THE PUBLIC GARDENS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12479, 16 April 1906, Page 9

THE PUBLIC GARDENS.

TO THE EDITOR OF "TIIK PRESS."

Sir, —I observe that the Domain Board is endeavouring to induce the City Council and Selwyn County Council to inoreasg their annual contributions for this year, wrbh a view to making the pnvbliic gardens more aifabractive during tho Exhibition season.. ' So far, so good. But it wiiLl be idle to plant more flowem, Shrubs or trees unless something is done to popularise these gardens. On any ordinary day in cummer or autumn ono may often wander for half an hour ■at a time along t'iie winding paths and walks without meeting a soul. The fact of the matter is, t'he gardens are not popular, and very few people ever think of visiting them. In Dunedin the citizens take a prddie in their gardens, and never lose an opportunity of spending an hour or so in thorn. But the Dun-e-diiii auahoritiefi are loss exacting than oms; there are no vexatious m-Ariotioim at Dunedin, and no boards warning all and sundry to '"kiep off the grass , ' as there aro hore; also, there ifl a spacious band stand in the Dunedin gardens, and instrumental concerts frequently add to •the enjoyment of visitors to tliis favourits public resort. Why should our gardens not have a band stand alw.? Surely the gardens ate better adapted for band concerts than Victoria square! _And if a sand heap or two were provided in our jtardenM for tho amusement ctf tlic children, they would doubtless prove very attractive. Most of t'ho old London cemeteries are being swept away now, and ttho .■paces finis secured con.vorted into recreation grounds, and an almost invariable feature of these playgrounds for tho people is a sand neap for tho little ones, where they may be seen in 'hundreds on any fine day in summer, armed with spadee and buckets, and busied in building saoid cast lee. Tho section of our gardens reserved for tho Acclimatisation Society might also he rendered a most attractive corner of tiho place, instead of being as at ,pr€«>iit neglected and forgotten. One or two melancholy looking wallabys may be ee«n hopping dejectedly about the Society's reserve, and there is, or was, an ostrich or emu, I think—possibly ■more than one. Now, at no great expenditure the Acclimatisation Reserve might be rendered full of interest. Wellington is talking of establishing a Zoo. I don't know whether ChrastchuTcJi can afford to foiknv suit, but I am quite mire the Acclimatiisation Gardens might be made far mora attractive than they are, and tins need involve juo large outlay either. And wihy should our gardens not have a fern housa? The fera house in the Dunedin gardene is only a small affair, but it, is a charming place, and a source of great attraction to visitors. Our gardens aro far more extensive than those of tho Southern metropolis and ought to be one oi' our principal lions, iiiiebead of which they are gratl'ial'ly broominis I«s and less frequented, ami bid fair at im> distant date to bo utterly forgotten, as a pleasure resort. Can nothing be done to romedy such a state of things.—Yours, etc., T.C.