DOMAIN BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6342, 16 March 1882, Page 3

DOMAIN BOARD.

A meeting of the Domain Board was heftJ yesterday afternoon. Present •. Judge Fenton (in the chair), Messrs. Barstow, MacfTarlane, J. Russell, Bull, Aickin, Peacock, Yates, Mackechnie, and Clark. Secretary.—Thirty-five applications were received for the office of secretary to the Board.—On the motion of Mr. Barstow, seconded by Mr. Russell, it was agreed to refer all the applications to a sub-committee, consisting of Messrs. Mactfarlaue, Russell, and the mover.—Mr. Mactiarlane moved, and Mr. Aickin seconded an amendment, j " That the applications be opened, and tirst I considered by the Board."—The amendment | was lost, and the motion carried. ; Fisascial Position of the Bi>ard.— 1 The Chairman then read the following re- ■ port of the committee appointed to inquire iuto the financial position of the Board, and i iuto tbe best meaus of augmenting its | revenues:— The present annual income of the Boird is derived from the following sources Houses in Or.ifton-road, Domain.street, and Wvnyard-street, CJ">; pasturage fees, £137 10s; interest on £275 lent out, .£22: rent from Hamilton for house ami garden, £51: licenses t i erect booths. .£SO: total. £35f»105. And the annual expenditure is as followsfealarv of secretary, £02 12s yd ; wages to ranger and two men, £290 : sundry expenses, £42175: total, £401 9s 3d. Deficiency, £45 IDs 3d. From this statement it is clear th.it an increase to the income is absolutely necessary, and your committee have had considerable diriiculiy in arriving at a conclusion as to the best means of effecting the same. They see no possible way of increasing the Hoard's revenue, exce2>t by leasing lor building purposes certain portions of the outskirts of the Domain. Your committee have examined the ground, and suggest that the allotments fronting Park-road (from Outhwaite's Corner to M taon's Gardens) should be set apart for that purpose. The depth of each allotment is proposed to be from 150 to 200 feet, and let subject to such terms and conditions as to uniformity of structure and otherwise as may render the buildings an ornament to the Domain. Your committee estimate the annual income from this source at .£3OO. But the powers conferred upon the Governor by the Act may be found not sufficient t'i grant leases for building purposes for the requisite length of time to ensure a speedy occupation by the public of the ground at remunerative rates. If, however, this should turn out to he the ease, the ditiiculty could be . overcome by further legislation. The only other available sources of revenue appear to be—l. An annual payment from the Acclimatisation Society for the management of the gardens, and propogation of plants of economic value. 2. A portion of the money g:ant from the Government of £1000, which would not exceed £250 ; and «'s. An annual payment from the cricket clubs. The estimated revenue from all these sources would not exceed .£IOOO per annum ; but with this revenue the Board would be enabled to secure tiie services of a competent botanical director and suitable staff of men, who would render the grounds under the charge of the Hoard serviceable, ornamental, and a credit to the city. The committee also thiuk that a further siring may be effected by having one secretary for the Acclimatisation Society and the Domain Board.— I Tuo. Macffarlakk, Chairman.

