PARK TRUSTEES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2186, 6 January 1886, Page 3

PARK TRUSTEES.

. A- mbetino of tlie Mastcrton Park Trus- • tees was held yesterday afternoon, PreBGnt—Messrs Payton (Chairman), Boddington, Feist and Rcnall. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman said it. had been their e.Ußtor* tP e le?f thoi'r'Chairmanannually, MJ»f>' would be their first business famy, '■ Mr Boddington said they all knew what an excellent Chairman they had found in ' Mr Payton, and he proposed that ho bo ' re-elected. ■' The motion was seconded by Mr Feist . j.and carried. Jf: The Chairman thanked them for reelecting him to the position, ''' ' During the' y^ar..they, should.'niak'a an' effort to get (hWa''better position; for at present they. driuld do "■nothing—thoy were asked to thake' bricks without straw.' Thejv- fjnjiu- ■ djilposition' was about as bad as it could Wafldjbey were simply wrangled by (ira debt of £4QQ which had been incurred ' ty their pretieoesaora. During the past ;«'« they had made an application to the 'own Lands Trust for assistance, on the ground that the members which then composed it were responsible for the debt having been incurred, and under ■ the impression that they would be inclined to relieve them of it; but they ' were unsuccessful. Tlio' nieoting was, frowigpT, a very thin one. It was tr%. thafiTjßull meeting on a:sub3.eque'ntVcca< pion also refused,'but'tlio'factß of the case ?' era, not fully brought before it then, hey should not ba'satisfied with their ' jetton,; and-apply again;' The debt was ; Tlally a moral obligation on the. Trust,- •_\ Another point he wished to mention was 4teß>»bst (bey had a debit balance of £lB, and Tjra'esutiaeß was entirely dne id bite fiot.

that the Trustees and Borough Council had each voted them money, which they liadnot paid ovuv to thorn, although tho Secretary had applied again and again, The Town.Lands.Trustees had paid a I portion, and tho Borough Council nothing. ■ They, wore in a false position simply because thoy could not get money due. They would huso to attend to the dry grass in the Pavk, and get rid of it. A recent fire had destroyed about 100 trees. They might burn off the grass. In conclusion he read a list of the attendances of members, Thero had been five meetings during the year, and they had been attended as follows:—Payton 5, Boddington 4, Vile. 4, Feist 3, Bunny 2, McGregor 2, Hare 1, Renall 1, The Secretary read the balance sheet for the past year, which, not having been audited, was allowed to stand uvev till next meeting. A letter was received from the Secretary of tho Sports Committee of tho Amalgamated Friendly Societies, asking for permission to make a charge for entrance to tho Park on Anniversary Day Moved by Mr Botldingtim, and seconded by Mr Feist, that the request be acceded to.—Carried.

The Ranger reported that a serious fire had occurred in the Park on the Sunday before last, and that about ono hundred trees bad beondamaged. He suggested that the grass be carefully burnt oil'. Owing to the thick mass of dry stuff at the hot" torn, the grass would not fetch anything next year. The work would cost "about L 5.

Mr Renall asked where they would get the funds from.

Mr Bocldington said ho thought-they had been very hardly dealt with in tho matter of funds. Those local bodies granted money and then kept them waiting for it for mouths, after which they only got a portion. They had L 47 10s duo on Ist April last. The Chairman said that in such a case they would no doubt be able to raise the money somehow.

Proposed by Mr Reuall, and seconded by Boddington~Thal the ranger burn off the grass on the Park, subject to the direction of the Trustees.—Carried. The Chairman said three or four months had elapsed since they had made arrangements for the lease of tho oval with the cricketers, but nothing whatever had been done. If they wanted the Park improved they should have to do it themselves. The thins; seemed to bo a farco. If the cricketers did not carry out the conditions at tho outset, what chance had they in the future? He moved that tho resolution in favor of granting a lease to the cricket clubs be suspended until they had a guarantee that the conditions would be carried out. Mr Boddington seconded the resolution, which was carried,

_ The Chairman said their financial position was very unsatisfactory, and he was not at all content with it. His opinion was that they should again ask the Town Lands Trust to take the £4OO from their shoulders in lieu of giving them the present subsidy of £3O. They had no security to offer to the people who had advanced them the money, and they shoud not allow them to remain in that position. He woylcl make one- to go and see the Trustees again, They had accumulated about £fio towards the reduction of the debt, He moved that a deputation wait on the Town Lands Trustees on the subject.

Seconded by Mr Foist. Mr Boddington said that tho difference would he that the Trustees would pay £u(i a year in place of £3O, and the whole amount would be wiped off in six years and a half.

rHter some discussion, tho Chairman said it would perhaps be bet\er to allow the matter to stand over till; another meeting.—Agreed to. The following accounts were passed for payment, when' funds permit:—Library £J In, Ranger £3 3s, Secretary £3 Bs. This concluded the business.