FUTURE OF NORTH HEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 219, 13 September 1923, Page 7

FUTURE OF NORTH HEAD.

WANTED AS PUBLIC PARK. It was rather a strange coincidence that simultaneously with the '"Xo More War" meeting in the Town Hall last night that the Devonport Council should discuss the question of convert: ing Xortli Head into a public reserve. The matter was introduced by Mr. J. Hislop, who asked members whether they had noticed a discussion which had occurred in Parliament, when it was suggested that Xortli Head should be vested in the Auckland City Council. A Councillor: Did it arise during the discussion on the Empowering Bill? Mr. Hislop: Xo. Continuing, Jlr. Hislop said that the council should take immediate steps to ascertain what was behind the suggestion made by a member in the House. Speaking on the forts on Xorth Head, he described them as obsolete. He understood that when the late Lord Kitchener was visiting Auckland he had condemned the forts, and had stated that if a marauding enemy's guns missed the forts the shells would land in Queen Street, such was the position of the harbour defences. He thought that if North Hend was to be abandoned as n military unit, that the borough was immediately concerned. He therefore moved: "That this council take immediate steps to approach the Government with the object of having Xortli Head vested in the Devonport Borough Council, to he used as a public park." Mr. -T. Mays supported the mot ton. and briefly reviewed the history of Xorth Head, stating that it was originally vested in the Waitemata County Council, being afterwards under the control of the Devonport Road Board. It passed to the control of the Defence Department during the Russian scare of the eighties, since when it had been maintained as a close military preserve. Messrs. Aldridge and Bartley also supported the motion, the latter mentioning that the borough had not'only lost Xorth Head owing to military requirements, but had also forfeited part of Mount Victoria for defence purposes, and it was only fitting if North Head was no longer thus required to permit it to revert to the original owners, the Borough of Devonport. Mr. Hislop's motion was passed unanimously, with a request that the Minister of Defence be asked to receive a deputation on the subject.