ONE-TREE HILL DOMAIN BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13490, 17 May 1907, Page 3

ONE-TREE HILL DOMAIN BOARD.

DEPUTATION FROM AUCKLAND GOLF " CLUB. '

A CONSULTATION took place on Wednesday afternoon between the One-tree •Hill i Domain Board, and the committee of the Auckland Golf Club, as to the question of renewing: the latter's lease of the Domain golf coarse. Mr. C. Ba ? lev (chairman of the Board) presided, and Sir John Logan Campbell was amongst those present. Dr. H. D. Bamfordt acted as spokesman for the golf committee. In answer to the.chairman, who asked what the club proposed to do, Dr. Bamford said I that they had submitted an offer of '£180 -a \ year for a renewal of their lease on a yearly tenancy, or, in the alternative, they were prepared to offer £70 a year for the exclusive right to play golf on the Domain, and to cat the grass on the course in the; spring, the Board to retain the grazing rights. Ho said that when the golf club took possession of the course the Domain was seldom used. They had improved it considerably, and it was largely due to the golf club that the Domain was a park in the true sense of the word, while it was also to the club that a large proportion of the attendance of the public was due. They recognised that they had no rights against the public on any part of the Domain, .but thought it would be possible for the Board; to give them such a tenancy as would enables them to continue on the links and not in- 1 terfere with the public. They recognised, that the time must come when they must leave, and had secured another property, but preferred to remain on One-tree Hill for three or four years if reasonable terms I could be arranged. It was suggested that : a portion of the links, 15 acres ill extent, ! should be given up; this would seriously; damage the links, and it would become a question whether they would' remain there. The nortion of the links proposed to be reserved was not suitable for games, while if the two holes on this portion were cut out, it would mean the rearrangement of the whole course of 18 holes, at an expenditure of £200, and as they would be leaving the course shortly, this expenditure was not justified. The club would do its best to ensure the safety of the public, and would refrain from playing on public Holidays, on which days the Domain was chiefly used. Mr. Bagley said that on one or two occasions golf players bad driven over the children's heads on holidays—a dangerous practice. The Board suggested that 15 acres should be reserved, and the remaining 105 acres offered to the golf club, and this, he contended, was not only fair, bat would give the golf players a better tenancy than before. * " Dr. Bamford said that the 15 acres was the only bit of flat land on tho Domain, and the greater part of the 105 acres could not be used, -■~.. •";■..... ■.' ■•••"-. >■'.•■, . .vV." ..:,' j:.,. After further discussion it was decided to meet.on the links next Thursday, to see if a "hockey ground could bo reserved without interfering with the existing course, the club agreeing to give up the area in question for cricket during the summer, and to refrain from playing on it on holidays. Dr. Bamford stated that the golf club would consider the position in the- light of this .definite offer from the Board. ■ . .