CARTER OBSERVATORY

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 47, 18 November 1932, Page 8

CARTER OBSERVATORY

Site in Botanical Gardens TO COST £3OOO The Carter bequest for a new observatory in Wellington has been earning interest steadily for a long term of years, and with a view to its utilisation on the lines set down.by the donor, conferences have'been held between the trusteesand representatives of the Ciy Council. The Observatory committee bf the City Council, of which Cr. S. Holm is the chairman, reported to last night’s meeting that the committee had conferred with representatives of the New Zealand Institute in regard to the erection of an observatory from funds provided by the Carter bequest, and as a result recommended the following proposals, which were agreed to at the conference,, subject to the approval of the New Zealand Institute and the Wellington City Council: — That the New Zealand Institute (trustees of the Carter bequest) be granted a lease in perpetuity at a rental of 1/- per annum (if demanded), of a quarter-acre section In the Botanical Gardens, Kelburn, for the purpose of erecting thereon an observatory at a cost of approximately £3OOO. That the telescope owned by the council be handed over on loan to the trustees of the Carter bequest for a minimum term of ten years for use on the proposed site. That the governing body be the Carter Observatory Committee, and consist of seven members, four being representatives of the New Zealand Institute as Carter Trustees, two being representatives of the Wellington City Council, as providing the site and telescope, and one being representative of the New Zealand Astronomical Society as providing the staff and upkeep. That the telescope be available for the use of the public for at least one night a week at a small charge to be fixed by the Carter Observatory Committee from time to time. 1 . Cr. F. Meadowcroft said the committee w’as prepared to buy the telescope. The council got it cheaply, and if it could get what it paid for it it would wash its hands of it. He was sure Dr. Adams and the Astronomical Society could look after it better than the council could. He moved tha’t as an amendment. The Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, said the council should have something to say about the charge for admission on one night in the week.. Cr. S. Holm said the council had paid £5OO for the telescope, but it was valued at £l5OO. Cr. Meadowcroft’s amendment was carried.