QUEEN’S GARDENS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3803, 1 February 1927, Page 6

QUEEN’S GARDENS.

ERECTION OF CONVENIENCE. MATTER TO BE .RECONSIDERED. At last week’s meeting of the Dunedin City Council th© question of the erection of a women’s convenience at the corner of the Queen's Gardens on the site of the present men’s convenience came up for discussion. A deputation consisting of Dr Gordon Macdonald, and Messrs John Loudon, E. J. Anderson, and J. Shaw waited on the council to ■ urge tire removal of the present men’s convenience and to oppose the erection of any building whatsoever on the Queen’s Gardens. The following clause explanatory of the position appeared in the reserves section of the General Committee’s reports: — The committee recommends that the plan prepared by the city building surveyor and laid on the table, of the building proposed to be placed at the south-western point of the Queen’s Gardens, for the purpose of providing public convenience accommodation for ladies and gentlemen, be and is hereby approved both as to design and the proposed location of the structure. The estimated cost of the building is £B5O, and it is recommended authority be and is hereby granted for the carrying out of the work on the condition that the "Women’s Committee contribute a sum of not less than £l5O towards the cost. As provision has been made in the current year’s estimates for an expenditure of £5OO only, the matter has beep referred to the

Finance Committee in terms of the Stand- I ing Orders for report on the financial aspect. In the meantime tenders are being invited and will be submitted to the council for consideration with this report. Mr J. Loudon said he was there in a double capacity as representing the War Memorial Executive and the meeting of citizens. As a member of the War Memorial Executive,. he protested against the erection of a building which would be inimical to the memorial. He thought the men’s convenience could be removed to the opposite side of Cumberland street, near the railway goods yard, opposite the Terminus Hotel. It would, if erected there, be. convenient to the wharves. The next point he wished to refer to. whs the question of the women’s, convenience. Ho was opposed to the erection of the building on the Queen’s. Gardens. There was a greatdeal of traffic at this point, and the traffic was not controlled, and it was therefore dangerous to women and children. The monument erected was a beautiful one, and nothing sjiould be done to mar its beauty. He commended the request to the council. He had been approached by some 30 or 40 citizens, who supported the position he had taken up. Mr E. J. Anderson, representing the Returned Soldiers’ Association, said -his sympathy was with the efforts of the women citizens to erect a rest room, and it was the intention of the association to secure a suitable site. The memorial column was a beautiful one, and every effort should be made to keep it clear at the base, as is the case with regard to the Nelson memorial in London. The association was thinking of future Dunedin, and to give the memorial full effect no buildings should be near its base. He

hoped the council would keep the whole area clear as a war memorial area. Dr Gordon Macdonald was also granted permission to address the council. He said that" all his life he had been associated with women, and had studied them closely. He proceeded to pay a tribute to their native modest}’, and claimed that the site at the Queen’s Gardens was too conspicuous and public for a women’s rest room. It would be an offence to public taste. Cr Sincock asked which corner Mr Loudon referred to. Mr Loudon said the corner of Cumberland street, next the railway, opposite the Terminus Hotel. He thought a shop in the Octagon would be the most suitable. The Deputy Mayor said the council would certainly give jdue consideration to the views placed before them on this matter, which had been exercising the minds of the council for some time past. It was agreed to deal with the matter in connection with the Reserves Committe’s report. A letter was received from the hon. secretary of the Women’s City Rest Room Committee advising that the committee would be pleased to contribute a sum of 'not less than £l5O towards the cost of the women’s rest room. —Received.

Cr Hancock moved the adoption of the Reserves Committee’s report, and said that in view of the request of the deputation he thought he must ask that clause 1 referring to the conveniences in the Queen’s Gardens be referred back to the committee. He was very sorry to do so. The site suggested by Mr Loudon was not at all suitable for the purpose, even for men only. There was another possible site next the Early Settlers’ Hall, and he thought the matter must go back to the

committee. He moved that clause Igo back to the committee. Cr Clark opposed the chairman’s request. and raised a point of order that the clause could not be withdrawn unless the council was unanimous. They were all in sympathy with the quandary in which Cr Hancock was, but the committee would be greatly assisted if it could get an indication of the views of the council before it reconsidered the matter.

The Deputy Mayor upheld the point of order. z

Cr Hayward supported the chairman’s views.

The Deputy Mayor said that there was no motion before the council. Cr Shacklock, moved that the Reserves Committee’s report be adopted as presented.

Cr Douglas moved that clause 1 be referred back to the committee. Cr Hancock seconded this.

Cr Clark asked the council to give the committee some indication where it stood in the matter. There was an amount on this vear’s allocations for this convenience, and no other building could be erected on that reserve. He did not think that any of the committee thought the site an ideal one, but they were pledged to do something for the women folk of the city, who had approved, of this site. Cr Wilson said he did not think the council had been fully informed of the whole position with regard to this matter. The chairman should tell them more about the difficulties. If the Rest Room were not to go there he thought the men’s convenience should be removed. The position suggested in Cumberland street was not a bad one. The council should try and

get a rest room on the main street, evert if it cost up to £3OO a year rent. Cr Sincock said the committee had not been unanimous. The room to be erected was not a rest room, but merely a convenience with a room attached. He thought they should face the position and secure a room in the main street; He agreed that the corner under discussion was a most dangerous one. Cr Begg said the matter had been before them some months ago, and a committee had been set up. It came back with the alarming report that the only site was in the Octagon. It was now suggested that a site should be got in the vicinity of the Octagon in the business part, and he thought such a place could be found. When the Town Hall was being erected some provision should be made for this in the basement. They had no objection to the .whole matter going back to the committee. The amendment was carried, clause 1 referred back to the committee, and the remainder of the report adopted.