PATEA DOMAIN BOARD

Patea Mail, Volume LII, 11 May 1931, Page 2

PATEA DOMAIN BOARD

ANNUAL MELTING. The annual meeting of the Latea Domain Board was held on Friday, Mr. E. I'. Hemingway presiding. Messrs. Lapps, Locker, Jenkins, Ramsbottom, and Roberts were also present. Tlic minutes of the last annual meeting were read and confirmed. The secretary took the chair and called for nominations for the position of chairman for the ensuing 12 months. It was, unanimously resolved on the motion of Mr. Lapps seconded by Mr. Ramsbottom that Mr. Hemingway be re-elected to the position. Mr. Hcmingway ( in returning thanks to members, said that the Domain was in first-class order, and he hoped that the next 12 months would see the present healthy position maintained. . The annual report and balance-sheet were read and adopted. The report was as follows: CHAIRMAN'G ANNUAL REPORT.

I have pleasure in reporting that the whole of the board's property is in good order and having been well maintained during the past year. The oval sports ground has been kept well mown throughout the year by means of the motor mower, and has been freely made use of by the various sports bodies and the general public, particularly the children, who have found the appliances in the Hunter Shaw children's playground a great boon. The whole of the fences have been kept trimmed and the flower bods, which are a decided attraction, kept in good condition. In accordance with your wishes a shelter belt of macrocarpa and plnus insignis trees has been (planted on the south-eastern boundary of the Domain, which, should afford an excellent shelter for the whole of the Domain and the business portion of the town in the years to come. The total cost was £4O 4s 9d. Thanks to the kindness of Mrs. J. Peterson, who very generously undertook the sale of poppies on Poppy Day, both last year and this year, a sufficient sum was raised to keep the memorial gates to the Domain —the town's war memorial —in first class order. They arc at present receiving further attention, as they arc liable to damage from the salt spray if not attended to regularly. A feature of the year was the very successful picnic held on the Domain by the members of the combined Wanganui, New Plymouth, and Paten branches of the Watcrsiders’ Unions who found the Domain an ideal picnic ground and hoped to make use of it again in the future. The No. 5 scheme of the Unemployment Committee has been of service to the board in enabling it to eradicate the noxious weeds in the five paddocks adjoining the swamp. These should be comparatively free from weeds by April I next, when they will be available for revenue purposes. A glance at the board's balance-sheet will show tire wisdom, of members in placing the legacy of £IOOO on fixed deposit. Without this very little of the maintenance work would have been able to be carried out. The figures show that the actual cost of maintenance that was absolutely_ necessary to keep the Domain and buildings in good order was £ll2 3s lid. To meet this obligation the board's receipts were but £75 12s, which included £3 3s donations and £8 2s 6d from parking fees. Thanks to the interest from the £IOOO on fixed deposit, the board was not only able to carry out the whole of the maintenance required, but was able to plant the shelter belt and provide for (lower beds in the Domain as well. No report would be complete without some reference being made to the valuable services rendered by the honorary secretary and treasurer, Mr. F. C. Jenkins, who has out these duties with unflagging energy and zeal for the past nine years. Not only have the board's books of accounts and minute book been kept in a manner that would be a credit to any large local body in the Dominion, but Mr. Jenkins has personally attended to the various works authorised by the board, and has seen that they were properly carried out. Mr. Jenkins’ ability as an accountant and an organiser has been strikingly illustrated during his term of office as a member of this hoard, and it is not too much to say that no small amount of the success of the board to-day is due to Mr. Jenkins’ unselfish efforts. In conclusion, 1 would desire to place ou record my sincere and hearty appreciation of the support accorded me as chairman during the past year. Working together as one man, the board has been able to give the residents of the town and district a place for recreation second to none in the province. This concluded the business of the annual meeting. The minutes of the previous ordinary aieeting was re,ad and continued. 'The resignation of Mr. J. H. Cronin, who had left the district, was read and accepted with regret on the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr. Locker. It was decided to place on record the board's appreciation of the valuable services rendered by Mr. Cronin in the past. It was unanimously resolved on the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr. Lapps, that Mr; L. W. Austin's mime be sent forward to His Excellency the Governor General for appointment as a member of the board. The resignation of Air. F. G. Jenkins as hon. secretary and treasurer was read. The chairman said Mr. Jenkins was a very busy man and he could understand his wishing to bo relieved of his duties. It was only fair to accept it, and ho trusted the board would still have the benefit of Mr. Jenkins' services as a member. As was stated in the annual report, Mr, Jenkins' sor-

vices tad Ibcen jinvalnablo 'and too much could not be said in praise of his work. He moved the resignation bo accepted with regret and that the board place on record its warm appreciation of Mr. Jenkins' services. Mr, Roberts, in seconding the motion, said he endorsed what the chairman had said. His knowledge of detail should be of service to the board. The resolution was carried lyMr. Jenkins, in thanking the speak- • ers for their kind rcmarks } said his ■ work had been a pleasure, the more so * as ho had had the .chairman always at his back. He had felt when, he resigned his position as secretary he owed a duty to his family and himself, but he would bo pleased at all . times to do what he could to help forward the work of the board. On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr. Ramsbottom, Mr. L. W. .Austin was appointed hon. secretary and treasurer to flic board. The question of draining the swamp was considered at length. Mr. Ramsbottom said there should be no difficulty in diverting the stormwater from the borough drain that enters the Domain near Oxford Street to the drain near the Fire Brigade Station. After discussion, it was unanimously resolved an the motion of Mr. Roberts, seconded by hire chairman, that a rough estimate be obtained of the cost and possibility of connecting the stormwater drain with the drain near the Fire Brigade Station. In reply to Mr. Papps, the chairman said the board would pursue the policy of draining the swamp until the work was brought to completion. On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr. Papps, Mr. Scdgman • was granted permission to erect a fence in the swamp between his section and Mr. Moore’s. An account for Ss 9d was road and passed.for payment and the board rose.