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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXIII, Issue 255, 10 November 1899, Page 2

Tbe City Council, at its meeting this evening, will be asked to confirm formally the new regulations made for the contr I of the Queen's Gardens. . ft is hoped, ho never, that Councillor* will carefully scrutinise the proposed regulation whioh gives the caretaker, a subordinate official who ia not even a special constable, the power to direct visitors to leave the grounds by the gate at whioh they entered. It ia contended that the poser will never be oxeroised in regard to well-be-haved adult", or even to well-behaved cbildren ; bnt a great principle is involved, for it is intended to deprive the public of a right and to replace that right by a sufferance. lano other oity in the British Empire is the privilege of using pnblic parks and gardens as a thoroughfare denied, even by implication. Therefrre, if the Nelson City Council insists on depriving the residents of the prerogative of thoroughfare in the Queen's Gardens, it may be necessary to test tho validity of suoh action. The fact that thera is no intention to enforce the regulation of the gates on adults may be left altogether ont of consideration, for it doea not affect the issue involved. The mere circumstance that such a regulation will exist should it be confirmed by the Council will bo sufficient at some inture date to seemingly justify unwarrantable interference with the public by a caretaker or oiher subordinate ; and unless a protest bo raised now it will be difficult to restore a forfeited right. As to the complaint tbat children passing through the Gardena are a nuisance, there aro children in other towns and cities which hare publio parks and gardens, and means ure available of dealing with them withont curtailing tbe lilorites or assailing the rights of the general public. Not only is the power it ia proposed to ve3t, however nominally, in a subordinate fur too great, but the regulation attacks and endangers the people's prerogative of thoroughfare in the Queen'B ' Gardens, snd if the Conncil insists on confirming it there will bo immediate trouble.