MEMORIAL PARK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 August 1940, Page 4

MEMORIAL PARK

PROPOSAL TO VEST AREA IN BOROUGH. PROPOSED TRUST ASSISTANCE. It would be a distanct breach of the Trust Act to make it the first charge on income in perpetuity stated Mr J. Macfarlane Laing in opposing a proposal that the Trust should contribute £l5O per year in perpetuity made by the Masterton Borough Council concerning the vesting of Memorial Park, when speaking, at a meeting of the Masterton Trust Lands Trust last ■ night. The Masterton Borough Council wrote advising that it accepted, as a basis for negotiation, the counter-offer made by the Trust concerning Memorial Park, provided the payment of £l5O per annum was made in perpetuity. The Trust’s counter-offer was for the amount stated for a period not exceeding 30 years. “We are mainly an educational trust and what we have to show from the expenditure of £l5OO on debentures— Rugby football and tennis —is distinctly at the expense of education. That is not what we are here for. I wish to strongly protest against the proposal.” said Mr Laing. “The council has driven a hard bargain and has indeed put the pistol to our heads." observed Mr Eton. The park was for the benefit of the community. he said, and the proposal meant handing over a valuable piece of ground. Are we justified in giving this ground for life?” asked Mr Eton. Mr Laing: "For eternity.” Mr H. P. Hugo: “We have made a very generous offer and have done our duty. The Masterton Borough Council has its ratepayers to fall back on — we have not.” Mr H. 11. Daniell: “It is too great a responsibility. Our earlier actions at the grounds resulted in financial trouble for one of the oldest tennis clubs in the Dominion.”

It was decided that the Borough Council be approached with a view to a reconsideration of the matter.