THE EXHIBITION SITE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14924, 23 February 1912, Page 8

THE EXHIBITION SITE.

VICTORIA PARK PROPOSAL. CITY COUNCIL DISAPPROVES THE DOMAIN SUGGESTED.' The Auckland City Council last evening considered a letter from Mr. W. 11. Holmes, secretary of the proposed Auckland Industrial and Mining Exhibition during 1915-14, applying for the use of Victoria Park for the purpose of holding the Exhibition. It would, wrote Mr. Holmes, be necessary for the Executive Committee to have control of the Park for practically the whole of 1913, and assuming that the Exhibition continued open until the end of March or April, 1914, and allowing two months to clear everything away and restore the ground to good condition, something liko 18 months would be involved in the matter. The Executive Committee was extremely anxious that Victoria Park should bo placed at its disposal, and trusted to receive an early and favourable reply. The Town Clerk (Mr. H. W. Wilson) reported that the lease of Victoria Park from the Auckland Harbour Board provided that the land and premises should only bo kept open and used for tho purposes of a recreation ground for the recreation and enjoyment of the general public, and for no other purpose whatever, subject to the right to let the ground for not more than 10 days in any year and to charge for admission on such days. The Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr) said a letter had been received from tho Auckland Cricket Association disapproving of the granting of Victoria Park for the Exhibition, and requesting that the Council should investigate the matter before giving its consent.' The Council, tho Mayor proceeded, was the custodian of the Park, and the question was before it. He had already expressed his opinion. Mr. R. Tudehope moved that the application be referred to the Works' Committee for consideration, so that the applicants could be heard. Mr. J. C. Gleeson seocnded the motion. An Amendment Moved. Mr. A. J. Entrican said he believed the feeling was that while they desired to encourage the Exhibition in every possible way, they thought everything else should be tried before they gave Victoria Park. The Domain, to his mind, was very much better for Exhibition purposes. He thought they should decline the application for the present, but not permanently,leaving it open to the Exhibition Committee to select a more favourable site. He moved, as an amendment: "That in the opinion of the Council the Exhibition Committee should make an effort to obtain a site in the Outer Domain."

Mr. John Court seconded the amendment. He submitted the resolution of protest against the granting of the park for the Exhibition, passed at a meeting of cricketers on the preceding evening. In addition to cricketers, Mr. Court said that 500 people used the park for football and other sports. Furthermore, about 150 boys used the area for games. - He believed there was not a point in favour of Victoria Park for the Exhibition that could not be raised with tenfold force for the Domain. The Domain or the Park? Mr. Geo. Knight thought the Council would not be justified in granting the whole of the park for two years, even if it would be legal. The Council would have the public and their own consciences against them if they granted the request for the use of Victoria Park. He favoured the Domain for a site.. Mr. J. Trovithick thought the organisers of the Exhibition must have had weighty reasons for preferring Victoria Park. Personally he favoured the Domain, but he considered the matter should go to the committee, so that the applicants for the park might state their views. Mr. H. Shaw could see no advantage in the Victoria Park site, except its proximity to the city. He saw many disadvantages, however, and strongly supported the Domain being chosen. ' Mr. J. M. Mennie said the terms on which the Council held the park prohibited them from giving Victoria Park. As, therefore, they had no power to grant it what was the use of discussing the matter? He thought the organirers of the Exhibition should be informed that the park could not be granted. Mr. P. J. Nerheny said the Harbour Board could give the Council the power to grant the park 'Bite. He would never vote, however, in favour of giving it up for two years. In any case, the Domain was equally as central as Victoria Park. The Mayor Favours Domain. The Mayor, replying to' Mr. Gleeson, said that when people went to an Exhibition they were obliged to look at the surroundings, and unfortunately in the case of Victoria Park the surroundings' were none too pleasant. There they had the destructor and the gasworks. It seemed to him that one of the objects of an Exhibition, besides promoting industrial in- '■ terests, was the advertising of the beauties anil bright spots of a city, and if that was so it appeared to him to be a senseless proceeding to take the Exhibition down to Victoria Park, when they had so many other beauty spots. Victoria Park was certainly central, but it was no more central than the Domain which was easily . accessible, and evert more easily accessible to fully half the population of Greater Auckland than Victoria Park. When they remembered how many people used Victoria Park, he thought there was a good deal in the suggestion that they would not be doing their duty to shut it up for two years for an Exhibition. One of the arguments used against the Domain was that gas and water would have to be taken there but he did not think this would cost much. Mr. P. J. Nerheny: They are already there. J The More Attractive Site. The Mayor proceeding, reminded the Council that when (he last Exhibition was held the old horse cars w«re running and the attendances were good, notwithstanding. Now they had the electric trams, and they could picture people on fine summer nights crossing Grafton Bridge and walking along electrically-lit drives to the big attraction. 'The were several acres of level land in the outer Domain that the Council might grant, and he thought the Council should also consider the question of contributing to tho excavation, as the further level area so provided could be used with advantage afterwards. He felt it would be unfortunate for the city and the Exhibition Committee if tho latter had its w-iv in this matter. ' * Mr. Entrician'a amendment was then put, and carried, the motion being lost..

r> At a i "l ting of the Auckland West Political Reform League, held last ni c itwwars r decided to protest against the Victoria Park being used as a site for the proposed Exhibition.