THE A. AND P. SOCIETY AND TAHUNA PARK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18752, 4 January 1923, Page 3

THE A. AND P. SOCIETY AND TAHUNA PARK

TO THE EDITOB. Sib,—l have just received a circular letter to members of the Otago A. and P. Society calling upon them to give their opinion about the proposed sale of Tahunu Park. 1 may say I am, as a member, strongly opposed to sell Tahuna Park. In reading over the circular letter I find it is from start to finish a strong effort to condemn Tahuna Park. 1 say the para has been an immense success for 37 years—a very good record —and the A. and P. Society is practically free of debt- A finer place than Tahuna Park for a show could rot bo got. It is simply perfect for the purpose. Being all sand, it does not matter how it rains—it is always in good order. It is close to the city of Dunedin. bo that anyone can walk from the city in a few minutes, and we have the railway and tramway close to the gate and in perfect order. 'The buildings are all in good order, and they only require painting and the fences need a little repair. The report says it will require a large sum to put the buildings and fences at Tahuna Park in repair. I will guarantee to paint all the buildings and repair the fences for £l5O, with the assistance of the caretaker to do the work. The buildings and fences would then not require much to bo done to them for nt least 10 years. We could apply to the Ocean Beach Domain Board for 30 acres of the adjoining sand hills, making Tahuna Park 50 acres in extent instead of 20, ns at present, and this vyould make a splendid park. If the Domain Board would give permission to the society to sell sand wo could get a largo sum every year from the proceeds. e would have to plant a belt of trees a chain or a chain and a-half wide next the seaside and over to the Tomahawk roau and down the south-west side of the park. That could be done next winter, as the ground is all ready for the planting. I consider also that we should plant all the reserve from St. Clair to Lawyer Head as soon as possible. It is not desirable to plant the frees too close to one another, and a thousand will do the work. Dunedin made a great mistake when it lost -torbury racecourse. I say all praise to the men who saved a portion of the park for the Trotting Club.. The Trotting Club is a splendid success, and Tahuna Park will continue to be th© same as a show ground, for there is nothing to surpass it. Look at what hag been done in Invercargill. The society there has bought 30 acres of ground almost in the heart of the town, and has put up a concrete grand stand costing £IO,OOO. That is cetainly a good step. Dunedin is very slow to move, and should take more interest in our own show. There is no doubt that if the show is taken to Wingatui it will bo killed stone dead, as the groat bulk of townspeople will never go out there to a show, and there will be a loss of thousands of pounds to Dunedin. Every man to whom I have spoken to is dead against the proposal. Wo have, according to the report, actually only 685, and I sincerely hope my fellowmembers will roll up by the hundreds to kill this wretched scheme for ever. The committee of the show is acting quite within its rights, and is quite entitled to its own opinion, and I hope it will extend the same privilege to me. We as members have the matter in our own hands. The society is powerless until the committee gets the proposed motion passed. If we consent to sell Tahuna Park we are simply picking the eyes out of this splendid reserve, as it is the very best part of the reserve. I think the whole reserve is 250 acres in extant. A motion to sell Tahuna Park must be earned by two-thirds of the members actually present at the meeting in order that it may have any effect whatever. The members have the matter in their own hands, and it would be useless to blame the committee if this wretched motion is earned. Supposing the motion is carried, J have been told by a high legal authority that the society can sell the park privately to anyone, as it has a vested right in the park and is not compelled by the Aot to sell by public auction. As members, we have to be very careful what we do. I do not think the Otago Rugby Union would have any chance of buying the park, because I think if the motion is passed the property will be sold privately. Ever since J came to New Zealand 64 years ago all the sand hills from St. Olair to Tomahawk have been n public reserve, and I never knew that the A and P. Society had the freehold of Tahuna Park until just lately, and I think that members will have to petition the Government to repeal the Tahuna Park Act. and give the Otago A. and P. Society a 999 years’ lease of the park in lieu of the freehold. Then w© could sub-let the park, say, for six months in the year during the winter months for, say, 25 years to the Otago Rugby Union for perhaps £SOO a year, with the right to sub-let to other football organisations. There is no doubt, it. is a perfeet ground for football. It. does not matter how it. rains, it is always in good order for the sport. I have been told that a gentleman closely connected with the Dunedin .Toakey Club has got a farm close to Wingatui, for which £7O per acre was paid, and that the farm is going to be exchanged for Tahuna Park as part payment. As far as my humble opinion goes, I think Tahuna Park is worth £20,000 at least, without the buildings, and is sure to be worth £40,000 in a few years. Let us hold on to the park for ever and never haul down the flag, for it is a splendid property. I tay that the member who votes for the sale of Tahuna Park is a legal robber of the people of Otago, and of Dunedin in particular. Let us kill the proposal for ever at the meeting. The Winter Show buildings in Crawford street have been a very great success. This, show returned a profit of over £9OO last year, and always has been a great financial help to the society. I should say, leave well alone. If the buildings are too small, let us acquire the whole block, if possible. There is no doubt the Winter Show must bo in the heart of the city to be of any use. As for going to the reclaimed ground with all the buildings, you might, just ns well go to Tahuna Park with all the buildings at once. But would it be a paying proposition? I do not think it would; and as for the Harbour Board ground, the eociety has not got the slightest intention of going to that exposed place, which will in time become too valuable for a show ground. In the circular letter to members the committee gives the Dunedin Jockey Club a very great amount of praise for its generosity. You would think the Jockey Club was composed of perfect angels. Tahuna Park did not cost the A. and P. Society one brass farthing for the ground, and yet it wants to sell it for £20,000 if it can get it. A reserve belongs to all the people of New Zealand, and wo should never have had the freehold.—l am, eto., Ai,ex. Smaill, Member Otago A. and P. Society.