AMENITIES SOCIETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23511, 27 May 1938, Page 2

AMENITIES SOCIETY

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE A meeting of the executive of the Dunedin Amenities Society was held yesterday afternoon in the board room* of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce. The president (Mr Crosby Morris) occupied the chair, and there were also present Messrs J. L. Salmond, W. J. Birroll, S. P Cameron, H. P West. George Simpson and Dr Mullin. The chairman welcomed Dr Mullin to the meeting. He said that he knew that Dr Mullin took a great interest in the work of their society. LOWER PENINSULA ROAD The secretary (Mr A. C. Cameron) reported that Messrs G. Simpson, J Ash, S. P, Cameron and himself, accompanied by two representatives from the Public Works Department and two representatives from the Peninsula Motor Service. Ltd., had inspected the work upon the lower Peninsula road. He said he was quite sure that, as an outcome of the conference, there would be no further friction and that the work would proceed without any hitch. The committee was very impressed with what had been done. Some 15,000 trees and shrubs had been planted, and of these a recent count had shown that over 11,000 were thriving and doing well. The others had died through the excessive dry weather and exposure, and a number had been wilfully destroyed or removed by picnickers or local residents. The committee had discussed the future of the work, and it had been unanimously decided to ask Mr K. W. Bayne to continue to supervise the work in an honorary capacity. It was agreed that the society should make a contribution during the ensuing 12 months of £25. and the Peninsula Motor Service agreed to subsidise this by a similar amount. This money would be expended as follows: —(a) Subsidy for one married man to act as permanent foreman for three terms of four months each. Estimated amount required, £26. (b) Subsidy on two married men for one period of four months, these two men to assist the permanent foreman. Estimated amount required, £l7. Mr Cameron expressed the hope that the whole of the committee would pay a visit to the work in progress with Mr Bayne at an early date. The report was received, and it was decided to make a further grant of £lO towards the cost of planting the trees being removed from the Anderson’s Bay road on land adjacent to Peninsula road. ST. CLAIR PLAYGROUND The secretary reported on the work being carried out at the children’s playground at St. Clair, and made certain suggestions. Mr Salmond said that the high wall was not to his mind necessary. The plan submitted by the society was not being carried out. The work was very disappointing. . . It was decided that Mr A, L. Salmond and the secretary should wait on Cr Wilson, chairman of the Works Committee of the City < Council, and discuss the work with him. SEATS FOR RESERVES The secretary reported that the sites chosen by the society for the placing of the seats on the Town Belt and on various vantage points had not been utilised by the reserves staff of the corporation and that other sites had been chosen. It was decided not to do anything further in the matter, as it was understood that the seats would be removed to the sites chosen by the executive. It was decided to obtain two more seats and place them on the Mount Cargill road just below Bennett’s Nursery and on the top Peninsula road, SOUTHERN RECLAMATION Miss M. E. Scorgie wrote suggesting that something should be donj to remedy the unsightly condition of the southern reclamation area adjacent to the Portobello road. It was decided to bring the complaint under the notice of the Harbour Board and ask it to do something to improve the position. It was also decided to write to the City Council and ask it to endeavour to obtain from the Harbour Board'a strip of land a chain wide on the harbour side of the road.

CAVERSHAM RAILWAY STATION Mr F. Jones, Postmaster-general, forwarded a report from Mr D. G. Sullivan, Minister of Railways, regarding the representations made by the society relative to the road approach to the Caversham railway station. Mr Sullivan wrote:— “The departmental report is as follows:—

“ ‘ The road, which for the most part is on a siding, is metalled and in good order. It is not kerbed or channelled, nor does the department see any need for such. The footpath leads from the Main South road straight up the hill to the overbridge at the south end of the Caversham station, and is the pedestrian access to the station. There is no need for pedestrians to use the cart road. The deep drain mentioned by the members of the Amenities Society is a water table which runs along the edge of the road and is no more than a few inches deep. It is in no way dangerous, either to pedes-tx-ian or wheel traffic.

‘“The hoardings complained of are the department’s standard 20ft x 10ft hoardings, and they are not considered to be at all unsightly. There are, of course, people who object to hoardings of any description, irrespective altogether of their appearance. The Amenities Society some years ago approached the district engineer and received permission to plant a bed of flowers at the foot of the hoardings. This work was eventually carried out by the Dunedin City Council. As far as the department is aware, the Amenities Society has done nothing in the matter of beautifying this area.

“ ‘ The department does not see any object in spending money on the kei-b----ing and channelling of this road, which is only an entrance to the goods siding at Caversham, nor does it see any reason for removing the hoarding, which is a source of revenue to the department.’ ”

Mr Sullivan concluded as follows: “ In view of the marked difference between this report and the viewpoint of the Amenities Society, I would like to take an opportunity of looking at the matter on the ground before coming to a final decision, and will do this as soon as circumstances permit, when I will further communicate with you.” The chairman said that the departmental report was not correct when it said that the society had done nothing in the matter of beautifying the area.

It was decided that the cnairman and Messrs Simpson and S, P. Cameron be a sub-committee to wait on Mr Sullivan on his next visit to Dunedin ROYAL CRESCENT, MUSSELBURGH It was decided that a sub-committee should meet St. Kilda representatives and discuss the question of planting trees at Royal crescent. Musselburgh.

Members expressed themselves as pleased with the proposals of those St. Kilda residents who were taking an interest in the matter. ST. CLAIR BATHS

A letter was received from Mr W. J. Bardsley asking for the co-operation of the society in regard to an alteration to the St. Clair Swimming Baths. It was decided to receive the letter, and await developments in connection with the proposal, EARLY SETTLERS’ HALL

It was decided to write to the Early Settlers’ Association and ask it if it would assist financially in enabling a garden plot to be placed on each side of the entrance to the Early Settlers’ Hall.

STATE OF CITY RESERVES

It was decided that a sub-committee composed of Messrs A. C. Cameron, Simpson, West, and Dr Mullin should go into the question of the state of the city reserves, and report on their findings to another meeting of the executive.