ASHBURTON DOMAIN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7728, 23 February 1909, Page 4

ASHBURTON DOMAIN.

ANNUAL REPORT.

At the animal meeting of the Asliburton Domain Board on Monday evening, the following report to be sent to the Government was approved : The chief permanent works undertaken during the past year were the formation ot a new carriage drive leading to Allenton, which wa s formed and planted through the Domain paddocks, and the erection of new gates; also a new footpath leading to the north part of AUencon was formed. .Latrines have been erected m the Domain sports grounds, and also a washhouse at the lodge; while new sports grounds were fenced off and levelled. The chief work has been the maintenance of the existing grounds. A number of trees (chiefly pinus insignis) have been thinned out of the plantations, and the swimming baths and filter for same were thoroughly cleaned out during the year. The Board consists of the members of the Ashburton Borough Council. % The proposed operations during the ensuing year will include the general maintenance of the present grounds, and the completion ot the new sports ground for cricket and. football is contemplated. The estimated expenditure for 1909 is approximately £500. The total expenditure exceeds that of last year by £98, incurred m the erection of new buildings. A number of picnic parties visited the Domain from various parts of Canterbury, to whom the pavilion and grand stand were found of great convenience. During the year Mr James Young resigned the curatorship, having been appointed to Christchurch gardens, and Mr John Iteadhead, former assistant, was appointed to the position. The receipts for the year ended December 31, JL9OB, were as follows: Grant from Ashburton County Council, £100; Borough Council, £337 5s 4d; rente of reserves, £86 2s 6d; rents of sports grounds, £89; rents from picnic parties, £10 10s; privileges, £2 ss; donations, £6 4s; grand stand and pavilion takings, £17; total, £648 7s. Expenditure: Material and tools, £41 6s 10d; labour, £42 6s; gates, £31 3s 4d; buildings, £94 5s sd; wages, £314 9s 4d; extra labour, £21 14s; tools, etc., £13 14s 9d; swimming baths, etc., £10 11s 7d; horse feed, £16 5s 9d; purchase of trees, seed, etc., £16 4s 9d ; waterfowl, 18s 9d; cultivation of crop and hay, £28 2s lid; advertising and printing by-laws, £7 12s 4d; jiavilion and grand stand, £6 10s 6d; sundries, £3 Os 9d; total, £648 7s. Permanent improvements now existing m the Domain include about four miles of fencing, curator's lodge, propagating house, pavilion and stand m sports grounds, shade-house, tool-house, bathing and other sheds, three asphalt and eight tennis courts, meteorological station, tennis pavilion, bowling pavilion, water supply with tanks, stand, wheel, pipes, asphalt cycling track, cricket ground, croquet and bowling greens, lakes, plantations, rosery, {lower gardens, wood, stone and iron gates. The Domain has been principally used for its gardens and beautiful walks, and it continues to be used as the general sports and athletic grounds for the Ashburton district, and also for many picnic parties m the season from all parts of Canterbury. The area of the Domain is seventytwo acres, twenty-nine acres of which is leased at a total rental of £58 per annum.