BEAUTIFYING SCHEME

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 104, 30 October 1923, Page 9

BEAUTIFYING SCHEME

FOR FITZHERBERT TERRACE

{ SUGGESTION FROM RATE- | PAYERS' ASSOCIATION

! TENNIS COURTS OR ANCIENT i PINES? | A deputation of members of the Executive Committee of the Wellington North Ratepayers' Association waited upon the Reserves Committee of the City Council yesterday afternoon to place before committeemen a scheme for the beautification of Fitzherbert terrace between Molesworth street and Hobson [ street by the removal of the now anj eient, dark, and rather dreary avenue of twisted, wind-blown pine trees and the laying-out of four tennis courts and flower beds. -

There was some objection from local residents a few years ago, said Mr. G. W. Shallcrass, to the destruction of the trees, but that objection had now been withdrawn, for the trees had lost their beauty and now were more of an eyesore than something pleasing to look upon, f They afforded shelter for undesirables at j »ight _ and the rubbish caused by the I dropping pine needles was a constant nui- ! »ance to everyone living in the localflty. The street was about .700 feet long j and about 120 feet wide, and that would j allow the formation of four tennis court*, J each 120 feet long, and would give a ; 20-foot roadway on either side, with 12----foot footpaths at the roadsides. Ornamental plots could be laid out at each end and in the middle of the court* plan. Ths association had no wish or thought of interfering with the success of the bigger tennis scheme at Miramar, and believed that courts at Thermion ■would rather help on that schema by acting as feeders. l

Councillor C. B. Norwood, who had just returned from America, continued Mr. Shallcrass, stated that he saw etreets in Nsw York and other cities used for organised games, and Dr. Truby 1 King had eaid; "Public authorities are naturally inolined to hesitate before consenting to recreational schemes affecting public. property. There need, however, be little hesitation ■when it comes to any reasonable provision of due incentives and facilities in regard to the form of recreation which will take people into the open air and sunshine and keep them there—getting the maximum of oenefit, physical, mental, and moral, in the minimum of time. In these respects nothing can compare with children's play grounds, public swimming baths, and tennis courts open, to all." A PAYING PROPOSITION. Quite apart from the inestimable value to the health of the people, the formation of the courts would pay in pounds, shillingß, and pence, declared Mr. Shallcrass. The asphalt courts at Day's Bay cost about £200 each, and oourts in the city requiring some excavation had been laid down for about the same amount. The removal of the trees might be expensive, but £1000 would be an outeido estimate for the four court* complete with wireSetting and st«el standards and ornamonts to give a pleasing appearance. One oourt could earn 16s on a. fine,summer •holiday, anst 'that"was done, at Day's Bay by charging at the rate of 6d per player per hour. If throughout the year each court earns only 15s per week, instead of 16s per day, the four courts ■would provide a revenue c! £160 per annum, and that was probably a low estimate of revenue. At Day's Bay twelve courts provided a revenue of £339 6s for six months, equal to about 1C220 for four courts per annum. There •waß, however, very little play at Day's Bay during tie week, and courts in the city should provide a larger revenue than those on the other side of the harbour.

One. of the objections to municipal courts, said the speaker, was the necessity to employ labour to collect the fees, but in the case of Fitaherbert terrace this would not be necessary. There was the caretaker at Queen's Park, or his assistant, and either one could attend at appointed times to open and let the courts. Other council employees worked and lived in the locality, and their services could be made available, There were, too, a number of families living in the locality, the members of •which would, no doubt, .be glad to visit the courts hourly at busy times, or at longer periods, when there was not bo much demand, and let the courts and collect the fees upon a commission basis. That latter method would probably bs the moit satisfactory oi collecting the fees, The courts would present an, animated scene on a fine day, and at night might be lighted with lamps similar to those at Oriental Bay. The garden' plots could be used by a different type of person to those who, lurked there in the street's present dark condition! Mr. A. E. Newton endorsed the remarks made by Mr. Shallcrass, but added that perhaps an objection might be raised, that only 20 feet of roadway would be left on either side. However, certainly not more than 20 feet of roadway was used at present, and should traffic grow, one-way traffic would offer an easy solution.

Mr. V. Jensen «aid that he doubted •whether the cost Would amount to £1000. When he said that trees -were regarded as a nuisance, he spoke on behalf of many of the residents, in that street ASSOCIATION MIGHT BEGIN THE WORK. In answer to Councillor B. G. H Burn, Mr. Shallcrass stated that in the event of the City Council favouring the scheme, but not being in a position to go on with the work, his association ■would probably favourably consider taking the work in hand itself, but in that event would probably wish to have some nghta In the matter of control and direction. That, perhaps, was no more than was natural. EIGHTS OP THB COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC. Councillor Chapman remarked that on the face of it the scheme looked a very goc*T one, but there was a question as to whether the council had the right to divert land set aside for roading to tennis courts and the like. The council would very probably be sharply rebuked as vandals if they laid a finger on the trees.

Mr. ShaUcrass: " The association fully expects something of that kind for the mere suggesting of the removal of the trees. Our policy is certainly to encourage planting rather than to do away ■with standing trees, but these old trees are no longer beautiful or useful." Councillor Aston suggested that not too much room would be left available to the general public were four tennis courts to be laid down. Personally he ■would support any reasonable scheme for the replacing of the old trees with something brighter and more useful, but the question of the rights of the general public was not to be overlooked. THORNDON NEEDS MORE PLAY- . ING GROUNDS. The chairman of the committee, Councillor W. J. Thompson, thanked membars of the deputation for going into the ,

matter. Fitzherbert terrace had been m the minds of the council for many years, and one soheme, for instance, had been for the removal of the old trees and the laying out of a rest park. It was rather a pity that the idea had not struck the association a little earlier, when firewood was so dear. (Laughter.) Playing areas were none too plentiful in Thorndon, and four additional tennis courts would be vory welcome. The Ihprndon Croquet Club was badly pressed for room, and he had mentioned that factto Mr. Shallcrass when the associations scheme was first mooted, Mr. Shallcrass answering that that was a matter for the council. The proposal would have to be further considered by the Finance or Worka Committee, but he hoped that the council would be able to do something for the association.