PROPOSED BOTANICAL AND ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5657, 5 January 1880, Page 5

PROPOSED BOTANICAL AND ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.

To-day the monthly meeting of the Domain Board and the Acclimatisation Society will be held. For some time past a subject has been talked about whiclt concerns these societie« ia a very ■ intimate manner. Several years ago the propriety of doing away with a number of the small societies or incorporations which exist in Auckland only to be in the way of cacti dlftier and a standing bar to all progress aud iißcfulnes?, was freely advocated. Among ttao societies of which the writers in thee Jays desired to sae the "happy despatch" were the Improvement Commissioners, the Domain Board, and the Acclimatisation Society. It was suggested that the Improvement Commissioners' trust should be amalgamated with the City Council, and the Domain Board and Acclimatisation Society, if not similarly dealt with, at least amalgamated with each other, and the whole placed under the charge of a competent scientific caretaker, with the necsssary assistance at his disposal to convert this park, beautiful by nature, into something more than the neglected and dilapidated grazing ground for horses and cattle, to which purposes the Domain Board devote the principal portion of the Auckland peoplo's park. Nothing was then done in the matter, but since that time steps have been taken to unite the Improvement Commissioners' trust with the City Council. The carrying out of the other portion of the programme has also been advocated recently in our correspondence columns. It was suggested that the Domain Board and the Acclimatisation Society should be united, and the services of a curator obtained from Kew.

Some change in the direction indicated will no 'doubt be given eßfeot to sooner or later, though, under the present system of Domain management, we fear the question of funds will be an insupportable barrier to carrying out the proposed reforms. But as both societi s meet tc-day, there is no sufficient reason why the subject should not be mentioned at each meeting, and the opinion of thoie most directly interested at present obtained. Hints might be thrown out as to the better utilisation of the Domain trust, but tho public should be witchful that no encroachment be made upon the area of the Domain for building sitef. That, no doubt, would fee the soonest way of getting possession i f the requisite funJs, but tho public should bo watchful of the strict conserva'iou of the breathing ground set apart by a former Government for the inhabitants of Auckland. Those having experience in 1 h-: preservation of such recreation grounds in the old coun'ry, know luw diffic ilt it is to keep such reserves intact without being encroached on by building leases. No doubt it would be desirable to many to have access from the rear of their premises to such >plended grounds as the Domain could be, and will be, made in the course of time, but encircling it by such building leaseß wonld take the public charac-t-r of the ground awav. Complaints would be made by the leaseholders of their privacy being invaded, and the authorities f< r ohe time being would, no doubt, do as similar authorities have done elsewhere—take the part of tho lessees, in opposition to that of the pu\>lic. The rcau\t would be, iu time, that the public IJonnin or recreation ground would practically be come the piivate grounds of the leaseholders who had built- on the encircling building lillotments. However diffini't it may lie to preserve tho rights of the public from being encro iched upon, it is far mora d llioult to lia*'C those r ghts unfett. red when once private interests and influent ci are brought into conflict with the many-handed, but somewhat stupidheaded public. As to the propriety of having more attention devoted to economic botany thaa has bten the practice in times ptst by the Acclimatisation s iciety, ttiere can ba no doubt. The past career oi" that society ha? not been commendable in many respects. lustead of introducing purely insectivorous birds, the greater portion of the society's funds has been devoted to the introduction of game birds, and, judging from the past, wo are afraicl that were the Acclimatisation Society to have ruling control, the Domain would become little better than a gigantic game preserve. While its most active members are sporting men little else can be looked for. In the event of such an amalgamation taking place as has baen suggested, care should be taken that the introduction of hard-billtd birds should bb prevented, and that the scope of the new organisation should be specifically defined. The amalgamation of thtss two societie?, however, would not, we fear, provide the necessary fuuds for converting the Domain reserve into a beautiful recreation park for the cit'zens of Auckland, and at the same time carry on the work of acclimatising useful trees, plant', shrubs, &e , which would luve an agricultural, manufacturing, or medicinal value. Some broader basis would require to be established for the purpose of making the necessary funds a permanency. To depend almost wholly, as at present, upon voluntary subscriptions, and game licence fees, would be to depend upon a broken reed. Something more permanent is required. It is true the Domain Board have a number of building allotments leased, from which they derive an annual ground runt, but even these, added to the game licence fees, subscriptions, sale of plants, bouqets, ■Sc., would be unequal to permanently providing for the maintenance of the grounds,the establishment of lierberia, museum, &c., when placed in charge of a curator from the Kew Gardens. An endowment in land might be obtained from the Government, but wn are afraid the chances are against speedy help being obtained in this direction, especially when the Botanical Garden* at Wellington ore maintained at the cost of the colony; tho similar gardens at Chiistchurch and Dunedin are maintained chiefly at the cost of endowments of land long since S:t apart for that purpose by the Provincial Governments of those places. But while these sources of help are of a very uncertain character, we believe the accomplishment of the object is within the reach of the people of Auckland aud the suburbs, it they so desire it. Instead of cooping up the " City of Auckland" within the boundaries of about a square mile of the earth's surface, while on all sides there are thickly populated suburb* which, in the course of a. tew years, will be more populous than the city itself, because they havo more room to maintain population, let the boundaries of the city be extended so as td include these populous suburbs, which are separated from the city only by halt the width of a street. Were the districts of I J aruell, part '*f Newmarket, Newton, Eden Terrace, Arch Hill, Ponsonby, &c., included within the city boundaries, it would be advantageous tothosedis'ricts as well as to the city proper. In such a T;:ise, the Domain would naturally fa'l under the management of tho City Council. The number of officers 'would not require t3 be increased ; the only increase in the cost of management would be the additional labour employed to keep the greater length of streets iu repair. A complete system of drainage could be carried out, and, while the suburbs would enjoy some benefit from the city endowments, the city would beneiit to a greater degree ; and with a reduction of rates, which is likely soon to take place, a small rate of Id or 2d could be struck for maintaining the Domain and other city rr e " creation reserves in proper repair. Ihe proposed impost would fall lightly when levied upon such a broad basis ; and, with the game licence fees, entrance money to the proposed Botanical and Zoological Gardens, would provide a sum sufficient, in the course of a few years, to work wonders iu the present appearance of the Domain. Ihe beautiful grounds would then cease to be let for agistment ptirposes, which is at present the most iesthetie use the Domain management can think of.

Kacb of the suburban districts at present m&k&s nuuual payments for oificc vent, secretary aud collector's salaries, fees for engiueers, &c , all of which would be saved by the pro* posal we make, as tlie City Council have the necessary machinery to do that work without extra cost. There would, therefore, be so much more money available for streetmalting and repairing ; while the additional influence which such au enlargement of the city boundaries v/ouUl confer, would be potential in obtaining reserve endowments, and in many other ways aiding the district where now divided interests are helpless. Members of the various bodies we have named hare soate at either the Domain Board or Acclimatisation Society, and we hope to see the subject, if not exhaustively discussed to-day. at l-aat sufficiently broachei that will ensure an early reform xu the directions which, we have indicated.

James Jenkins, Victoria-street, Auckland, carpenter, has .filed a statement of insolvency, and the first meeting of hU creditors is fixed for the 9th instant.at noon. The subject for rehearsal on Thursday evening by the members of the Choral Society is Mendelssohn's "St. Paul."