THE EXHIBITION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8325, 25 May 1905, Page 3

THE EXHIBITION.

LAND IN THE PARE. A CONFERENCE WITH THE DOMAIN BOARD. A meeting of the Christchurch Dor main Board was held this afterr noon; present — Messrs H. P. MurrayAynsley (chairman), W. H. Cooper, 8. A. Staples, T. H. Davey, M.H.R., D. M'Millan H. G. Ell, M.H.R., G. Scott and H. J. Beswick. An apology was received for the absence of Mr B. P. Manhire. . The chairman said that the Exhibition Executive had asked the Board to meet, it, and that was the business of the meeting. A deputation, consisting 'of- the Mayor, the Hon C. Louisson, and Messrs R. Allan, G. G. Stead, G. S. Munro (Executive Commissioner) and E. J. Righton (secretary), then waited on the Board. ; The Mayor said that the deputation wished to obtain ; consent to using^ a Eortion of the North Park for the Exibition. The Government had fixed upon the area it was considered would be required. It was anticipated that an Act would have to be passed to allow ; charges to be made, but the deputation . was engaged with getting permission to use the land at present. It was proposed tto take an area from a point near Helmore' s Road . straight across the Park, intersecting the road from the Plough Inn and another road near the river, then coming along to the bridge into the Domain, and from that point taking in the river all the way to the Carlton Bridge, and then taking the line along the Park Road up to the starting point near Helmore's Road. The area was 124 acres. It did not necessarily follow that the whole of it would be used, but it was desired to obtain it, in case a military demonstration or anything of that kind was held. The ohairman said he thought the road along the river should be kept open, so that the Armagh Street Bridge could be used by the public. Itwould be better for the line to come down the clinker track. The Mayor said that the Government would probably give a favourable consideration to the proposal that the path along the river from Armagh Street should be kept open. The chairman _aid that the rest of tho river road, opposite,. Park Terrace, was not much used. Mr Allan said that it was thought that if the river was included in the exhibition area it could be utilised, and that was the reason for including the river in the area. The Mayor .said that if a bridge was placed over the river from Park Terrace, it would be left there, and five chains in that locality would be laid out by landscape gardeners, so that important improvements would be made. The chairman said that they would be no good unless the Board could maintain the grounds. He added that the Government; should recoup the Board for losses in regard to grazing leases, and so on. Several members of N the deputation said that that was a fair position. The I Government ought to restore the ! grounds to tneir 'original state. j Mr Ell said it waß understood that all the buildings would be removed. Mr Stead said that v~e Government would recoup, the. Board for loss of revenue and other expenses. The chairman said that the only difficulty was in connection with the river road to the Armagh Street Bridge. Mr Stead said he hoped that the Board would grant piece of land described in the plan drawn up by the Government's officers. Mr Cooper asked if the river did not belong to the Drainage Board. The chairman said that the Drainage Board cleaned the river, but it was included in the Domain up to the* Armagh Street Bridge from the Carlton Bridge. The boundary then went down Rolleston Terrace and included the Museum and the Gardens. He did not object to the Exhibition having the whole of the river from the Carlton Bridge to the Armagh Street Bridge, but he did not like to include the river from -the Armagh Street Bridge to the bridge into the Domain. The chairman said that the Board desired to meet the deputation, but it had to see that the public was not inconvenienced. 4 Mr Allan said that although 120^ acres were asked for, the whole area rt'ould not necessarily be fenced in. Mr Stead, in reply to Mr Beswick, said he understood that .the main road through the Park would be closed for only two or three months. Mr Beswick 'said that a high road might be made through the Exhibition grounds without injuring the Exhibition. The Mayor said that the main cycling path, near Victoria Lake, to which Mr Beswick referred, need not be enclosed until a few days before the Exhibition opened. It was possible that as things developed a great deal more would be conceded. The deputation was asking for the maximum on the prinoiple that the greater included the less, and only the less might be needed. After the deputation had withdrawn, Mr Davey moved that the application should be granted, subject to the public paths being kept open. as long as possible and to the Board being recouped for any loss of revenue. Mr Cooper seconded the motion. He said that all desired to ( make the Exhibition a success. Although the area was a large one, they had stated that the main areas would not be closed, and it was the duty of the Board to help the executive. Mr Beswick said he was convinced that the executive could not beautify all the land in the south-west portion, as immense sums of money would be reMr Witty said he did not like the idea of the" executive, taking the river. The Mayor said that the whole of the land between the Carlton and Armagh Street Bridprefe might not be needed, but it was desired to obtain it in case it should- be needed. ; Mr Bwswisk asked if the rvjrer bank in that locality would be taken merely as an artificial boundary. If so, he did not think it should be granted. If rt was to be utilised by the executive, it whs a different thins:. . , „ . g. The Mayor said he understood that il was intended to make a feature of. that portion of the ground in the way of boating and so on. . . , -, Mr -Ell said the position in regard to the removal of buildings should^ be ws>d«» omt«» He would, object to any unsightly buildings being left in +i,~ "svk. Fp bnd *>e»rd that some h-fMHc-R w o nld be left on the ground. The motion was carried. j