HISTORIC WINDMILL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22523, 14 September 1936, Page 11

HISTORIC WINDMILL

PRESERVATION IMPORTANT ATTITUDE OF THE MAYOR "Personally I do not take the suggestion seriously—it is absurd to suggest that this historic landmark should disappear," said the Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davis, when questioned as to his views on the possibility of the old windmill in Symonds Street becoming involved in the projected rebuilding scheme of the Auckland Metropolitan Fire Board. Mr. Davis said that to'his way of thinking public sentiment would not for one moment agree to the demolition of the windmill. If he believed that there was any likelihood of the future of the windmill being threatened he would not hesitate to bring the matter to the notice of the City Council, which, he felt confident, would join him in insisting on the preservation of the landmark. He recalled seeing the famous windmill in Potsdam, Germany, which one of the German Emperors had sought to buy and destroy. The owner's refusal to sell had received country-wide support and to-day the mill was one of the national nionuments of Germany. An excellent response by the public followed the circulation on Friday of the first hundred petition forms drawn up on behalf of Mr. J. Partington, owner of the windmill, by his solicitor, Mr. C. H. M. Wills, in an endeavour to secure support for his objections to a proposal to use tho property as a site for a new central fire station. Sixteen of the 100 forms issued on Friday morning had been returned by Saturday, pach bearing between 40 and 50 signatures, and accompanied by a request for more forms. Waterside workers alone accounted for three forms, while at one city shop well over 100 people signed the petition within two hours. It was estimated that over 1000 signatures were obtained to the petition on Friday and many more were added on Saturday.