PARK FOR EASTBOURNE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1295, 25 November 1911, Page 10

PARK FOR EASTBOURNE.

AN OFFER TO THE COUNCIL. A special meeting of the Eastbourne Borough Counoil was held yesterday afternoon to consider a proposal raised by Councillor button to acquire 16 acres of bush land at Muritai for the purpose of converting it into a public park. There were present: The Mayor (Mr. H. \V. Shortt), and Councillors Button, Orgau, lioss, aHrcourt, Pilcher, "Morris, and TV'ills.

Councillor Button submitted his motion, and spoke strongly in support of it. No bush land was available to the public in the borough, except on sufferance. This land had been offered to tho borough for .£530, .CSO payable in six months, and the balance payable within ten years, the interest in the meantime to be computed at 5 per cent. If the bush were purchased, ho.urged that the ,£SO could bo paid out of next year's revenue, and tho balance Said out of the loan which must soon o raised for water and drainage. In tho meantime, the interest liability would be £H per annum. There would also be £3 10s. loss in rates, so that .£27 10s. would be the total annual cost until the laud was paid for out of loan money at 3j or 4 per cent. He suggested that the borough might erect a tea kiosk on tho fringe of tho bush, and lease it to a caterer at a rental which would make the scheme a self-contained one. For the present lie thought the bush might be left in its natural state, in which condition it was sufficiently attractive, and make the borough more" popular than it was at present. Councillor Morris seconded tho motion. In reply lo Councillor Harconrt, the town clerk slated that the rateable value of the borough was .£107,000. He stated, further, that the Government valuation of the two sections on either side of tho right-of-way approaching the property, was .£IBO each, and that the Government valuation of the whole property, including the section, was .£SBO.

Councillor Mills opposed the Bchomo. This small area of bush was of no value: it would never !>e used by anybody, and it was not worth tho money the owner asked for it. It was impossible to cut the land up, and it would lie idle for the next 30 years. The borough possessed just as good property as it was now proposed to buy. Tho Sfnyor reminded tho meeting of the probable expenditure to be incurred by the borough, which was not wealthy to begin with. At nresent the council bad under consideration the acquisition of. tho balance of the foreshore, at a probable cost of £100. There was also the borough's contribution to tho Hutt Road, .£SO or XCO. Further than that, the borough would have to face expenditure oil ;i sea wall to prevent encroachment on the foreshore at tho south end of Muritai. And tho borough had already one of the finest parks in the country. ■ Councillor Harcourt opposed tho scheme on the ground that the land could not ■ be ent iipifor building, and wns not worth the price asked. .lα-any case-he'consider-': ed the borough ...could not afford tho expenditure. The borough was living on an overdraft. If it had JJSOO to spare, ho would bo the first to vote for the proposal. Was it worth whilo for the borough to" spend ,£SOO on an asset which would not attract 25 people a year from Wellington? Ho was sure the kiosk would not be a paving proposition. Councillor Pilcher would havo been in

favour'of tho proposal, but for tho fact that tho rates must bo increased for other purposes very shortly. Councillors Organ and Rosa recognised tho desirability of tho urea as a park, but wore afraid the finances of the borough did not warrant the expenditure being undertaken. Tho Mayor thought the owner asked too much for tho land, and if, the council thought of purchasing it, the'price must bo considerably reduced. Councillor Harcourt moved an amendment that, the owner of tho property be asked to reconsider his offer with a view to reducing it. Councillor Organ seconded tho amendment. Councillor Button accepted the amendment, which was carried, Councillor Wills alone dissenting. He wished that tho proposal be rejected altogether.