COST OF RESERVES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 110, 11 May 1926, Page 11

COST OF RESERVES.

COMPARISON WITH SOUTH. AUCKLAND SPENDS MORE. Some little time ago (says the "Post") a suggestion was made that the Wellington City Council spent more upon its reserves than any other council in the Dominion. The Director of Parks and Reserves (Mr. J. ('<. MacKenziei. in his report to the council in Connection with the framing of estimates for his department, refers particularly to this statement,, as follows:— "'flip statement was made and duly reported in the Press last year that our expenditure was equal to that of the Other three centres combined, and must be reduced. I knew this was incorrect, and took exception to such a statement bring given publicity without investigation. As it practically meant that we were over-spending. I have made inquiries in Christchurch, Dunedin, and Auckland regarding this matter, and find that each city has a different system of running and financing the reserves, and also that the functions of the Reserves Department vary in the different centres. Wellington and Auckland, however, work practically on the same lines in providing recreation grounds and charging sports' bodies a rental per Saturday for their use. In most cases the northern city's charges ;:n» higher than those in vogue here. The only fair comparison is, then, between these two cities."

Mr. MacKenzie incorporated in his report a table showing that in the year 1824-2.1 the Auckland City Council spent £42.130 upon its reserves, the expenditure in Wellington in the same year (according to the Year Book) bein" 130,528.

Items struck off the estimates this Tear include £3000 for forestry. £250 for a lavatory at Seatoun Park. £300 for water drainage and shed at the Hataitai croquet courts. a ml £<>00 f.>r the laying down of bituminous tennis courts on the land made ready at Duncan Terrare. These items may. of course, be provided for in the special reserves loan schedule.