MEETING OF THE PARK AND TOWN LANDSTRUSTEES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2248, 19 March 1886, Page 2

MEETING OF THE PARK AND TOWN LANDSTRUSTEES.

A joint meeting til tho Sark am} fown Lands Trustees was held in the Institute last night for the purpose, of considering the financial position of the Park Trust. Mr Gapper occupied tho chair, and there were present, Messrs E. Feist, T. Parsons, J. Muir, R. Hare, W. Perry, J. C. Boddingtonj and J. Payton, Mr Pay ton, Chairman of the Park Trustees, introduced the business. After %njcing the Town Lands Trustees for PQlpn)n)g 'to the Dieting he said he might recall the clreumatanoßs qQnrj§gted with the difficulty. In '(3?tbbV Ififft Messraßenall, MoOardle, Hoskmg, Hare, Woodroofe, Williams, and Vile, signed a bond for £4OO as members of the Trust, As a security, this boud was not worth the paper it was written on. They had ho assets', ahd were not personally "liable and they'ought not to, have borrowed money in that mariner, JK'kd an. jdea 'the money 1 so procured had, perhaps,'not .'beeri' altogether 1 too' wisely spent, but he 'recognised thtib .'botTi in borrowing 5 and ; B|ehsT)g', tho' jjfi'eu trusteea had been to'ijerve the district. The new Trustees felt' m'hoiJor jjqund |,q fulfil the pledge given in the bond. To his mind Mrs McKenzie stood in a false position until Borne arrangements had been made to pay off the amount. It had been suggested that they could throw up

the Trusteeship, and lot the Borough Counoil or Town Lands Trustees take it over. He had no objection to a course of this kind, but if the Park Trustees were to continue they must have their hands free, and would want to be relieved of the debt. They could then carry on the management. Their only chance of providing for tho payment of the debt seemed to be through the Town Lauds Trustees, when tho debt was first incurred it was felt to some extent, they had the Town Lands Trust at their back. They did not propose asking the Town Land Trustees to increase the present grant, but they would be satisfied if "they would back the . bill, as .it were: The Town Lands Trustees might endorse the debt, and then as the debentures matured they could either renew or pay them off, The Park Trust would then be left with an income of about £3O a year to keep tho trees and walks in order. Everyone in

Masterton felt an interest in tli'e Park, and having gone so far, he would not like to see it go back. Thby had come with no cut and dried proposals, they only wished tho matter explained and cleared up, Mr Perry : Do 1 understand you to say' pay off the old debt, and still keep up an annual grant to the Park ? Mr Payton said the amount the Trustees now paid by way of grant to the Park, would go towards tho payment of interest and principal of the debt. The Chairman said it was unfortunate some of those present' were on both Trusts. From what he had seen of the working of the Park Trust in the past he was opposed to tho proposition. Certain gentlemen had made themselves' liable and got tho money, which they had spent recklessly. He never would become a member of tho Park Trust on account of that debt, He considered those who

ligned were liable, <■ Mr Payton said there were one or. two

present who were members of both Trusts, but they would deal with the matter from a Town Lands Trust point of viow. He agreed with the Chairman that unwisdom had been displayed in the past, but that could not be helped at tlio present time, They wanted help out of the present difficulty, and dwelling on past faults would not mend matters. The Chairman asked who negotiated

the loan. Mr Payton said he did not know,.as ho was not a member of the Trust at that time. He had read the names of those who had signed the bond. The actual working expenses of the Park at the present was only a little over £5 a year. Every penny they received from the .Town Lands Trust and Borough Council fent to pay interest and sinking fund. The original debt was £4OO, the siting' fund was £6O, leaving a balance of '£34o, Mr Boddington mi the debt was incurred in 1878. He was elected to the Trust two years after. That would satisfy anyone he was nob a party to the original transaction, Since he had been on the Trust their revenue had been £55. Until this debenture matured in 1883 they had a permanent charge of £4O a year for interest, that about left them an income of £ls to go and pomp on, From 1882 to the present date they had expended £282 10s upon improvements to the Park. They had been able to do that by getting subscriptions in tho town, selling the old stockade, fences, &c.

