PARK DEVELOPMENT

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4801, 23 June 1939, Page 5

PARK DEVELOPMENT

CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL.

RAISING OF FUNDS,

REPORTS FROM ORGANISATIONS.

At a meeting of the Centennial Park Committee held in the Council Chambers on Wednesday evening, it was decided to institute a campaign immediately to raise funds for the development of Centennial Park in order that advantage could be taken of the offer of the Government to subsidise money raised for Cetennial memorials. His Worship the Mayor, Mr. H. T. Morton, was in the chair. At the meeting of the Committee held a fortnight ago, it was suggested that the town be divided into organisations or units and that each unit endeavour to raise the sum of £SO.

Reports were received from the representatives of the various organisations which had undertaken to place the proposition before their various committee meetings, and as a result of these reports it appears that between £4OO and £450 of the required £9OO is already in view. Several organisations were unable to report to Wednesday night’s meeting owing to the fact that their committees had not yet met, and additional funds may be forthcoming from these sources. Although one or two organisations saw difficulty in the way of raising funds for the development of the Park owing to the fact that they had commitments of their own to meet, it was unanimously carried by the meeting that the scheme be adopted. Mr. Strange pointed out that the undertaking must be looked at from the point of view of creating a memorial of which the town could be proud, and not from the angle of the benefit each individual organisation would receive from the scheme. Already offers had been made from several organisations which had no direct interest in the ground, but which felt that the development of the ground would be a valuable asset to the town as a whole, as well as providing a suitable Centennial memorial.

These remarks were endorsed by Mr. G. Cameron, who said it was the duty of every citizen to support the scheme wholeheartedly. It was decided to open a banking account and as a result of a draw from a hat the Bank of New Zealand was chosen. In order to stimulate interest in the appeal it was resolved to acknowledge through the Chronicle money received from the various units from time to time, as well as any donations made by townspeople.

On the motion of Mr. J. G. McKenzie it was decided to set up the following Grounds Committee to keep in touch with the work being carried out on Centennial Park: Messrs. K. M. Montgomery, G. Cameron, J. G. McKenzie, E. J. Garlick, A. E. Hebden and the Borough Engineer.

The Government Subsidy.

An indication that the development of Centennial Park would form a suitable memorial and would be eligible for the subsidy has been received by the Town Clerk from the general secretary of the Centennial Committee in the following letter:—

“I am directed by the Under-Secre-tary of Internal Affairs to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 29th ultimo, and to express the appreciation of this Branch that definite steps have now been taken to organise your district for the purpose of observing the Centenary.

It is noted that a local Centennial Committee has been set up and that it is proposed to develop as a Centennal Park with memorial gates a reserve consisting of 17jo acres. The prospect appears to be in every way a suitable one and as soon as particulars are received through the Zone Committee and the Provincial Centennial Council, they will be placed before the National Centennial Council for consideration. It is desired that particulars be accompanied by a sketch plan which will enable the Council to visualise the memorial in its completed form.”