RESERVES CONSERVATION SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3031, 17 April 1912, Page 41

RESERVES CONSERVATION SOCIETY.

ANNUAL. MEETING. Tho twenty-third annual meeting of the Dunedin and Suburban Reserves Conservation Society was held in the Town Hall on the 13th inst. Mr T. Brown presided, and there were about 16 other members present. The Chairman, in moving tho adoption of th<s report and balance sheet, said there were one or two matters he might refer to. The society felt very grateful to tho contributors for tho liberal support they had given, notably to the Typographical Association, which had again come forward with a liberal contribution. The expenditure had not been very large this year, but

'at the same time the work .carried on would bear very good fruit in the near future. Everything that had been done was of a practical character, such as planting the little piece of ground at the Dental College, planting the Sandhills, Elm row, and Queen street. The last-named was not all that cou/ld be desired. It had been a considerable undertaking, and would require the further attention of the society this year. The committee had been disappointed at the corporation not paying more attention to the gorse on the Town Belt, but probably it might be got to see the desirableness of doing something further. They had, however, to thank the council for its readiness in falling in with the proposals in connection with other work that had been carried out. The committee recognised the success that had attended the Gardens fete, which would result in various works being done quickly and effectively. He thought it was an excellent idea and splendidly carried out. The funds were in a very good condition. They had' £305 to the credit of the general account and £BS which they looked upon as a permanent reserve. Since the report had been drawn up the society had decided to lend a hand in improving the Woodhaugh Reserve. He thought they would agree that that was a very commendable work, and that it was very desirable that it should be carried out. It was a unique piece of ground, and lent itself to beautv more than sport. Mr G. M. Thomson, M.P. in seconding the motion, said there were several points to which he would like to draw attention. "While approving of the splendid results from the Gardens fete, he would like to enter a protest on behalf of the society against those abominable advertising boards that had been erected in the Octagon. They had set their faces against unduly advertising in this city, and the society had been successful in curbing that. The reserve was one of which the citizens might be justly proud, and it was a pity to disfigure it. He would like to express approval of the method adopted by Mr Tannoek in removing the fences from public reserves.— ("Hear, hear.") He- thought it was a very fine thing, and would like to see it carried out more extensively. He believed that the spirit of destruction in connection with the reserves would bo done away with if that principle was carried more widely into effect,-and they might congratulate Mr Tannoek upon the method he had adopted. He was sorry Arbor Day was not being more pushed to the front, especially among the children. Ho would make & suggestion that in connection with some of our reserves—and he had his eye on Roslyn, near the electric tram—they might go in for mass planting. He would suggest that the society keep nagging away over the approaches to the city from the north. He knew that walling in the Leith at its estuary was a great problem, but it could be met, and he believed in time it might be made a beautiful spot' where it was at present very ugly.

Mr A. S. Patorson advocated an infusion of new blood into the committee, which was becoming a stereotyped body. Young people should be much better represented in the- membership of the society than thoy were. As to Arbour Day, he thought if there was anything that constituted a reproach to the society it was the lapsing of Arbor Day, and if there was anything the society could' do to add to the obligations of the public it would be in re-establishing Arbor Day. Mr Jaines Allen, M.P., said Mr Thomson had touched upon the approach to Dnnedin, and he desired to ask if there was not some dispute between the Harbour Board, the Railway Department, and the City Council as to where the railway bridge was to be. Did not that affect the question of the outlook of the Lcith? He thought there had been some agitation in the north end 1 of Dunedin to get some alteration in the position of the bridge. Another point was as to Lake Logan. He presumed' that was in the charge of the Harbour Board, and ho had noticed that tho lake was getting very much grown over with green weed, which was not very beautiful. The Mayor (Mr W. Burnett) said he knew nothing about the bridge. Ho might find out. It had never conic up during tho time he had been in the Council. Lake Logan was, of course, tho property of the Harbour Board. Mr C. C. Graham said he would like to emphasise the remarks made by Mr Thomson. It was a disgrace to the city to have tho estuary of the Leith in the state it was, and remarks made by strangers concerning it had made him blush. As to removing the fences from reserves, there was one ix>int in that connection that could be easily remedied. He had noticed that in the reserve at the back of the Museum the public to save a second's time, had taken a short cut across. That CuUid be easily remedied by having movoaule hurdles placed across the track made. He hud found 1 that the short cut meant a saving of 15 strides. Mr C. S. Owen said that Anderson's Bay owed the society a debt of gratitude over preserving tho shrubs that the council had thought it would be necessary to cut down on account of the tramcars There used to bo a mass of diu;t there, but after the trees grew that ceased. Ho pointed out that in some northern towns —Wanganui in particular —boys gave a certain amount of work, and that induced tho young people to take an interest in the -work of the societies. There were young fellows who, though they

! could not subscribe to the funds, would give half a day's labour. The report and balance sheet were adopted. j The appointment of officers resulted in I the election of Mr T. Brown as president, Mr T. R. Fisher as vice-president, and Dr Coiquhoun, Messrs C. W. Chambcrlnn. W. Thomson, J. C. Thomson, and W. Burnett as a committee to replace the five rei tiring members. Mr R. Gilkison, in moving the el'Ctjon I of the committee, said he wju'.d like to ! see the Bcope of the society enlarged in the 1 direction of providing a special fund for the purcha.se of properties that might crime into tlto market. The Chairman replied that the soriety had assisted in that direction over the EviiDsdalo reserve. It was not generally known how handsomely the promoters of that purchase had acted in putting down their money.