When tho £4OO debt matured it was found that the bond did not make those who had signed personally liable audit became the duty of the then Trustees to see to the matter. They took up eight shaies in the Building Society so that when they matured they would have the £4OO to pay off with. They had been paying in to this fund for 2\ years, and realised £6O towards the debt. They were paying £24 a year to tho Building Society, and £32 interest on debentures, and tqeir ivorking.expenses were about £7., their revenue being .£OS, and their permanent charge* £O3. The grounds and trees wanted attention every year, and they had no funds to do it. He understood the Chairman to say he was not so much dis-satisfied with the present as with tho previous Trustees, Ho thought the Chairman must admit the present Trustees had done what they could to keep the Park in a creditable manner. Ho thought the matter over, and had arrived at the conclusion that as they had no funds upon which to come and go it would be to the interests of the public that the Park should bo taken over by the Borough Council or the Town Lands Trustees, Borough Councils in other parts undertook the management of their Park. If the Town Lands Trustees saw their way to relieve the Park Trust of the liability of £340, the latter body would have the £3O from the Borough Council to expend, and possibly the Pnrk Trustees would see their way to continue in office if no better arrangement could bo made, but it was not enough to keep the paths, trees, etc., in order. He had no motion to bring forward, what he had said was only thrown out as a suggestion.

Mr Hare moved llJWs''ltisthe opinion of this, 'nieeti'ng grder. jiq relieve tlje r'ark'Trustees of &p debt pf £4OO incurred for the imprqvenienfc qf the reserve, an annual sum of £56 bo paid by tho Town Lands Trustees for a period of 6| years," Tho Chairman Baid the question had beon raised as to whether tho Town Lands Trustees should take over the management of the Park, He thought, if they did the Borough Council would not continue its annual grant. Mr Payton said the Borough Council took over the management of the Institute but nq marked improvement followed the same might happen if tho '' Town took ovor the Park.' Thoy would have greater difficulties in getting hi subr Bcriptions, Mr Perry wanted to know what the Park Trustees had done. Mr Boddington said they had got together £283 10s, and spent it oh the Park. Mr Perry; But how ? Mr Payton said they had a ve_ry good record to show, and had had a very big firiit. They had fenced in and mado the' Park Oval, and fenced the Park and kept the groundß in fair order. Mr Perry thought it was a very groat: pity they could not come down on the signets of the bond.

Mr Parsons said tho Trust wo in a, fix. • Hi) thought it would be best in the interest ; Q{''tiiQ ; piibllo fjjaj; they aljoiilfl assist eacli ptlier. The Park was looked upon as s credit to tho town. It was the only plage the people could go to and take children without being ordered off.. Flo had heard visitors to Mastorton speak highly of its park, He did not know whether the funds of the Town Lands would be able to bear the strain. A groat deal of money went from the Trust to the public school that oueht to be provided by the State. He would bo in favor of curtailing the assistance to the school and render aid fp tJiePark. M r B/fbist seconded the proportion of Mr Mm, Referring'to tfte '£4 OP liability he said he was Anj pftho.se. who originally signed the boud. He oeriaMy considered that they were making themselves personally liable when they gave Mrß McKenzie the bond. He did not think it would have fceen creditable to the town to turn round and say'they must nay the' amount even if they'had become personally ; lia'bje, They could not pjedg'e the Park W" raise the money, and they had' adopted'' the 'only-method.''' '•■'.';■* i' ;' ■'■'•■ v,'••■.■ •••'" Mril,' M|ijr said if some gentjeraen Jiad not come forward' and 'made 'themselves responsible for the money, there was no doubt it would not have been raised, and instead; of a Park they would have a

wilderness for years. Whether the money had been wisely spent or not, it was of no avail to discuss there.' If the Town Land Trustees could see their way to increase the donation,,they should do so long as other institutions did not suffer. If the state was able to provide for the requirements of the school, as in other towns, it wouldbe wise to spend a littlo more on the Park. A physical education was perhaps as important as a mental one, The money question would be for the Town Lands Trustees to eonsider at a future meeting, The ouly advantage in the Town Lands Trustees taking over the management ot the Park would be that the people would have a more direct voice in the matter. After some further discussion the motion was carried, Mr \V. Perry voting against it. ■ A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the meeting. , The question will come before the next meeting of the Town Lands Trustees for their consideration.