cost— something like £3OO. . Further, there is no intention to make, or peek authority to make, any charge for entering any portion of' the Park. The oly charges to be made are for the amusements actually provided, as shooting the chute or enjoying a trip on the motor launch. It can only be assumed that Crs Yarr and Haughey were not quite seized of the facts of the I case when they opposed the Park Committee's recommendation to favourably consider the request on the ground that it would be "bartering away the people's vights to a syndicate"; nor could the Mayor have comprehended the true design of the applicants when he termed the application "outrageous." So far from the townspeople being barred the right of free entrance to the Park they will be, if the application of the syndicate is granted, encouraged to use that charming resort more than ever. They will have an opportunity of witnessing free of charge the amusements provided. It is only when they use the syndicate's paraphernalia that they will be required to pay a small fee, part of which will ?o to the borough. The whole matter has been referred back to the Park Committee for further consideration, .and we hope the final result will be the granting of the request of the syndicate upon terms that will retain to the townspeople their full rights, and yet enable the syndicate carry on thei>- somewhat patriotic enterpripe without pecuniary bss. If the Council refuses tc permit townspeople to provide these amusements then it should undertake the enterprise itself. It may be men- , tioned with reference to the chute, that once erected, by whomsoever, 1 it becomes the. property of the borough.