PROPOSED PARK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15552, 9 March 1914, Page 8

PROPOSED PARK.

GILLIES ESTATE VIEWED.

BIG WATERSIDE AREA. ATTRACTIVE ENVIRONMENT. A .LAitOE number of people visited the Gillies Estate, Parnell, on Saturday afternoon, the property being thrown open to public inspection by arrangement between the Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr) and the trustees. A poll of the ratepayers is to be taken on March 26 on a proposal that the city should acquire the estate for a public park. Tie area which it is proposed to purchase contains in all about 10 acres. Tts top portion lias a frontage to Gladstone Road, and here it is separated from Kilbryde (the late Sir John Logan Campbell's property, now owned by the Auckland Harbour Board) by a comparatively small wedge-shaped section, on which stands a residence. At the back the Gillies Estate slopes down into a gully, and here joins i the Kilbryde area and runs with it right down to the foreshore in Judge's Pay. The situation is very beautiful, and a walk through the grounds— are in part under cultivation and in part thickly . studded with native trees and ferns, pre-1 serving the attractiveness of the original I bush —enables a good idea to be obtained i as to their possibilities in the hands of i an expert maker of parks. From the ! upper portion of the property magnificent views of the harbour can be obtained, and . the shady slopes leading down to the ; beach add to the pleasant nature of the \ general surroundings. Saturday's visitors were charmed with the prospect opened out, and most of them came away im- j pressed with the desirability of such a fine property coming into the possession of the citizens. j References to the advantages to be : gained by acquiring the area were made by the Mayor earlier in the afternoon, in I his speech at the opening of the Point • .Resolution Baths. After reminding those present of the poll which is to be token, j Mr. Parr said that in his judgment the' Gillies Estate constituted the finest natural site for a people's pleasure ground in the whole city. It would be a greatpity if the opportunity were lost of acquiring it for the citizens, for if they lost it now they would never have another ; chance of securing it. He ventured to; say that not one of the 500 ratepayers ; who voted against the acquisition of Point Erin Park, Ponsonby, would vote the same way today. (Applause-) If the residents of Parncll wanted the proposed now park, however, they must rouse themselves. It was essential that' they should put their shoulders to the wheel to prevent this beautiful property, with j its beach, from falling into private hands. | Mr. Parr called attention to the fact that! the rest of the city have to share •with Parnell in " footing the bill" if the ' estate were bought. This was quite as it should be. but it was for them to see that so good a bargain was not lost to them. i Mr. R. S. Briggs, formerly Mayor of Parnell, and now a member of the City Council, expressed the hope that the people of the city would vote for the acqui- i sition of the estate. In Parnell they had Campbell's —one of the prettiest spots in Auckland— also Point Resolution, a gift from the Government. Point Erin Park, Ponsonby, had cost the city £20,000, and so it behoved the people to rote for the purchase of the Gillies Estate to equalise-matters. The grounds will again be open to the public next Saturday, and on the Saturday following, also on Wednesday, the 18th inst. - . .