SUMMIT ROAD RESERVES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16313, 10 September 1918, Page 4

SUMMIT ROAD RESERVES.

THE ASSOCIATION'S LIABILITIES. DEPUTATION TO SIR FRANCIS BELL. In the Land Board roon. yesterday morning a deputation representing the committee of the Summit Road and Reserces Association waited on tho Hon. Sir Francis Bell, Commissioner in Charge of Scenic Reserves, and laid before him tho present financial position of the Association. Amongst those comprising the deputation were: Messrs George Harper (president), Georgo Gould, F. M. "Warren, Arthur Morten, George Bowron, H. G. Ell, M.P., H. S. Hobday, George T. Booth, Win. Jamieson, A. F. Wright, A. W. Beaven, J. S. Barrett, C. W. Ileid, I>r. Charles Chilton, R. ALalcolm, E. Lovell Smith, J. J. Dougall, and Mr C. H. Giloy (secretary). Mr W. H. Skinner, Commissioner of Orown Lands, was also present. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs A. W. Jamieson, E. W. Relph, and W. lleeco. Mr Harper, after outlining the matters connected with the Association, said that it had been recently re-con-stituted with tho objoct of increasing public interest in its activities, and of obtaining subscriptions more freely. It was also desired to relieve Mr EU, or whoever incurred the liabilities, of tho present indebtedness of the Association. Mr Ell, in his zeal and enterprise, had incurred certain liabilities, and the Association desired to assist him in getting rid of them. Just at present was a. bad time to ask tho public for largo subscriptions, such -as were being given to the patriotic funds; but the Association was looking forward to getting a largely increased membership ana hoped to obtain an income of £500 per antum. * Sir Francis Bell: For one year only ? Mr Harper : "No; I think for each year." Continuing, ho said that out of tho income, after provision was mado for maintenance, they hoped to bo able to establish a sinking fund wherewith to wipe out existing liabilities. Tho Association was now much enlarged; would be run on business principles, and, under its rules, it would liave full control over expenditure by its officers. "And members?" asked Sir Francis Bell.

Mr Harper said, that the Association was 'composed of some of the best and hardest-headed business men, and it was intended to carry it on on strictly business lines. It was decided that tho Government should lend to the Association £2500 to enable it to clear off its liabilities at once. Mr Harjjer added that it was hoped, later, to augment tho Association's income by means of 'fetes (such as held in connexion with tho Botanic Gardens), and from this source and its regular income, to repay the Government advance. Mr Warren, of Messrs Gould, Beaumont and Co , which firm had undertaken to act as honorary treasurers of the Association —(hear, lioar) —would give details of the financial position. Mr F. M. Warren said that was a very earnest desire on the part of tho re-constituted Summit Road Association to unravel the tangle of liabilities incurred in connexion with the Kennedy's Bush and Dyer's Pass Rest Houses. In these unfortunate timei it would not be the correct course to •'send round the hat," —

Sir Francis Bell: You don't want to compete with the Red Cross? Mr Warren: "No; it is quite impossible for us to compete with such appeals ; and it would be out of place to attempt it.'.' He pointed out that the reserves, when purchased, and tho rest houses when built, automatically became Crown property. The suggestion had been made that to overcome the financial difficulties the only solution was by obtaining an advance from tho Government. The liabilities had bean divided into capital items and current liabilities. The capital liabilities in connexion with Kennedy's Bush were: Balance of purchase money of reserve of 69 acres £520; of reserve of 31 acres £400; balance due on contract for house £480. In respect of Dyer's Pass Rest House: Balance on builder's (Mr Calvert's) contract, £422; other items in the nature of loans made by private citizens to assist in connexion with the contract,. £395; a grand total on the two reserves of £2217. The current liabilities were enumerated in 75 ac-; counts, totalling £2190 13s lid; a total of capital and current liabilities of (in round figures), £4500. It was desired to have the assistance of the Government in paying tne-half of this total. Mr Warren said he felt sure that the Association could raise annually for a period of say, five years, a sum that would enable them to repay the advance if the teims wore made reasonably easy. If a guarantee from the Association would not be sufficient, he thought they could meet the Minister in any reasonable suggestions he might make.

Mr George Gould said that in the list of loans his name appeared for £170 or £180—amounts given to Mr Ell without a very clear idea as to whether they were loans or gifts. When le (Mr Gould) parted with the money he aid not have any lively anticipation of seeing it again: but he would not lite it to be thought that he was present on the deputation with the idea cf gettiife the Government to help him to recover these amounts. So far as ho was concerned? without making a definite promise at that moment, he might say that he hoped to give the Association the money, or would not demand it. H& did not absolutely promise to make', a gift ,of it because he hoped to make his promise conditional on others, to whom the Association was in debt, doing similarly. Ho hoped that when the Association was in tho position to make some reasonable proposition, others would, when they learned that the Government waa assisting the Association, come forward in a generous spirit and settle some of the Association's liabilities in tho way he had indicated. He was sure that the work of the Association was being gradually appreciated by the public, and that every day would pee that appreciation People were Only now coming to realise what a splendid "estate for the future Mr Ell had secured.

' Sir Francis Bell, in reply, referred to the different kinds of scenic reserves —those that were national in character such as tho bush fringing the lakes at Eotorua, tho National Park (including Tonganro and Ruapehu), and the bush on the banks of the "Wanganpi river j the reason these were so classed was that every member of the public of the Dominion was interested in them. A second class included historic sites—Maori pas and battlefields, and soldiers' graves; hi these also the whole Dominion was interested, and the Government looked upon itself as their custodian,' The third class consisted of purely loca! reserves, the care of which was generally handed over to a borough council or to a scenic board. To the third class the Summit road reserves belonged, and in respect to this class of reserve the Government did not undertake to find any money or finance. This class of reserve. aU over the country, was practically useless because almost invariably its end. was destruction: a bit of bush was reserved and the settler adjoining had a fire which accidentally spread to the reserve: he recalled one instance where there were 13 accidental fires on such a reserve in one day. The Summit road reserves were exceptional in that there were rest houses on some cf them, and in providing them the Association had practically provided custodians for the reserves. That waa the only reafon that he felt justified

in advising the Government to assist! the Association—3>ut it must not he taken as a precedent unless those controUing similar reserves provided custodians to look.after them. Coming to the request of the deputbtiou, Sir Francis said that he wanted to put aside from consideration the £395 representing loans. In this matter Mr Gould had given him great help. Ho ■ did not pretend to enquire whether or! not the gentlemen who advanced, these loans had any claim on tho Association: but they had no possible claim, * even in ordinary justice or equity, to ask tho Government to assist them in getting their advances refunded. He : had authorised Mr Skinner to say that] he (the Minister) would advise the j Government to take over £1700 of the Association's liabilities on Kennedy's Bush; ho was not prepared to go fur-! ther than that so far as the Government was concerned. Tho Minister gave reasons why ho did not view with favour recommending the' Government to advance £2500 to the Asso-1 ciation. He recognised tha position in which the Association fomid itself, I and ho would like to see it start clear. He would give the matter of tho £2500 advance his very earnest consideration, and would also talk it ov«r with his colleagues. If he came to a favourable conclusion ho would be prepared to recommend it to Cabinet, i as he was prepared to do in connexion with tho £1700 representing tho balance of the purchase of tho Kennedy's Bush reserves and tho provision to enable a caretaker to live on the reserve. Mr Harper thanked tho Minister for the courteous manner in wmch he had received tho deputation.