GARDENS AND DOMAINS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10196, 4 July 1911, Page 3

GARDENS AND DOMAINS.

MEETING OF CONTROLLING BOARD. IMPROVEMENT OF SOUTH PARK APPROVED. The Christ-church Domains Board met to-day ; present—Messrs H. J. Heswick (chairman'), T. E. Taylor, M.P., T. H. Davey. M.P., H. G. Ell, M.P., G. .Harper, James Jamieson, U. P. M.urray-Aynsley, G. Scott and S. A. Staples. Tlie chairman reported that a Coronation oak had been planted, ami the fountain had been Messrs Pyno and Co. had kindly offered a donation of £2O towards the cost of new gates at the Riccarton Road entrance. The form of a suitable tablet to mark commemoration trees in the Domain had been considered, and the best suggestion had been a stone tablet with a brass plate inlaid. Mrs Townend had given twenty-nine well-grown weeping asli and elm trees, and he suggested that there .should be some ceremony of planting the trees at which Mrs Townend should be asked to pla it a tree. A suggestion had also been made for a ceremony of turning on the water at the fountain. It was resolved to thank Mrs Townend for her gifts, and make arrangements for planting the trees; also to arrange on the same day for an opening of tlu; fountain by t-lio Beautifying Association.

The chairman reported that Mr Ell's suggestion that the live fence on Lincoln Koad should be removed, and a wire fenco erected inside the first line of trees, had been considered by the committee. The cost of a new fence inside the first row of trees would be £'•s2 2s Od. The cost of up-kecp would be £25 a year, or, if the fence were erected inside the seebnd row of trees, as the h6ad gardener suggested, £.50. The cost of grabbing up the hedge would be .L'yO,, the cor,t of new prates £2O, and tilling in mid shingling from £IOO to £2OO, according to whether, or not tho material had to be purchased. Air K!1 moved that the work of putting the fence behind the first row of trees should be proceeded with as soon as the money was available. Mr Taylor suggested that the fence should be put behind the second row. Ho said that the improvement of the locality would he so great with a new fence that. substantial donations might be forthcoming from propertyowners and others. The City Council might give £25, apart, from what the Beautifying Association might give. The chairman suggested that the matter should be held over until the next meeting to see what funds wore available. The cost would be £SOO, and the upkeep at least £35, and while lie favoured the proposal, he thought it should not be done hv halves. Eventually it was agreed to approve of the proposal, and bold the matter over as suggested by the chairman. Drs Chilton and Cockayne wrote, enclosing an article published in the Lyttelton Times." on the history of the native section in the gardens, and offering to give the .Hoard assistance and advice as to it improvement. The letter was received, and the article ordered to be incorporated in the minutes. The head gardener reported that all the new work in the gardens was weli advanced. The report, was adopted It was resolved to obtain a return showing the normal receipts and expenditure'of the Board, apart from the Domain Fete.