Newspaper Article 2010 – 100 Years Ago – Sir Donald McLean Memorial Park

100 YEARS AGO

October 22, 1910

The Daily Telegraph

Preserved for the people.

On Monday last, at the suggestion of Cr. Crowley, the Napier Borough Council decided to ask Mr W. Nelson and the trustees of the Sir Donald McLean Memorial Park, to meet the council in conference and discuss the recent decision of Parliament not to allow the council to impose a charge upon the public, except upon ten days in the year, for admission to the Park on Napier South.

This conference took place yesterday. The Press was excluded – a grave mistake which seems to imply that the council thinks it ought to discuss public business in secret – but at the conclusion of the meeting a copy of the resolutions passed was supplied to the Press.

From this it seems that the public of Napier have to thank Mr William Nelson for converting the council to the view that the Park on Napier South ought to be open free to the public. Possibly some members of the council may not have needed much conversion, but as the Press was excluded we are not able to say anything definitely on that point.

The only direct light on the subject obtainable is that to be derived from reading the resolutions passed, and as one of these sets out that the Council decided to withdraw the bill it sought to get passed, “After hearing Mr W. Nelson’s views,” it seems that the public owe that gentleman a debt of gratitude for having succeded [succeeded] in bringing the Council round to his view – the proper view – of the position.