A BEAUTY SPOT IN PERIL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 28 March 1936, Page 7

A BEAUTY SPOT IN PERIL

GROUNDS OF GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS ,

ENCROACHMENTS VIEWED WITH DISMAY

BUSH AND BIRD SOCIETY TO MAKE REPRESENTATIONS

At a meet/ng of the Nelson Bush and Bird Preservation Society the Mayor’s (Mr Page) remarks about the possibilities of lurther beautifying Nelson were read with enthusiasm. Several members said that they wis.itd to see something done_ about the centre of the city, especially the area about the Government buildings. They had watched with dismay the gradual encroachment upon the beautiful timbered grounds by a collection of unsightly structures, because it was felt that 'the whole of this ground should eventually be converted into an extension of the Queen’s Gardens and site for municipal buildings such as art galleries and museums, etc. It was stated that in other cities, such as Christchurch, the heart of the town was a shrine devoted to lovely gardens and buildings dedicated to the enjoyment oh the public and visitors. In Nelson, apparently such was not the case. The Queen’s Gardens though perfect of their type was criticised by visitors as too small for an important city such as Nelson and the Suter Art Gallery compared w r itli the old technical buildings. In addition, within the Government precincts a brand new destructor had come into being and prepara lions were being made to erect workshops to supply Public Works Department huts. It was contended that surely when the old .Technical School was abolished the City Council should consider amalgamating the present Queens Gardens and the timbered area adjacent so that beautiful grounds could run right up to the Government buildings which itself is of historical interest. The result would be'an exceptionally fine public garden. At this point questions were asked about town-planning. Was there :io rule governing the advisability cf keeping the centre of the city for artistic public buildings and relegating unsightly, though necessary works to the outskirts of the town. . It was urged that something should be done immediately before any fresh sheds were erected, for until hitherto no large expenditure had been incurred by the Government and therefore there was still time to persuade it to erect them elsewhere. Later on it would, pi ove far more difficult, which doubtless the City Council would realise. Several members remarked that they were of the opinion that the reason "why nothing had been said about such matters until hitherto, was because to a certain extent trees hid what was going on from the passer-by, but that once the public’s interest was aroused they would see to it that the heart of the city remained inviolate. A member: “We have heard much about keeping all buildings devoted to educational purposes central. Surely this site threatened by ugly sheds is the ideal one for a pioneers’ memorial hall and the future museum which /Nelson cannot erect upon, its present site. It was felt that if, as was happening at present, everytime a fine old tree dies its site is taken up in the Government grounds by a collection of, to say the least, unpicturesque sheds, eventually the most important site we have m the very heart of‘the’/ city would be an evesore instead of a thing of beauty. ‘After further discussion a sub-com-mittee was appointed to interview at an early date the Mayor and Council and Mr Harry Atmore M.t.