JAMES McGREGOR PARR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 12, 15 January 1936, Page 6

JAMES McGREGOR PARR

MEETING OF THE TRUST ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN. A meeting of the recently-creat<4 Janies McGregor Memorial (Kowhai; Park Trust, the members of which ar3 the Mayor (Mr. W. J. Rogers) and 1 Messrs. Hope Gibbons and W. Morrison 1 (chairman of the Wanganui Harbour Board), was held yesterday, Mr. J. Williams, secretary of the Wanganui Beautifying Society, was also present. The meeting elected Mr. Hope Gibbons as chairman of the trust and tho town clerk, Mr. G. Murch, as secretary and treasurer. A plan of the lay-out and further development of the park was submitted to the meeting and approved. History of the Park. In 1917, Mr. Hope Gibbons, president of the Wanganui Beautifying Society, obtained in his own name a lease from the Wanganui Barbour Board of some 30 acres of land bounded by the River and Anzac Parade, and extending from Hatrick and Co.’s foundry to some 10 chains north of the Dublin Street Bridge. Part of this park is familiarly known as the Wanganui East Espl.i nade. The tenure of the lease was for 21 years at an annual rental of £42. It was a condition of the lease that the lessee was to plant trees and that the land xvas to be used lor the purpose of a park, which conditions have been faithfully carried out. Approximately one acre was later surrendered and was leased by the Harbour Board to the Wanganui River Gravel Co. Early in 1935 Mr. Hope Gibbons conceived the idea of retaining this latrT for park and reserve purposes for ah time, and in order to carry this into effect a deed of trust xvas created. The trust comprises the Mayor of Wanganui ,the chairman of the Wanganui Harbour Board, and the president of the Beautifying Society, all for the time being. The lease from the HarBoard is to Mr. Hope Gibbons and is held in trust by him for and on behalf of Board of Trustees. The park was originally known as “Kowhai Park,’’ having been so named by Lord Liverpool, a former Governor-General of the Dominion, who planted a kowhai tree at. its inception. Subsequently, Mr. .Tames McGregor became intensely interested in the transformation of this area beautiful park, obtaining specimen trees and plants from many parts and planting a large number of them himself. During the very severe winter of .1928, Mr. McGregor contracted a chill and, after a short illness, he passed away. Foreseeing the need for a public park in this locality, he made provision in his will for a large legacy to enable the work of the beautification of this park to be carried out. In appreciation of hi.s generosity it was decided to alter the name of the park, it now being known as the “Janies McGregor Memorial Park,’’ and it is hoped that in the course of time a suitable tablet will be erected to his memory, so that the future generations may honour hiiii with other public benefactors. The foundations of a glorious park having been laid for the public within the reach of all citizens of Wanganui, Mr. (!. H. E. Rhodes, past-president of the Beautifying Society, has, sin lhe passing of Mr. McGregor, carried on, doing excellent, work. A section has been planted with some of the late Mr. Alexander Allison’s own trees in memory of this great horticulturist. Mr. F. J, Walker, the society’s secretary, has given valuable time, and he, together with the City Council, has made many donations of trees and generously assisted the society in every possible way. To Mr. Hope Gibbons, the former president of the society an i its general manager and authority on finance, thanks arc due for financing the work. Mr. W. Gibson, in the early stages nf the park formation, gave continuous assistance. It was mainly through his influence that the Beautifying Society Raised "large sums of money for its work.