ADMISSION TO ZOO

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 109, 9 May 1924, Page 11

ADMISSION TO ZOO

SIfMDAY CHARGE FAVOURED

SISCCSSIOH BY CITY COTONCII.

A recommendation made by the Legislation Connnittee of the City Council last evening that authority should be sought during the next session of Parliament for the right to charge admis--sion to the Zoo on Sundays gave rise to some discussion, the general feeling being plainly that Wellington could not carry on and extend the Zoo, as should be done if Wellington was to keep in line with other centres, Auckland being particularly mentioned, unless a chargo were made on Sundays. Councillor Burn maintained that an understanding had been given that no charge would be made on Sundays, and Councillor Chapman also held that a Sunday charge was wrong in principle; the council should keep all its charges to the public down as low as possible. _ The very simple result of the present system, said Councillor -Luekie, was that peoplo did not go to the Zoo during the week, when they would have to pay, but waited for Sunday, and the council could not afford lo cany on in those circumstances. Auckland■■ made a charge of a shilling, and was able to show a very handsome profit on ita Zoo. Councillor Thompson suggested that if it was not thought'probable that the right to chargo on Sunday would be granted the .council should ask the right to increase the. week-day admission charge. . .. ■

Councillor Luckie: "And you would only drive more people to go on Sundays. Gel,, the'right, to charge on Sundays: first." . . ' .-■■■'"•.■

Councillor Thompson said that he was not opposed to a Sunday chai'ge, but he thought that the weekday.charge should also be increased. "Wellington people did not visit the. Zoo during the week, for from Monday to .Saturday by far the greater number were visitors to the city. Was it right that Wellington .citizens should be let off in that manner?

So long as the Zoo continued to show an annual loss of two or three thousand pounds, said Councillor.H. D. Bennett, the council, would hesitate to make any further expenditure upon it, aud were a. charge made on Sundays the present yearly, deficiency would bo made up, and extensions would become possible. Wellington was. a long way. behind Auckland in its Zoo, and.visitors would soon begin to wonder why Wellington did not .possess ail up-to-date Z00.,: AVhen the Zoo was founded, said Councillor Monteith, the then council, on behalf of .the citizens, gave an understanding, that no charge would be made on Sundays, and that understanding the.council w-as.now trying to break. It was not precisely an understanding, replied tho Mayor; tho position was that either the" council'theii had to agree to those terms, or it would have hadnothing. . .' , . „ ■ ■ , Councillor J. 'Burns said that the position in Auckland was different a'ince the Zoo there, was not upon .a, public reserve, and consequently a charge, could bo made on any day. Last year the loss on the. Wellington Zoo. was and that loss' would continue or grow greater. He agreed withy Coun.cillor Bennett that tho "big [tiling was to build up and extend the Zoo, and that could not be done under the present system... ;■■■•■•■ . - ■

Tho Mayor, Mr. E. ■A. - "Wright, said that Auckland was certainly in,a better position in having its Zoo upon". freehold .property. Though objection to. a .charge upon Sundays had, when the question wa'r> last .before Parliament, come from the Upper ; House, he wae afraid .that, opposition would now. come from the Lower House, not from the Upper, since it was now somewhat differently constituted. ,

After further brief discussion, and the taking, of a. vote upon the question, it was, .decided, that authority to make Sunday charges should be sought, and also that authority should ..be sought for the right to increase the daily charge for admission.