DAY'S BAY GROUND

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 99, 23 October 1913, Page 3

DAY'S BAY GROUND

PROPOSAL TO PURCHASE CITY COUNCIL ASKED TO ACT WITH EASTBOURNE The Finance Committee of the City Council was approached yesterday afternoon by a deputation representing the Eastbourne Borough Council with a view to securing the co-operation of the city in the purchase of the Day's 'Bay grounds for a public park. Those present were — The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), and Councillors Barber, Godber, and Frost (members of the Finance Committee), and the Mayor of Eastbourne (Mr. W. J. Organ), and Councillors Kelly and Foley, and Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P. for tho Hutt electorate, which includee Eastbourne. Apologies were received from Mr. C. P. Bkerrett, K.C., Mr. J. G. W. Aitken, and Mr. Harold Beaachamp, who expressed sympathy with the proposal submitted by the deputation. The Mayor of Eastbourne explained the position. There were nine acres of recreation ground to be acquired, including the tennis court 6, the croquet lawn, and the grounds connected with the pavilion. The Ferry Company, which owned the land, proposed to sell the whole for £9700, not including the pavilion, which would add another £2000 to the total. He thought that they were all agreed about the desirability of acquiring the property. The whole matter was one of finance. He had obtained an estimate of expenditure and revenue on the property, and the figures were : Annual expenditure, interest on purchase money (£11,700), at 5 per cent., £585; rates, £50 ;t; t insurance, £10; upkeep (two men),' £300; water and lighting, £15; total, £960. Against this there would be a considerable amount of revenue. The tennis courts, for instance^ would yield £100, the pavilion (to put it at a reasonable figure) JD2SO, croquet lawn £30, and cricket ground £35. It would be possible then to charge the 100,000 yearly visitors an admission fee to the grounds, and estimating this at the moderate figure of a penny the income would bo £416. If the admission fee were made 3d it would yield the handsome amount of £1250, and so there might even, be a profit on the undertaking. What he suggested now was that Eastbourne and the city might co-operate in this matter. He believed that £3000 could be obtained by public subscription and Eastbourne and the city could bear the balance of the cost. It would be a lasting shame to Wellington If the land were allowed to be cut up into building allotments. Mr. wilford strongly supported the proposal as a ratepayer of both 1 the Eastbourne Borough and the city. He thought it would be a great mistake if 40 or 50 people were allowed to tako up the land at Day's Bay to the exclusion of the rest of the people. The actual purchase by the local bodies, Mr. Wilford suggested, might be made without cash and the undertaking carried on so that no call would be made on the city at, all. Councillor Kelly suggested the calling of a public meeting to deal with the matter, ar.'l Councillor Foley expressed his hearty support of the schemo. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), in reply, said he could not commit himself <vithout consulting the council. No one was more enthusiastic than himself about the matter, but the city had already a great deal on its hands with suburban development. He had been informed that there was a gentleman in Wellington who would give £1000 if they could £et some others to give £1000. They might also approach the Government with a view to its buying the land on the basis that tho city would find so much, Eastbourne so much, and the Government the rest. Thousands of Government employees among others would be affected. Mr. Wilford thought that if they took tho step suggested by Mr. Luke, it would be as well for the Government to make a purchase of the bush at the same time.