CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13306, 16 February 1914, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

HARRIS' Po_N T T PURCHASE.

(To the Editor .of the Herald.)

Sir,— lt . ia without doubt very gratifying to see some 'of our wealthy men taking so much interest m the welfare of our citizens ahd willing, to. burden themselves with,- : the r - resppnsibiUty of purchasing on behalf of^ at least sonic portion of the inhabitants of Gisborne a niece "of land 'known as Harris' Point, amounting to. about five acres, and subdivided, ' and -x which was m the market to be sold by auction. The price asked was £4000, at which price it- was pur- , chased oft behalf and* for the benefit of the people, of Gisborne.. It is very unfortunate that the citizens' representative — the Borough Council— or even some of .our wealthy men, were so short-sighted that they did not purchase it some fevr years ago at £1000, and 15 years ago for £250, for the same purpose -what is now offered at £4000 to the Council, and through them the people of Gisborne. I think, sir, that' a great many people who are paying, large rate's on unimproved laud and many others will think that the Borough Council have quite enough expensive reserves. They have already expended a considerable amount of money on a reserve m Kaiti. .and could- with very little more cost have purchased the piece of land m question at the same < time and a much greater area; The same applies to Whataupoko, where* -we . have another reserve, purchased at a hi«h figure, and like, the other, lying dormant .waiting for money to be expended oh them, which the Council admit they have not- got! The ' whole three reserves from a health recreation, ; point of view are utterly useless, not at present being ornamental or useful. v I would point out/ '.to you and those interested that the capital invested m the three TeseTveT. (if the one is purchased by tlie Nborough), with improvement? ,a,nd upkeep, would amount to from £800 to £1006 per year. One of the objections to Harris' Point is the smalln'e'ss of the area ; another its objectionable low-lying position, which m summer is insufferably hot and m winter covered , at a" early hour by fogs and cold and damn under foot. One of the pertinent questions which arise at the moment : are the ratepayers of Gisborne to be saddled with another, say, £300 per ' annum, which is about the amount it "will cost for" purchase, • improvements, and upkeep for a small reserve 'of about five acres, or even six. Have the Borough 'Council not sufficient small reserves unprofitable arid unmade. I hope the gentlemen who have .gone into tl^e latest purchase m reserves will pardon me : wh'eriT'say that when they took upon' themselves the responsibility tii purchasing a property for $4000, why did they not purchase an option oyer the property before completing the purchase, and consult those who will have to pay if they decide to accept the purchase, namel'v, the ratepayers? Why did they not 'realise that we have 10,000 inhabitants, and ih the course of time V»ill have 20#00\ and'wKat use '-will five acres be foi* recreation purposed except to the inhabitants of Kaiti, who already have one waiting to be improved? .We "have two not yet improved,, and if we had another, and they were all improved, would they be any great benefit ' to the people of Gisborne as a whole with nothing else m view for recreation and fieajth purposes? \ Yet persistently ,_ year m and year out, the people of Gisborne have been advised that they have a glorious asset at their doors—a park five miles long and five chains wide at low water, which lips been given to .them' free, part of which 'was a gift from, the property -owners m Victoria Township; & park which for recreation and, health purposes would do for the people of Gisborne, . if the population was twice 20,000/', from now till the end of time. And.h.ow much better it would be if the money wasted on small, insignificant Reserve's, including the one at present m the market; with the improvements H«d upkeep, .was spent on the Waikanac beach reserve. Would that I could infuse into the jninds of the Borough Council or some of the wealthy citizens of Poverty Bay that there is a fortune far asking to any enterprising syndicate fur person who will erect up-to-date salt fcvater baths, an esplanade, and improve the railway reserve, erect large, up:todate tea-rooms, giving shelter at various points on the esplanade for ladies and children, making .a charge for all the privileges, including a branch tramway /rom Gladstone road to*' the beach. It <will come m spite of the apathy of the ■(Borough Council an^ wealthy men. But come it will when the? people of GisboTne wake up and realise that the healthiest and best recreation groundo is the Waikanae beach reserve, which can be had , without any purchasing, and only wants Jcommon sense, eneitfiy courage and capital to make' it a place which' the outside world will know that m coming lo Gisborne their children will have a chance' to live and thrive m a tropical climate, as it has one of the best health 'buildings and recreation grounds m the «olonv. — 'I ahij etc.,' colony. .> IAN s j-jIMSON. fMost people will agree with Mr Simeon that it is a pity the Hams Point property.was not Purchased years a«o for the- borough, and his criticism of .th* public spirit now S h6wn is not encouraging to those who should have the Mghest credit for what they, have done.]