Seats to be built in Town Belt

These village children at Witley, Sussex are being taught to spin and weave as part of a move to revive the old crafts in country districts in England.- Otago Witness, 22.5.1912.

Visitors to Dunedin who betake themselves to some of the beautiful walks on the Town Belt around Dunedin regret the absence of seats at spots from which a glimpse of the city and its picturesque environment may be obtained. The defect was one that forced itself upon the attention of the Reserves Conservation Society, who approached the Reserves Committee of the City Council with an offer of two dozen jarrah benches to place here and there on the different walks and drives.

The Reserves Committee, recognising the value of the suggestion, deputed two of its members to visit the Belt in company with Mr Tannock, superintendent of city reserves, to select the best sites for the seats. This visit took place on Monday, and a choice was made of points commanding an attractive outlook, and, in one or two instances, of shaded nooks for those who, in the summer time, desire a cool retreat from the heat of the day. The seats will consist of uprights with a board along the top, the board being mortised into the uprights so that it cannot be wrenched off by mischievous hands. The seats, which will be in position before the spring, will doubtless prove a welcome haven to many pedestrians.

• A well-attended meeting of the Tourist and Amenities Committee of the Dunedin Expansion League was held in the secretary's office last evening.

The sub-committee appointed to inquire in what manner the league could co-operate with existing bodies in the improvement of St. Clair and Ocean Beach with a view to further popularising these resorts, recommended:- (1) That application be made to the Government to vest the control of the Battery reserve at St. Clair in the City Corporation, so that it might be improved by planting and erecting seats, shelter-sheds, etc, subject to the condition that it might be resumed without compensation if required for defence purposes. (2) That steps be taken to obtain donations of seats to be placed on the esplanade and at the second beach, either by canvass or advertisement; also that finger-posts might with advantage be erected. (3) That it is desirable that a path be constructed from the proposed esplanade towards Ocean Beach as nearly as possible on the beach line. It was resolved that the first clause be approved, but not given effect to until inquiries had been made as to the practicability of acquiring Tomahawk Beach as a reserve. Consideration of the other two clauses was left over till after conferring with the St. Clair Beautifying Society. - ODT, 22.5.1912.

• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ

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