REMUERA SPORTS GROUND.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 228, 24 September 1918, Page 4

REMUERA SPORTS GROUND.

i , _■ PROPOSED CITY PURCHASE. : URGED BY HOUSEHOLDERS. A movement to urge the purchase of ■ the sports ground of 23 acres in Market Road, Remucra, recently surrendered by the trustees to the owners —tho Dilworth Tniet Board —upon the Auckland City Council, was inaugurated at a meeting of householders in the Remuera district convened by the Remuera i Schools Committee, and held last evening. Since the property has been ceded to the owners the housholders have viewed with alarm the probability that I it might be lost to the public. The district Schools Committee were particu I larly interested because of the ground's proximity to the Remucra School. Mr. C. "j. Parr urged that the property Rliould'bc acquired as a public park. The present time was opportune for a move, in the matter, and it could take no better form than to support the City Council's endeavours in respect thereto. He moved: "That this meeting of Remuera residents views with considerable alarm the probable loss of the Remuera j Sports Ground as a recreation reserves ! to the public, and respectfully urges the City Council to take immediate steps to acquire the property." He added that as a means of secirring the right to pureliase the property after the war that the Council should lease it, with a purchasing clause. Mr. J. S. Dickson, M.P.. in seconding strongly supported the remarks of the previous speaker. Mr. J. Dempsey and Mr. J. B. Paterson, members of the City Council, both warmly supported the propoaal that the property be acquired. Mr. C. J. Munro. headmaster of the schol, eaid there was not room enough in the school ground to .play a game of football, cricket, or hockey, consequently t3ie acquisition "of the prdperty would be invaluable, to the school. A committee consisting of Messrs. C. J. Parr and J. S. Dieks-on, M.P.'s, and C. R. Munro and 11. M. Smeeton, were deputed to wait upon thp City Council and place the views of the meeting before it. A decision that residents of Remuera be invited fco attend with the deputation to demonstrate their interest and support was also come to. STATEMENT BY THE MAYOR. The discussion of residents of Rfimucra in regard to the Dilworth recreation ground was mentioned by the Mayor (Mr. J. H. Gunson) thin morning. Mr. Gun Eon stated that the position, briefly, was that an offer on behalf of the Council to purchase the property had already been conveyed to the DUworth Trust Board. The deputation, which the Rerauera residents proposed should wait upon the Council, wiis entirely supertluous, so far as the Council was concerned. The Council had already taken the matter up, and was thoroughly convinced of the necessity of acquiring the area as a park and recreation ground. Any further representations that could be made by the deputation 'would merely cover the ground which had already been considered, and had led the Council to communicate with the Board with a view to acquiring the property. The proposed deputation could do very much better work by getting into touch with the Board with the abject of inducing it to favourably entertain the proposal submitted on behalt of the citizens. Not only had an offer 'on behalf of the Council been made to the Board on the basis of securing to • the Board some equivalent for the rental they were receiving under the lease —it was presumed that the Board did not desire to profit by the enforced eur- | render of the lease —.but further pro--1 posab involving the western slopes of I Mt. Hobson had also been submitted. I The Council had -been desirous of obtainI ing this area in addition to the 24 acres of recreation reserve, a feature of the I matter which vitally affected the Dil- | worth leases. The matter was one that closely affected their interests in regard to their leasehold areas touching the recreation ground. Without doubt these properties would be much more valuable with the open space secured in perpetuity than they would be with tbe open space cut up and cold for building site*, which must be prevented at all j hazards. The property was subject to rates, but the Board, on handing the area over to the city, would be absolved from this liability. Citizens would see that the Council was fully alive to the position, the Reserves Committee having again communicated with the Board last I week. He was satisfied that if the question was approached in an equita,ble public-minded spirit it was capable of easy settlement. At the f-.ame time, lie desired to say that in his opinion the j suggested lease of the property would i not .be acceptable to Ihe Council. The only satisfactory solution was for the Council to acquire the freehold on behalt of the citizen*. I