TOPICS OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4647, 28 April 1902, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

THE TOWN BELT. The condition of the Town Belt was referred to in forcible terms by Mr I/. G. Reid at the annual meeting of the Scenery Preservation Society. He said this extensive reserve was vested in the Wellington Corporation in the year 1871. One could see what had been done, or rather how little had been done since then, by looking at the hills. The Town Belt was in such a condition that the public did not luiow what their rights were in the way of access to it, whilst those persons who had that knowledge found obstacles which prevented them from using the reserve as they would like to. They were met by barbed-wire fences where there ought to be turnstiles, and they found gorso growing freely in'"places. Under the Corporation leases, provision was made for the erection of turnstiles and for the clearing away of gorse, but these clauses were more honoured in the breach than in the observance. He would like to see the inauguration by the City Council of a systematic scheme of planting, and a beginning made with the construction of a track around the Town Belt. If a little were done in these directions every year, a great deal would he acchieved in say ten or fifteen years. He quite admitted that there was some force in the Council’s contention that it should look after the streets first. But when the founders of the colony had thought fit to make such ample reserves, it behoved those who followed to carry out tho trust which was reposed in them, and take care of and improve the reserves. The extent of the Town Belt was over 1400 acres. Vltogether, the city had nearly 2000 acres of reserves. About thirty years ago he,had the pleasure of engrossing tho conveyance of the Town Belt from the Superintendent of the province to the Corporation. He knew that the reserve was set apart for the purpose, among others, of being planted. A reply had_ been made that the Town Belt was in debt. But if a large sum

had been unduly spent upon one -reserve, that was no reason why another and a very largo reserve should be neglected. What would bo said of tho manager of an estate who reported that ho had spent so much upon one corner of it that lie was unable to spend anything upon the remainder?