FITZHERBERT-TERRACE RESERVE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 691, 29 May 1885, Page 13

FITZHERBERT-TERRACE RESERVE.

Mr Beetham attended the meeting of the Board of College Governors yesterday, and said the residents in Fitzherbert-terrace held a meeting in reference to the reserve, which was used for immoral purposes. Sufficient money ought to be provided so as to form a pathway through the centre. Dr Newman said he, as a member of the City Council, had gone into the matter, and he thought it was more a question for the Hospital Trustees than for the College Governors. A lamp had lately been placed in the centre of the reserve, and he believed a pathway had been originally laid off. Mr Bunny said the reserve belonged to the Hospital trustees and the College Governors. He and Mr G. S. Cooper had seen the Hon Randall Johnson in October last in reference to the reserve, and he read some correspondence which had then taken place. The residents in the locality had the matter in their own hands. They had been offered the reserve at a peppercorn rental. Rev Mr Paterson said that Dr Hector had made a suggestion at the time referred to by Mr Bunny that a fence and gates should be erected, and the residents provided with keys, provided that they defrayed the cost. Mr Beetham said that the residents considered it would be a heavy tax to do what was required. . Mr Bunny : The residents in that locality ought to remember that they got their places at very moderate rentals.. Most of them were in very good positions, and about £SO or £6O would suffice for putting the reserve in order. Dr Newman said that several cases of disorderly conduct bad been detected in the reserve. He moved that £25 be given by the College Governors, provided that the Hospital Trustees gave a oimilar amount. Mr Bunny was of opinion that the residents should contribute one-half of the money. He would, as one of the Hospital Trustees, support that a quarter be given by that body, and the other quarter by the College Governors. Rev Mr Paterson agreed with Mr Bunny. The residents ought to contribute. Mr Beetham said, so far as be could judge, those who attended the meeting would decline to contribute. Mr Bunny said if the residents were prepared to put up with scenes of immorality at their doors, rather than contribute anything, let them put up with it. Dr Newman did not see that the people who took up the leases should be asked to contribute. If he had known that the College Governors bad control of the reserve, he should have moved in the matter before now. He considered those who received the rents ou«ht to keep the reserve in order. Dr. Hector remarked that the reserve produced no revenue to the Board. These reserves were granted with the view of investing the money for similar purposes. He could not see that they should be asked to maintain the reserve. It was quite enough that they had planted it, The Chairman said if the reserve was to be a continuous charge upon the funds of the Board, the. sooner it was cleared away the better. (Hear, hear.) Dr Newman said they derived a large revenue from the residents, who took up their leases on the understanding that the reserve was to be planted and kept in order. Mr Bunny suggested |that Mr Beetham should call another meeting of the residents. He would look up the original plans and conditions, and see what guarantee had been gl, Rev Mr Paterson asked whether, if they spent some money in sweetening and beautifying the reserve, could they add anything to the ground rent ? Mr Bunny : No ; certainly not. Mr Beetham thanked the Governors for listening to him. He believed that if they had the nucleus of a fund there would be no difficulty in finding the remainder. Dr Newman's motion was not seconded, and the matter dropped.