CONSERVING THE BUSH.

Evening Post, Volume LIV, Issue 21, 24 July 1897, Page 2

CONSERVING THE BUSH.

A PUBLIC PARK fob KHANDALLAH. A meeting of Khandallah residents was held in the public school last evening, to decide whether the suburb should reserve an area of bush land as a public domain. The piece of ground in question is 31 acres in extent, and is part of the late Mrs. Whift's j 1 property. It is the only bit of natural bush | left in the neighbourhood, and is a favourite | camping-spot for picnickers, comprising a fine spur of bush land to the east of the railway station. I Mr. Arthur O'Donahoo presided, and -explained that when tenders were first called for the section in question two or three gentlemen met together, and, as they thought it a pity that one of the natural beauties of the suburb should be destroyed, they put in a tender, which was accepted, at l£4 80. It was manifestly unfair for a few to pay for the land, when it would be for the interest of all that the bush should be conserved. Hence' it was decided that the public of Khandallah should have the matter placed before them, in order that they might take it up. Sufficient dead wood could be got from the bush without destroying the live wood to pay interest for three years. Mr. F. W. Mansfield moved that a limited liability company should be formed of 600 shares at £1 each, to be registered under the Unclassified Societies Registration Act, for the purpose of acquiring the land for a public domain. Those who had put their bands in their pockets in order to secure this reserve for the public looked to the public to assist them. He was prepared to take 20 shares, and the members of the Scenery Preservation Society had offered to take others. If the bush was cut down the property of Khandallab residents would certainly fall in value. Mr. A. E. Bybles seconded the motion. To test the feeling of the meeting a sharelist was prepared. Mr. J. Holmes, Mayor of Onslow, put his name down for 25 shares, and 115 snares in all were subscribed.

Mr. C. Aplin said that the dead wood i could not be taken out without destroying the live bush. What he would like to see would be to leave the bush exactly as it was, fence it in, and keep the Wellington, people from destroying it by taking all its ferns away. If a few paths were made and the bush left as it Was he would take shares in the company. j This view apparently found much favour with the meeting, but it was pointed out that to leave dead wood in the bush would be to increase the danger of fire. Mr. Holmes was of opinion that no gain would be got by cutting the timber. Mr. J. H. Meadowcroft suggested that as there might be a constant expense in maintaining fe,nces, &c, it would be better to subscribe money to purchase the property . outright, and band it over to the borough as a public reserve. Then the maintenance of the park would fall upon the ratepayers. He moved,in this direction. Mr. Mansfield suggested that for such an object the Government would probably give a subsidy. He offered to waive his motion in favour of the amendment. Mr. C. T. H. Brown said that the guarantors approved the proposed amendment. Mr. H. S. Pollen reconded the amendment, which was then carried. A list of subscriptions was then started, and in a short' time £130 ' was guaranteed. A committee, consisting of the Mayor of Onslow (Mr. J. Holmes). Messrs. F. W. Mansfield, S. C. G. Vickers, C. T. H. Brown, George M'Cartney, Joseph Thomas, A. E. Bybles,,A. O'Donahoo, C. Aphn, J. Meadowcroft, Harris, the mover, and H. Floyd, was also appointed to canvass the district and Wellington for subscriptions.