AVENUE ROAD RESERVE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14134, 14 February 1910, Page 2

AVENUE ROAD RESERVE.

Judging from what the Hon. Mr. Fowlds said when he was shown the Avenue Road reserve and told that it was proposed to seek legislative power to let it on building leases, it will be necessary for something like unanimity of opinion to bo held hero, otherwise there will be little ehanco of an Empowering Bill passing through Parliament. On that account we arc sorry to learn that Mr. Dockrill is not inclined to support the proposal. When the question was before the Borough Council on Friday last ho recalled the fight which took place some twontyfivo years ago, avhon ho and the late Mr. James Bellringer and others strenuously and successfully opposed the efforts of the Taranaki Jockey Club to obtain more exclusive privileges over the whole of the racecourse reserve, of yyhich the sections now proposed to bo leased then formed a part. A new generation has .grown up since, that memorable fight, but there are doubtless ' maiiy who still remember with gratitude the yeoman service rendered liy Mr Dockrill and others on that occasion on behalf of the people, present and future, of this town. Tho circumstances, however, are altogether different to-day. There is no question now Of giving away or even selling the people’s rights. Tho proposal made by Mr. Tisoh is that tho Borough Council should bo empowered to let about ten acres of land on building lease, in quar-tor-acro lots, presumably for twonty-ono years, renewable at a revaluation for a further period of twonty-ono years. It is estimated that the borough would thus derive from tho reserve a revenue, including rents, rates, water supply, and electric light supply, of well on towards £IOOO ,n year,, and wo do not think that estimate is excessive, for tho ■building, sites will bo as “eligible” as any within tho borough, and the water and electric light can bo laid on with very small expense. At present tho reserve is worth a fow paltry pounds to the borough ns grazing ground for a few horses and cows, and under present conditions it cannot be expected to yield a higher revenue. Wo cannot conceive upon what grounds the proposal should bo opposed. If the reserve was wanted, or likely to bo wanted in the near or distant future, for recreation purposes or as a “lung” or breathing place, wo could understand the opposition, and would ourselves oppose its being lot on building lease. But it is quite superfluous for such purposes, - and always will bo. Of recreation reserves tho town has an ample area without it. There is tho Pnkoknra Park, tho racecourse, and tho 'Western Park, and if tho town grows into a, city, ns we hope and .believe it will, the future population would b° spread over a vastly larger area, and recreation ground's, for football, cricket,- and other outdoor sports, will certainly bo provided in parts of tho future city further removed from the centre. They will ho wanted, say, at Fitzroy, Moturon, Vogoltown, and Wostown, but not, right in the "heart of the future city. There is room for a dozen football grounds on tho raceoonrso'propor, so that tho eastern portion of the reserve can never bo really required for recreation purposes. As a “lung” of tho town it is and will always be superfluous, for that ncighhourhod can never become densely peopled, since it is faced on the -west by the racecourse, and on the north by the High School reserve of considerable area. Not very many chains to the eastward is tho comotory reserve, and what is called the botanical reserve at the back of that, while the land between is of such a nature that it cannot be very closely built upon. Not far away, too, is Pukekura Park, so that however groat a city Now Plymouth may become, this particular quarter of it is more than amply jirovided with breathing places. If the west end boeamo densely, populated those fow acres on tho Avenue Rond reserve would bo of no conceivable rise as a “lung” for that quarter. What other objection can bo urged against the reserve being leased, thus affording relief to tho general rates of the borough ? Wo are quite sure Mr. Tisch is ready and willing to hoar and give every consideration to objections, but they must be grounded on something more substantial than sentiment or prejudice.