NAPIER PARK COMPANY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7174, 28 May 1885, Page 3

NAPIER PARK COMPANY.

A general meeting of shareholders of the above company was held last evening at the Caledonian Hotel. There was a good attendance, some 30 shareholders being present. On the motion of Mr H. Williams, Mr J. M'Vay was voted to the chair. PROSPECTS OF THE COMPANY. The Chairman, having read the advertisement calling the meeting, made a short address. He said that the formation of the company was largely due to the energy and perseverance of Mr Monteith. Through his efforts Napier now possessed what the town had needed for many years, a ground of sufficient; area where sports of all kinds could be" successfully carried out. The ground was close to Napier, and would suit the town and country districts admirably. AH who had inspected the ground were of opinion that it was eminently suitable for the purpose. He had never seen the ground himself until last week, and entered the company on the representations of others who had seen the land, but when he visited ; the place he was most agreeably surprised, as he was not prepared to find such a suitable ground as it proved to be. He considered that the ground would be a real boon to Napier, and those present would find that he had not overstated the suitability of the land when they heard the reports of the provisional directors and of Mr J. T. Carr, the company's engineer. PROVISIONAL DIRECTORS REPORT. The secretary, Mr H. Monteith, r|ad the following report : — - J Pursuant to instructions from the last general meeting of shareholders, held at the Caledonian Hotel on the 6th March last, your provisional directors took steps to find out if any better and more suitable site for a racecourse and park than Mr Frame's property was obtainable. Mr Tiffen was interviewed, and other places were inspected, with -the result that nothing suitable was found obtainable within a reasonable distance from town. A committee were consequently appointed to inierview Mr Frame finally, when they succeeded in reducing the pri'-e to sBSB per acre, at which price the directors, at a meeting held on the 13th of March last, decided to conclude the purchase of the block (comprising eighty two acres), as soon as eighty shares were applied for. Applications for thst number of shares having been easily obtained, the purchase was concluded, and the provisional directors appointed a sub-committee to arrange for the necessary improvements to the company's ground. Tenders were received for the various works specified, at very reasonable prices, and the work is being vigorously carrit-d on under the supervision of Mr J. T. Carr, whose services as engineer the committee wero fortunately able to secure. A plan of the company's ground has been prepared, showing the proposed racecourse, training track, cricket and football ground, &c, and the provisional directors take this opportunity to impress upon their successors the importance at taking advantage at the present planting season- in order to beautify the park with ornamental trees, shrubs, &c. The memorandum of association has been duly signed, and the company's office, which is temporarily at tho offices of the honorary secretary, Mr Monteith, has been registered. The chief business of the meeting is to appoint directors for the ensuing year, and it is also advisable to fix the date of the next annual meeting. The following report from the engineer was also read : — The extent of tho property is 82 acres. A capital course haß been obtained, the length of which is 1 mile, 7 chains, 85 links, the winning straight being nearly a quarter of a mile long (19 chains and 61 links), and 16 chains from the entrance of the straight to the winning post. The course at the eastern end crosses a- small tidal lagoon, necessitating a considerable amount of filling in, the material for which is being taken from the higher portions of the estate. Inside the course there is a training track, 22 yards wide and 78 chains round. This track, at the eastern end, leaves the course to avoid crossing the lagoon abovo mentioned, thus saving expense in filling in, and keeping on good high ground ail the way round. The racecourae is 22 yards wide also. Tenders were invited for removing the existing crocs fences, gorse hedges, trees, &c, and for reerecting the boundary fence between the company's estate and the property of Mr Monteith, also for erecting fence along a drain at the side of Mr Holder's property, and for cutting the said drain. This work was included in contract No. 1. Eight tenders were received, ranging from £8 8s 9d to £40 for removal of fences, &c, and

from 3_d to 8d per cubic yard for drain, the tender of Mr G-. Neal was accepted. Tenders were also called for two ploughings and four horrowings, and for schedule prices for extra work in scooping, levelling and filling. .Nine tenders were received for this contract , ranging from 19a 6d per acre to 26s per acre. The lowest tesder, that of Mr M'Pheraon, at 19a 6d per acre, was accepted. Ihe trees, hedgea, and fences have been removed, the boundary fence between Mr Monteibh's property and that belonging to the company has been erected, and the drain along Mr >i older's property , started. The contractor has carried out his work very satisfactorily. The whole of , the ground to be ploughed, with the ex- , ception of a very small piece, has been once } ploughed and harrowed, and some of it has been twice harrowed. The course is being scooped, levelled, and prepared for the second ploughing. The tidal lagoon is being filled in, six carts being employed at this. The estimated cost of preparing the whole of the ground for grass is, contract No. 1 clearing, draining, fencing, &c, £24 ; ploughing and harrowing, £78 ; scooping, £20; levelling and filling, &c, £20 J; total, £322 —say £35 J— this includes forming a terrace iv front of grand stand. It is expected that the ground will be ready for laying down in grass in ahout three weeks or a month from now. On the motion of Mr J. Irvine, seconded by Mr T. A. Shirley, both the reports were adopted, the secretary stating, in answer to a question, that 84 I of the 100 shares of the company had | been allotted, and that further applications would be in shortly. ELECTION 0£ DIRECTORS. It was decided that the number of directors of the company should be nine, five to form a quorum at any meeting. Sixteen gentlemen were proposed as directors, and a ballot waß taken, the followiug being declared elected :— Messrs H. Williams, T. A. Shirley, H. Monteith, D. Glendinning, J. M'Vay.P. Dinwiddie, A. M'Cartney, J. Irvine, aud T. Peddie. ANNUAL MEETING. After some discussion it was decided that the next annual general meeting of > shareholders should be held during the first week in May next. lOn the motion of the chairman, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to . the honorary secretary* Mr Hi Mon-