DOMAIN BOARD.

Northern Advocate, 2 August 1924, Page 8

DOMAIN BOARD.

FORMATION AT MATA-A-VAI.

BUSSELL SUBDIVISION,

Mr J. Graham, a resident on the Mata-a-vai subdivision, Russell, having called a meeting for the evening of Monday last with the object of forming a Mata-a-vai beautifying society, quite a number gathered at the residence of Mr Handley to discuss the matter. Those present were Mesdam.es Handley, Graham, Ellis; Messrs Florance, Graham, Steele, Hooper, Handley, Ellis, L. Warne, R. Nathan (Mata-a-vai) and Bisset, Clow and A. E. Neumann (by invitation). Mr R. S. Florance was asked to preside and on rising said he had spoken at various times to the Mata-a-vai Tβsidents about the beautifying and improving of the locality, particularly of the reserve set apart for the public and now under the control of the Government. During his absence Mr Graham j had called this meeting, and he thought i it possible to band themselves together so as to be in a position to do something. He was glad to see present Mr Clow, chairman of the Russell Town Board, and Mr Bisset, chairman of the Harbour Board, and trusted to them to help forward such a good movement. When in Auckland recently he went to the Crown Land office and Mr Vickerman very kindly offered several suggestions and was very much in sympathy with the idea of forming a Doj niain Board at Mata-a-vai. There i were 5 -J- acres taken by the Government out of the Mata-a-vai block, three small sections which would make good j recreation reserves, and the section called the Plantation Reserve, which couM be utilised later on, although now it could be planted with trees. He thought the position of the people at Buckland's Beach was similar and they were formulating a town planning and ! beautifying scheme. Order-in-Councll was necessary to form a Domain Board, of say, five members. It was necessary to nominate certain persons*to constitute a Domain Board. He hoped for the moral support of the Town Board and offered to do, if asked, the legal work and would donate £10 towa:•■■!!* a f.iotpath in Florance Avenue. There was good stone on the property i and ho had promised the County Council ami the Russell Town Board the I use of same, also to all residents, but i they could charge a royalty and thereby

raise certain sums and the residents

> could help by fencing certain portions, I tree planting, and in other ways, airi 1 he asked for a motion to form a DoJ main Board. Mr Hooper said he thought that the meeting was called to f-:rvi< :•. Beautifying Society.

Mr Florance explained at length that such a society would not have the samo power or standing as a Domain Board, and would perhaps at times necessitate going to the Town Board

cap in hand. Mr Ellis then proposed and Mr seconded: "That we form ourselves! into a Domain Board." Mr Clow said it gave him pleasure to support any movement for beautifying the town. People had been asked to plant and look after trees within the enclosures provided by the Town Board, £30 had been spent last year j in tree planting - and £30 this year. Matawhi Road was to have been plant- j ed, but the permanent level question j made it inadvisible to do so this year. He would like them to ask themselves whether Kussell was big enough for two Domain Boards. He had looked forward to the time when the Town Board would be the Domain Board and all unite in beautifying the township, and when a caretaker could look after the property of the various clubs which would bo under the control of the Board. He thought two Domain Boards would flash and tend to create a parochial spirit. He would like to see a Beautifying Society composed o'f the people of Russell and Mata-a-vai, as they had no. income by which to do anything with the present Domain. Mr Geo. Ellis said the Kororareka Domain Board had been in existence .10 or 12 years, and nothing had been done, ami he would like to say that as one of the originators of the beautifying scheme he had looked at it in all ways and had gone into it to win out j and not to back out. He hoped it \ 1 woxild not cause parochialism, but that rit would rather engender keen competition in making one part as beautiful as the other, as he would like to see the whole of Russell beautiful. Mr Neumann thought Mr- Ellis was qr.!t(> right and in referring briefly to the question promised every support. Mr Steele thought the amalgamation of the various concerns under the Town Boar j would perhaps be the best thing. * Mr Flornnec said t'he Town Board could have no funds for years for such an object :is this as it had sanita-

tion, water supply and other more urgent matters to consider first, but hoped when everything was in order and it was rea-'y to take over, that fhe present Domain would be given over. Mr A. E. Bissot said he thought the move a good one under the circumstances, and applauded their efforts to advance the district and wished them every success.

'The motion to u>im a Domain Board v. ;>3 tfien put and carried unanimously.

'.Mrs Handley moved, Mr Ellis secondJug: "That this Board be called the Mata-a-vai Domain Board." —Carried.

' The following were nominated and elected to form the membership-Messrs R. S. Florance, Graham, Steele, Hooper, Ellis, Handley and Leon Warne; secretary and treasurer, Mr Graham. Formation left in the "hands of Mr R. S. Florance. Jetty at Matawhi Bay.—Mr Hooper asked Mr Bisset re a site and jetty at Matawhi, and the chairman of tha Harbour Board said that they were always in sympathy with those willing to assist themselves and saw no reason why they could not have a jetty providing everything was done in form. The Board could not assist iu any way financially, as there were many urgent needs at present.

A vote of thanks to the chair, also thanks to Mr and Mrs Handley for the use of the room, were carried by acclamation and it was decided to put on record the appreciation of the meeting at the attendance of Mr Clow (chairman R.T.8.), Mr Bisset (chairman Bay of Islands H. 8.), and Mr A. E. Neumann (Town Board Commissioner).

An amusing illustration of the lure of golf was given at Wairoa a fewdays .ago (states an exchange). When members of the Gisborne team were motoring across to Napier the question arose as to whether a golfer could drive a ball across the width of the river. One player declaring his belief that he could succeed, he was promptly challenged to make the attempt. The good people of Wairoa were amazed to see a party of golfers rush from the centre of the town to the bank of the river, where one player essayed the feat of driving a ball across. The wide river won, however, and after three balls had been sacrificed the player admitted that the width of the river was greater than he estimated. The challenger also made an attempt, but soon concluded that it was a waste of golf balls, the river winning every time. "Safety First!" is the slogan of sense, Guiding the throng where traffic is dense. Make it your policy—"safety first." When h/the winter contagions spread, Bringing the coughs .and colds you dread, "Safety First!" will survival assure — That mean Woods' Great Peppermint Cure "