Mr. Barstow moved, and Mr. Aickin seconded, the adoption of the report.—Mr. J. .Russell moved that the adoption of the report be deferred. —Mr. Peacock and Mr. Clark suggested that the report should be simply received.—Mr. Barstow, with leave of Mr. Aickin and the Board, withdrew his motion. —It was decided to receive the report.—Report; laid on the table. — Mr. Aickin suggested that the report should be published, and the public thus made fully aware of the proposal to lease certain portions of the Domain for building purposes. Acclimatisation Society.—The following report was received from the Acclimatisation Society (under cover of letter from Mr; Cheeseman, secretary) :— Report of the sub-committee appointed to inquire into the mutual relations of ilie .Domain Board and the Acclimatisation Societv The position appears to bo this: The Domain Hoard lias been appointed, and holds ollice, under the J'ublio Domains Act, By proclamation, dated the 17th January, ISS2, the Governor-in-Conncil delegated to the Council all the powers conferred upon him by the Aet, except those under sections S and I*2. By and under these delegated powers it is the duty of the Board to manage, administer, and deal with the Domain in manner set fortli in the Act. Among other powers delegated to the Board, it has power to appropriate any part of the Domain lands for Gardens. The Auckland Acclimatisation Society is a duly registered society under the Protection of Anjmnls Ant. ISO 7, and the Animals Protection --vet, Lndcr tiie latter Act, as undur the former one prior to its rf» ?a l, the societv i*/>n>itlo<l to receive all duties paid tor licenses, fines, and penalties, after deduction of certain charges- The two bodies, it will be seen, are constituted under different Acts, and must continue separate and distinct, at all events for the present. It will be in the recollection of the Domain Board that a sub-committee of both bodies recommended that the gardens in the Domain, known as the Acclimatisation Curtleus. should be under the control and supervision of a committee representing both bodies. Such committee to consist of live members, to be appointed by the Domain Board and the Acclimatisation Society in proportion to the amount contributed by each body towards the maintenance of the gardens. This re* commendation has, it is believed, mot with general : approval, not only of the members of the respective bodies, but also of the public. If then the Domain j Board is prepared to set aside the present site of the ! Acclimatisation Gardens for gtrdens under the j Domain Act of ISSI, and will allow the society to ' acclimatise plants, birds, and animals iu accordance : with the rules of the society, the council of the society will make arrangements to act in concert with the committeo above-mentioned. The Board will be good enough therefore to acknowledge this communi- ! cation at an early date, and to state explicitly the atrangement it is prepared to make with reference to , the gardens, and tho manner in which it is proposed to carry out such arrangement. —Mr. Barstow thought it desirable that the Acclimatisation Society should set apart a portion of its funds for the Domain Board for the purpose of rearing plants and trees to maturity after they had been grown to a certain stage by the Acclimatisation Society, lie was strongly impressed with the desirableness of keeping part of the Domain solely for the growth of New Zealand trees. Portions of the Domain were very suitable for such purposes.—Mr. Maekechnic moved, and Mr. Aickin seconded, "That the letter be referred to a committee to confer with a committee of the Acclimatisation Society, and report to the .Hoard at its next meeting."—Mr. Peacock moved an amendment, and the Chairman seconded /wo foniiti, "This Board having heard the letter "from the Acclimatisation Society agrees to the proposition therein contained, referring to the joint management ot the gardens on the basis of representation, proportionate to the amount expended, on the understanding that the Acclimatisation Society shall contribute half its revenue to this Board, and that this Board cany on the acclimatisation of plants."—Judge Fenton said although he had seconded the amendment j)ro forum, he would vote against both propositions, being chairman, he did not think it right to move a resolution, but if such resolution as tho following, he would give it his support, viz.: — "That the Government be asked to introduce a Bill merging the duties, &c., of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society in the Domain Board." He did not think, judging from his past experience, that a joint partnership would result in good to the public or to anybody else.—Mr. Bull agreed with the chairman as to the joint arrangement.—Mr. Russell thought perhaps it would be better, as the Board and the society seemed to have no sympathy, that the society should remain separate.—-Leave was then given to Mr. Peacock to withdraw his amendment. Mr. Mackechnie's motion was carried.

Government Guant.—A letter was received from the Hon. Mr. Rolleston, stating that £"2'20 only would be available during the current financial year for the Board, out of the vote of £1000, to assist public domains in developing new industries, and raising plants for distribution. Mr. Rolleston also stated that the £'225 could only be drawn upon by the Domain Board in payment of accounts incurred in connection with the objects for which the vote was taken.—A committee was appointed to wait on Mr. Rolleston with reference to the subject of the letter. Plants Suitable for Industrial Culture. —Mr. Aickin moved the following resolution :—"That this Board is opinion that great benefit would accrue to economic acclimatisation by the publication of an edition of Baron von Mueller's work, entitled ' Select Plants Suitable for Industrial Culture in New Zealand' (which the author

' Will edit and adapt to this colony free of charge), and recommend the Government to take steps for the printing and publishing of such work." Seconded by Mr. Bull, and carried unanimonsly.—lt waa agreed, on the motion of Mr. Aickin that a committee (appointed) bring tbe matter under the notice of Mr. Rolleston, who is -it present in Auckland.