RATEPAYERS' ASSOCIATION.

Evening Star, Issue 12926, 14 April 1908, Page 7

RATEPAYERS' ASSOCIATION.

The Ratepayers' Association held a special meeting last night in the Coffee Palace. Mr Joseph Milnes presided over a. fair attendance. —For bury Park.— The Chairman said that eighteen montlw ago the question of purchasing Forbury Turk had been very fully considered by the City Council, in conjunction with an elaborate report on the matter bv the city engineer. The latter had estiinated that the cost of improving the park, as it would have to be improved, would involve a total cost of from £50,000 to £60.000, and the Oity Council, after consideration, decided on a vote that they would not consider tho question of purchasing the park. What had happened t-inee he" did not know. Irut ae they were awaie, the Council had decided to hold a. special meeting to consider the offer of Forbury Park submitted to them by the Forbury Park Company, and vote on the question of whether or not the matter should be laid before tho ratepayer. On the-previous occasion referred to, they, as an Association, had voted against the proposal. Personally, he saw no necessity for any more reserves. They had the Oval, which was scarcely ever utilised, and there were ten acres between Cargill road and Maeandrew road, of which the Council had as yet made no use. This ten-acre block lay 'low. but it would not cost more to fill it in than to raise the surface of Forburv Park.

Mr A. Meggett -said that though the park was offered at £14,000, it would cost thorn £50.000 before they brought it to a state fit for recreation purposes. Everything, nearly, that the Council had interested themselves in during the few years had cost double the estimate, and this, he thought, would prove )» exception. Further, they, as an association, were pledged to go against all loans, unless shown to bo absolutely needful. In Dunedin there was nothing approaching congestion, and no necessity for more air space. They had the Gardens, the Museum block, tho Triangle, the Oval, tho ten-acre block on Macandrew road, Taiuna Park, Ocean Bench, and tho great Town Belt extending right round tho City. Where, then, was the necessity for acquiring Forbury ;is a public recreation ground ?He moved —" That tliey disapprove of the purchas-o of ForbuTy Park by the City Council." Tile motion was seconded by Mr A. Bain, who referred to a number'of Socialistic questions involved. Mr P. Duncan thought they had never come to an adverse decision relative to the proposed purcha-?e with all tho data concerning tho matter before thorn. He moved —"That tho Association approve of the City Council entering into negotiations for the purchase of Forbury Parle." Tho company wlk> owned the park now propof*ed to convert their asset into cash, and before subdividing they had proceeded to offer it to file Council. That was tho reason of its being brought up again, and tho company should be complimented on their consideration,—(Mr Connor : " Ha! ha ! ha! ") Mr Connor did not understand. Tho thing was not thrust upon the Council in any way. Now, as to the probable cost. If they had any trust in their councillors—most of whom wore the nominees of the Association—tbey should not harbor tho thought that the former would spend money foolishly. They could make Forbury Park a suitable piece of ground, he was sure, without tho great expenditure suggested, and make it also a most attractive spot. Mr Moguctt had referred to the other open spaces about tho City, but he did not know the purpose to which tho park was put. Wis Mr Meggett aware- that on Saturdays as many as 1,000 young people congregated there, and that sometimt's there were twenty football matches going on at once. The Oval would never be utilised in this I way, and no more could many of tho re- | creation grounds-spoken of. Further, many of these reserves and grounds had cost the City nothing. Mr Meggett had said they went against all loans. Well, they must be careful, and not get a reputation for obstructing. Most of those reserves lwd come down from the Provincial Gove-rn-i ment, and it was true that tho City had plenty of lungs. But his point was this: TheTe was no reserve which coukl be utilised as Forbury was now being utilised.—(A Voice: "What about'Montecillo?") They could only occupy Montccillo during the pleasure of the Council. It was their duty to those coming after them that they should not let this opportunity go by. He was not an advocate for the Forbury Park Company, and did not know a single member of that company.

Mr H. V. Fulton saw no objection to approving of tho Council negotiating with the company, though he did not commit himfielf to approval of the purcSase. He seconded the amendment. Mr James Connor supported the motion. He had opposed the purchase when the matter was discussed by th© Council before, and now 6awno reason why the Corporation should burden themselves with this purchase. Forbury was at present of very little use indeed, even to football and hockey clubs. If left as it was now, it was practically valueless, and the city en-

gineer had shown the lowest estimate.pos-' siblo of filling it in. The Corporation would also be at the expense of forming roads, etc. If they had 'all data be-. fore them they would leave Eorbury alone. They had already a white elephant in the Free Public Library, which promised to be a burden on the rates. If the park were in good condition £14,000 for seventy acres would be cheap, but as it stood at present it was practically inaccessible. The reason why the matter had been brought forward now was because the company expected greater sympathy from the present Council. —(A Voico: "More intelligence.") That went without saying. He would support the motion.

Mr John White eaidthat Mr Duncan had given them no reasons'in favor of the purchase.

Mr Duncan: We do not by the amendment recommend purchasing or filling in; we simply favor negotiations. Mr White calculated that with the cost of filling in they would pay £833 per acremuch more than the land was worth. He was a supporter of the motion.

Mr Meggett paid a high compliment to Mr Duncan's powers of rhetoric. But they did not want another football ground. They shauld speak strongly against the proposal, and show the ratepayers that they did not want this large purchase to be again brought for favorable discussion before the City Council.

The Chairman, after speaking in favor of the motion, put the amendment, which was lost by 8 to 2, and the motion was carried. —High Ward Vacancy.—

The Chairman referred to the vacancy caused in High Ward by the candidature of Cts M'Donald and Walker. The Asso ciation had at first desired that Mr Arkle should become a candidate, but that gentleman had been warned by his doctor to tako things quietly. Under the circumstances he moved a vote of sympathy with Mr Arkle; that they express a hope that he. might soon be" restoied to perfect, health.

The motion was unanimously carried.

Continuing, the Chairman said that Cr Connor had subsequently been approached and consented to stand, but that the candidature of Mr Peter Barr had since been announced.

Mr Connor said that lie and Mr Barr were firm friends; ako they were both temperance advocates. He did not like standing, under tho circumstances ; he preferred to retire in favor of Mr Barr. Further, being a beaten candidate at last election, he would prefer to fight it out again a year hence rather than step in bv a side door. Were it any other man but Mr Barr, ho would have" made a fight of it, but as things were he would retire in the hatters favor. Tiie meeting resolved to support the. candidature of Mr Ban-. —Cr M'Donald and tho Mayoralty.— Tho Chairman explained the circumstances [already detailed in our columns by the secretary] under which, at Cr M'Donald's own invitation, representatives of the Association had attended his Albany street meeting and questioned him. The meeting accepted the explanation of their president and secretary as being perfectly satisfactory.