PARK AT DAY’S BAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8559, 23 October 1913, Page 11

PARK AT DAY’S BAY

EASTBOURNE SCHEME CITY COUNCIL ASKED FOR ITS ASSISTANCE. A deputation from tho Eastbourne Borough Council, consisting of the Mayor (Mr W. J. Organ), Councillors Kelly and Foley, and Mr T. M. A\ Ilford'. M.P. for tho district, waited on tho finance committee of the City Council yesterday afternoon, to lay before it a proposal for the joint acquisition by tho City Council and tho Eastbourne borough of recreation grounds at Day's Bay. THE FINANCIAL POSITION. Mr Organ said that it would bo a Tory regrettable thing if this land passed out of the hands of tho people, the grounds had been visited for many years past : by Wellington residents Last year 115,000 tickets on the ferry boats had been sold, and in the previous year 1*10,000; m fact, Day’s Bay was one of ■Wellington’s most popular pleasure resorts and the people of Wellington had more interest in it than those of Eastbourne. There wore nine acres of recreation grounds to he acquired, which included the tennis courts, croquet lawn, and the grounds connected with the pavilion, oompris mg that area from tho southern boundary of the tennis courts to the road which loads up to the hillside on the north. Tho Ferry Company, .which owned the land, proposed to sell the whole for £1)700, not including the pavilion, which would add another £2OOO to tho total. The estimated expenditure included £685 (interest : on £11,700 at 6 per cent.); £6O in rates; £lO in insurance; £BOO in upkeep; £ls, water supply, lighting, etc. j making a total of £O6O. Tho estimated revenue was made up of; £IOO, by tennis; £250, by pavilion; £3O, by croquet club; £35, by cricket; the whole ooraing to £415. By charging a small foe for entrance to the grounds, say, threepence as at present, about £1250 could be raised, and this would so increase the revenue that a profit of £705 could be realised. Mr Organ said that he had good reasons for believing that £3OOO could bo obtained by public subscription, and ho thought that, in co-operation, the City Council and tho Eastbourne borough could provide the balance. Ho thought it would be a lasting shame to the city if the grounds were cut up. No selfish motive could be attributed to the Eastbourne borough for bringing this matter before the notice of the City Council, as, if the grounds were cut up, they would provide a greater source of revenue to the borough than if they remained for recreation purposes alone. “THE BOROUGH BEAUTIFUL.” Mr Wilford said he spoke as a late payer of both the Eastbourne borough and the City Council, and he agreed with Mr Organ in all he had said. He read a letter from Mr Harold Beauchamp, who coincided with his views. Every oilier country had found that the seaside was the lupgs of the city, and from a purely health point of view Eastbourne stood ’par excellence. The aim of Eastbourne was to bo the borough beautiful, and ho reminded the oity councillors that their works were hot only for to-day, but also for tho years that follow. He believed that it was a good proposition. Councillor Kelly suggested that i public meeting could be called to deal with the matter. WHY NOT A GOVERNMENT PURCHASE P The Mayor of YVellington, Mr J. P. Luke, said ho was not going to commit himself at present. No one was more enthusiastic than himself on the matter, but it had to bo remembered that Eastbourne was not tho only suburb, and they already had other resorts, such as Lyall Bay, Island Bay, and Miramar, on their hands, and these had to ha developed at great expense. There was a certain gentleman in Wellington who was ready to give £IOOO towards helping oh. the scheme, provided others would donate' a like sum. The finance committee would consider tho proposal and lay it before the City Council. He thought it would be a good idea to approach the Government with a view to its buying the land, as ho understood Christchurch residents were doing in similar circumstances. He pointed out that thousands of Government employees, among others, would bo affected. Mr Wilford thought that if they took such a step, as suggested by Mr Luko, it would he as well for the Government to make a purchase of the bush at tho same time.