WAIOMO PARK.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17570, 8 March 1929, Page 4

WAIOMO PARK.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —In your issue of March 6 Mr Bryan gives his defence of the purchase of 12 acres for a park at Wai> j omo in reply to Mr Poulgrain. It is my duty, as the founder of the Ratepayers’ Association, to reply to same. From a ratepayer’s point of view; neither Tararu nor Waiomo parks had any right to be bought, while there are so many good picnicking places along the Coast, on the beach. For instance, the beach north of Windy Point has plenty of room and is free to all- At Tapu there is a large park free to all. From Tapu to the Mata there is room for 100 picnics to be held at once, and is free to all, with plenty of wood to boil the billies, so that there' was no need to waste the ratepayers’ money on Tararu Park, or Waiomo Park. I have been looking for a section near where the Waiomo Park has been bought, and I am surprised at the prices quoted as having been offered, and it is more surprising that these prices were not acceptedWhy the Thames Borough Council has gone out of its way to buy a park over seven miles from its boundary Is not justified by any argument yet t brought forward. If a park was needed it would have been the County Council’s place to buy it,' ahd not the Borough Council’s -place, it being out of their district. The ( whole affair - gives an air of unsafety to the Borough ratepayers, seeing that the Mayor and councillors gained office on the profession of lowering expenditure and the rates; If all these fine offers for this land had been allowed to be accepted it would have brought 100 new baches to our Thames Coast, which would have been much better than locking it up from settlement, as it now is.—l am, etc., A. J.< WHITESIDE.