A WINTER GARDEN

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 86, 8 October 1935, Page 7

A WINTER GARDEN

£3000 ASKED FOR

PROPOSAL TO COUNCIL

A deputation representing the Wellington Beautifying Society last night proposed to the City Council that £3000 of the,sum.received as compensation for the taking of the Thorridbn Esplanade should be expended iii building a wing of ,a' winter, garden at the Botanical. Gardens. ..••.'

S. S. Holm, president of the society,' said that the society had plans .'-which,wouldplace Wellington on the map,-if it had the money. The fact ti)at "the-council had received £20,000 as compensation for the Thorndqn Esplanade gave the society courage to suggest''toat a.part of it should be, expended in the provision of a winter ; garden;; .-.. '; :: ' / • -

: Councillor E. A. Wright, M.P.: That's all-gonei ,

'Not all of it, said Captain Holm, and the-society asked that £3000 of the unexpended amount, should be earmarked for the building of one wing of-a-winter garden which, when fully developed,- would place Wellington on ;a"level< with .other., centres in the Dominion..

■.'■•• Mrs. Knox Gilmer said that in spite of the bad position of the present propagating house, from 25,000 to 35,000 •people climbed the hill each year dyring the season that the begonias ..were in bloom. Wellington _had ithe best collection of . begonias in the \ Southern Hemisphere, but, so inadequate Were the facilities offered'-'at present, that the': plants had,'to. be ' moved out when the house was required for other, purposes. It was not possible to maintain, a succession of blooms with other types of flowers. Wellington was far behind other centres, even quite small;centres; as regarded /winter ■ garden (displays. The proposal made was/she considered, a very- reasonable- one, and would enable a. very great attraction and real asset to^be added to..the .Wellington gardens.' '• ■' ' ■■•.',' •' . ' ' THE RECREATION OF MANY. Mr. H. Foxvsaid that. the: society thought that .the-time had: come when' the City Council should give consideration to other than: field sports arid irecreations, for the'love and enjoyment of flowers , was to: many'a very real recreation.. The proposals -made were not at all.extravagant. .Maintenance and upkeep'of a winter garden such as that suggested-r-wnich even such a small centre as Oaniaru already had—would amount to about £300 to £400 per annum, and if. an adequate glasshouse were provided it should during the twelve months, attract 100,000 people. The council should realise that so large a number of people were seeking, the relaxation and enjoyment of a winter garden. So unsatisfactory was the present propagating house at the pardens that there was a quite considerable annual loss of begonias through the. necessity of taking them out of the house to make room for-other ■work. .■■■-■■■ Mr. J. Bennett said that for a commencement a house measuring 40 byi 80 feet would meet requirements. Such a house would make it possible to maintains display the whole year through Councillor Wright asked whether^ generally speaking, the Botanical Gardens were not the equal of any gardens in.the Dominion. lii" some respects they were superior to any other gardens, replied Mr. Fox, but they were far behind as regarded winter gardens. . The Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) .said that everyone would agree,upon the desirability of a winter garden. The size mentioned by one speaker was rather larger than -those in certain other centres: the winter garden; »&t, Oamaru measured 66 by 33 feet," ahd: the Auckland house 75 by 30 feet. TJfte,. allocation of the £14,000 in hand front; the sum received in compensation for the taking of the Thorndon Esplanade was the subject of very full and :carer ful investigation, and now that ffHe^fieputation had made its representations; the committee, would take the .Tpfoji posal into consideration. , . -> ;■• i