ST. LUKE’S BANK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27211, 14 October 1949, Page 3

ST. LUKE’S BANK

Proposal Again Discussed The proposed beautification of the bank at the Itchen street frontage of St. Luke’s Church property again provided the main topic for discussion at a meeting of the Oamaru Beautifying Society on Wednesdav night. A letter from Colonel J. Cowie Nichols, Kuriheka, intimated that he would be prepared to contribute £IOO towards the cost of the work if beautification were carried out. In reply to the society’s invitation to the Oamaru Borough Council for representatives to meet representatives of the society and St. Luke’s Church to discuss the proposal, the council advised that at a previous meeting the scheme had been considered and it had been decided that the letter be “ received ” and no action taken.

Dr A. Smith Morton stated that one way to get over the difficulty would be to open a subscription list and for St. Luke’s Church to undertake to beautify the bank itself. He felt sure that contributions would be received from other than adherents of St. Luke’s: When the society’s letter was before the council there appeared to be some misunderstanding as to the proposal. Dr E. S. Stubbs said. He considered that the council had been approached in the wrong way, and that concrete plans should first have been formulated by St. Luke’s Church and the society. The council had not rejected the proposal, its decision being that it did not want to enter into a discussion. Dr Stubbs intimated that when the society became an incorporated body it would be within its province to lease the land. The whole problem of beautifying the bank could be got over by St. Luke’s giving a leasehold of the area under generous terms, Dr Bevan Brown stated. He could see no reason why the area could not be given to the society. In the meantime, the society could not do much without having definite proposals from St. Luke’s Church. The upkeep of the area would not be excessive, Mr John Tait said. It all depended on how it was set out and planted. By planting trees the estimated cost of upkeep would be £25 a year. Messrs Tait and K. A. Ballinger were appointed to draw up plans for the beautification of the area and the estimated cost and report to a future meeting. In addition( it was decided that representatives of St. Luke's should discuss with the society plans for terracing and beautifying the area prior to a further approach to the council.