DOMAIN AREA OPENED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20539, 14 April 1930, Page 13

DOMAIN AREA OPENED.

PARK ON MOUNT ALBERT.

ABANDONED SCORIA PITS.

PRESERVATION AS RESERVE. A large number of Mount Albert residents gatherod on the quarry floor of Mount Albert on Saturday afternoon to take part in the ceremony of opening the domain on tho summit henceforth to be known as Owaireka Park. The Right Hon. J. G. Coates, Leader of tho Opposition, and Mr. G. C. Munns, M.P. for the district, wero among those present. Tho official opening of the scenic drive round the mountain was performed by Mr. Coates, who cut the ribbon with a gold pair of scissors, later presented to him as a memento of tho occasion. Gratitude to Mr. Coates for his action in having work at the scoria pits abandoned was expressed by Mr. L. E. Rhodes, chairman of tho Mount Albert Domain Board. By that action, he said, not only had the volcanic cone been saved, but by tho removal of the ballast lino tho dangerous lovol crossing on the Now North Road had been eliminated. Before quarrying operations, were commenced by tho Government 45 years ago, tho mountain was considered to be the most symmetrical volcanic cone in the Southern Hemisphere. Its summit was then 150 ft. higher than tho present quarry floor. It had been estimated that over 1,250,000 cubic yards of scoria had been removed.

For 25 years local deputations had waited upon the authorities concerned in an effort to have the quarry closed, continued Mr. Rhodes. In 1925 ho himself led a large deputation to Mr. Coates, then Minister of Railways. Mr. Coates oxpressed sympathy, but explained that it would bo necessary to clean up tho sides of tho quarry and level the floor By 1923 that was dono and Mr. Coates had the machinery dismantled and recommended that the quarry area and the approaches be vested in tho , Domain Board.

Mr. G. C. Munns mado a ploa for the preservation of beauty spots and historical places in New Zealand. Ho expressed the opinion that the Railway Department should hand over tho approach, which could be transformed into a troebordered walk. Dofinito action should be taken by residents before any portions of it wero bought privately. "After all, tho quarrying operations had ono good effect—they mado the top of the mountain into a perfect stadium," said Mr. Coates, in formally opening the park. Tho scoria had had an enormous economic value also, and those who had fought against closing tho quarry had realised tho difficulty of securing equally good quarries olsewhero However, Mr. J. K. Lowe, district engineer of the Railway Department, had been partly responsible for opening the park, because he had found another quarry for the department. Mr. Coates said he was not altogether satisfied with the way tho department had left tho quarry. Tho approaches should certainly also have been vested with the Domain Board. A great deal, however, had been done and he congratulated tho board on its work. The Mount Eden Boys' Band was in attendance and girls from the Mount Albert School gave folk dances.