Messrs Hone Taare Tikao and Taranaki Te Ua brought under the notice of the Minister the commission’s report recommending that £345,000 be paid to the Maoris as compensation for land taken from them. They asked him to bring the matter under the notice of the Government so that finality might be reached. Mr
Coates, in reply, said that the commission’s report had not been forgotten. At the present time it was quite impossible for the Government to hand over £345,000, but it was quite possible that the amount would be paid in several instalments, spread over a number of years. Ratana will be present to-day.
Park or campus for Lake Logan?
A conference was held in the city council’s chambers last night, at the instigation of the Amenities and Town Planning Society, to discuss the advisability of securing the reclaimed land at Lake Logan as a recreation reserve for the city. There were represented the City Council, Education Board, University Council, Otago Expansion League, University Students’ Association and the various football, cricket, and hockey clubs, as well as the organising Amenities Society. The Mayor (Mr J. S. Douglas) presided, and in introducing the business of the meeting paid a tribute to Mr Bathgate’s efforts for the welfare of the city. Mr Bathgate said the Amenities Society was aware that negotiations were in progress between the university council and the city corporation for the purpose of securing suitable recreation areas. From what it had heard the society was of the opinion that the proposals were quite inadequate and it had therefore convened that meeting. He pointed out that Dunedin was growing steadily, though slowly. The population would probably be doubled in the next 30 years, and they should look at the matter from the point of view of those who were coming after them. If they did not take the chance that was offered by Lake Logan, their last chance of securing or obtaining a park of any considerable size would be gone. The Rev Dr Cameron (chancellor of Otago University) said the university council represented a large body of young people, and, if they took a long view of it, would one day represent a much larger number. He argued that the University was growing at such a rate that there was no room for it and he suggested that the citizens should help the University to secure the whole 60 acres of the lake. “You may think it a dream,” he said. ‘‘I have visited Chicago, where they have 150 acres, and at California University they have 300 or 400.”
Portobello Rd upgrade
The Beach road, from the city to Portobello, is about to be improved in a way which should make a stroll or a drive along the sunny side of the harbour very pleasurable. At the monthly meeting yesterday the Portobello Road Board, which controls the road, accepted a tender for the supply and delivery of 695 yards of metal, this metal to be delivered on the road, starting from Anderson’s Bay bridge, at the rate of 50 yards per week. This long delayed improving of the road has resulted from the city council deciding recently to pay 42 percent of the actual cost.
— ODT, 4.8.1922
