HOUSE RECREATION PARK.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 309, 30 December 1922, Page 4

HOUSE RECREATION PARK.

. ! OPENED BY PRIME MINISTER, j I MANGERES GRATTTUDF. TO DONOR. When the Prime Minister (Rt. lion. VV. F. Maesey) officially opened the park at Central Jlangere yesterday afternoon, there was an assembly of about "200 residents of the district, and the ceremony passed otf happily, the rain holding off till the conclusion. The president of the Mangere Tennis Club (Mr. M. B. Kirkbride) welcomed Mr. Maeeey to Mangpre. and expressed the gratitude of the residents to the donor of the park, Mr. Samuel Ward House, orchardist, es-member of the Manukau County Council. He referred to tho fact that Mangere was rich in reserves, but prior to the donation of this park there had been none in the centre of the district, and this fact made the gift doubly acceptable, siuce it would prove on undoubted boon to the residents. After reading the terms of the deed of gift, Mr. House handed the title deeds to the Crime Minister for presentation to the board of trustees. It had been a great pleasure to donate the park for recreational purposes, he said. (Cheers, i SOLID PROGRESS OF MANOERK. Mr. Maasey, who was greeted with cheers, said the ceremony marked another milestone on the road of progress along which the district was travelling. The importance of recreation could not bo overetressed in these days of universal I strain and difficulties. The British ! Empire had its foundation on a love of true recreation, good sport and manly games. It was a splendid thing for a young country like New Zealand to foeter a love of recreation, which would fit it for the stern tasks and responsibilities of life. He found it good to visit Mangere and note the solid progress of a district that to him, after all. wnR his home, ft had always seemed a pity to him that the early history of Mangere bad not been placed on record. Interesting traditions were woven about its days of early settlement, and a detailed record of the happenings of those early years would be appreciated. As a Mangere man he wished to express to Mr. House deep appreciation for the generous gift. Succeeding generations would find the park of inestimable value, and Mr. House had proved himself by bis gift a far-seeing and patriotic man. (Applause.) In conclusion Mr. Massey said: "I have now seen a good bit of the world, and New Zealand is good enough for mc. 1 don't want anything letter than New Zealand. I don't want anything better than Mangere. I am coming back to live here.— (applause)—but not for some years vet." (Laughter.) He then do-, clared the tennis courts to be open. I The gift deeds were accepted by Mr. IF. D. Wood on behalf of the board of trustees, and speeches were made by the member for Manukau, llr. J. Jordan, and the late member, Sir Frederic Lang. Mrs. House then hoisted the chin's fag amid cheers. MEMORIAL ARCH TO BE ERECTED. The park, which is centrally situated. . is to be known as the House Recreation . Park. Tnder the conditions of the deed of I gift certain improvements arc to be ; : carried out. Those include tin- erection J within two years of a solid frontal wali ■ with an arch at the entrance, to serve i as a memorial to perpetuate the memory of the soldier sons of Mangere who foil :in the Great War. As depicted on the lithographed plans, the reserve when fully developed should be a beautiful and tiae- : ful park, serving the population of a I progressive and attractive district. The 1 courts opened by tlie Prime Minister were ■ laid down by the Mangere Tennis Club. I and, together with a pavilion, cost f80». i Tlie pavilion is well equipped, and there i will also lie accommodation for croquet ' players. Many more improvements are •I to be-effected during the next twelve • months. The total ana of the park is i ! siv acres, and of this two acres have ' lx>en set aside for tennis and croquet ; courts. il