SYDNEY SQUARE FENCING PROPOSAL.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1536, 9 May 1882, Page 2

SYDNEY SQUARE FENCING PROPOSAL.

A meeting of the ratepayers? of Hamilton Borough was in the Public Hall last night, to consider tlie advisability of fencing and planting Sydney Square. There were about 45 ratep tyers present, and the chair was occupied by His Wor« ship the Mayor. , . The Chairman read the advertisement convening the meeting and briefly' explained the nature of the' business for which they hadlbeen called together. 1 Mr Win. Jones came forward to move the first resolution; namely," J '"> That 'it is not advisable to fence Sydney Square at present.", lie said the bprough -overdraft' at present was £230,* or thereabouts. He had'beeii told by the Mayor that it, did -jiot -matter, if the^ ove.rd.raft was £2000, buthe remembered that when it was only £600 they got a letter from the bank telling' them that they could not go any further/ 1 There were a number of streets yet unformed, more in Hamilton West than* in Hamilton' East, thanks to O. Potter, who had taken care to form the East streets <at' ihe expense of the West, He considered that it would take £250 to fence the Square. The Mayor said Mr, Jones was, Reading the meeting astray. .The cost was not to exceed £50. Mr Jones corrected him'selfyand r said it would take £150. Mr Jos. Hinton here ascendedthe platform and -entered into a long harangue, the -meaning, of whicji could not be caught by ' the meeting. Such broken phrases as, "I'm no scholar," ''I don't Wear 'a good coat," "-Square's' fenced round with, houses," '^"Den of lions," &c, &c., could be, distinguished, and from the speaker's manner it wasapparent that he ( was against the -proposal to fence the Square. Although repeatedly called to order, it was some time before he consented to sit downi » s . i { • Mr P! Coleman, s'eur.,' seconded the motion. (1 ' ' Mr Cinnming said it appeared to him that many people were carped .away by a false impression. He ha'd^ heard ij;, said ihab the Square when fenced was io , be used, by certain persons as' a paddock for their cattle, but nothing' could be more' absurd. He then proceeded to argue that the fencing' of the Square was a work in which all jthe people of Hamilton, whether East or West, we're interested. Had the work been done twelve mouths ago the money taken at the gates for the English' Cricket Match, which would have been held there, would have paid for the work. They must also^remember that for the levelling the Square private' individuals had subscribed £80, while the borough contribution was only £20. In ' all ' fairness he thought the borough /should do the fencing. Hamilton was destined to be a large centre, and bye-and-bye such a recreation ground would be felt to be a necessity. ' Mr 'McG-arngle begged to move as an amendment, "That, iv ! the opinion of this meeting, it is prejudicial to the interests of the ratepayers that a sufficient sum of money should be ' appropriated *by *"the council from the general rates to fence and plant Sydney Square, and that this meeting fully concur in" tlie action of those councillors who voted against the proposed works beiug carried out for the present." The Mayor ruled that this was not an amendment to the motion. Mr Geo. Edgecumbe moved as an amendment "That Sydney Square be fenced." He advocated the work on the ground that it was necessary to provide a public lecreiition ground, and also because the , cost , was comparatively trifling, being about £60, instead "of £130 as stated by Mr Jones. He also drew the attention of the meetiug to the fact that 'this was the planting season, and that 'a whole year would be lost if action were not immediately taken.'' Mr John Coleman' seconded the amend, ment, aud in doing so said an impression appeared to prevail that the Square would be vested, in the Domain, Board, which would 'Have the power to cut it up and lease it. This was not the case. Mr Vialou said he had not heard one argument in favour of the work. If they looked at tlie back stieets, most of which were in a state of nature, they would come to the conclusion that they should first expend their funds iipon " works of absolute' necessity rather than upon those of ornamentation. Mr Edgecumbe "had spoken of providing a recreation ground for their children/b ut he thought it better to provide a, system of drainage which should secure health to their children. He believed , that -before the winter was out the overdraft would be largely increased, and he impressed Upon them, the necessity, for husbanding their resources. , Mr French wished to move a further amendment, to the effect that the Squai'e should be vested in trustees, but /fhe Mayor ruled that it was out of order, and then proceeded to remove some misapprehensions which he said appeared to exist. He held in his hand, and had read at the council, an offer to supply the material for fencing at £38 2s 6d ? and another to erect, the fence^ plant trees, and live fence for £13. He wished them to hear the facts. In regard to what Mr Vialou had said, he believed a scheme of drainage was required, but it must embrace the whole borough. They i knew how money had been squandered in the past* over dfainage. ,'He urged the meeting to consider the matter calmly aird fairly, keeping imhind)the fact" that the season was far advanced. Mr Jones, in replying, reiterated his remarks as to the cost' of the work, which he still maintained< would' be near £150. The amendment was then put to the meeting, when five hands held up for it. For the motion there voted about 30. The Mayor declared the motion carried amid applause, and the meeting, which at intervals was very -noisy, and 'demonstrative, broke up. \ ' ?

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