Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

ELDER PARK KIOSK.
OPENED TO THE PUBLIC.
A PLEASING CEREMONY.
The picturesque kiosk, which forms a
substantial addition to the attractions of
Elder Park, was opened on Thursday afternoon,
under auspicious circumstances.
Among those present were the Mayor of
Adelaide (Mr. L. Cohen) and Mrs. Cohen,
the Chief Secretary (Hon. J. G. Bice), the
donor of the kiosk (Sir Edwin Smith),
members of the Adelaide City Council, and
a large number of ladies. The red-roofed
structure, which is of ornate design and
octagonal in shape, is built on similar
lines to that recently erected in the Botanic
Gardens. That it will prove a boon to the
public is undoubted, for the well-kept lawns
and the charming surroundings attract
numbers of people to the park at all
times. The first to suggest the desirable-
ness of such a building were Councillor W.
B. Wilkinson, the ex-Mayor (Mr. Frank
Johnson), and the town clerk (Mr. T. G.
Ellery). It is located on the southern side
of the park, within 100 yards of King
William-road, and commands a pleasing
view of the Torrens Lake. In addition to
the tearoom, which has a floor of vitrified
glass, there is a spacious verandah, with
comfortable seating accommodation for a
large number. The architect was Mr.
Alfred Wells.
A Public Benefactor.
The Mayor said he had had the honor,
by direction of the City Council, to invite
an- suffers to declare the kiosk. open. Xmas
great pubic Leneiactor, whose name was so
closely associated, with the story of South
Australia, occupied the position of Mayor
of Adelaide for six years, and had always
been to the forefront in things pertaining
to the welfare of the citizens generally.
It was a happy recoJecuon that an axe
Sir Edwin, as mayor, was the first to realise
the possibilities of the Torrens and its
banks in providing beauty spots for the
people, and that it was through his influence
and exertion that Adelaide was now
the proud possessor of that lovely park and
lake. Sir HA win also originated the splen-,
did national exhibition held in Adelaide in
1887, which, he believed, was one of the
first and best of its kind in Australia. He
ventured the opinion that the time has
now arrived when another such exhibition
should be organised to demonstrate to the
world the extraordinary progress which
South Australia and the Commonwealth
had made since 1887. It was during Sir
Edwin's mayoralty and largely as a result
of his efforts that the Rotunda adjacent to
the kiosk was presented by Sir Thomas
Elder. The Queen Victoria statue and
other adornments to the city were attributable
to the splendid public spirit of Sir
Edwin, who had now donated £1,000,
which sum practically represented the
cost of the new kiosk. Some lakeside improvements
had been carried out simultaneously
with the erection of the kiosk,
and the gentlemen who should be specially
mentioned for their deep interest in the
whole work were Mr. Commissioner Russell,
Senator Vardon, Councillor Wilkinson,
and the town clerk (Mr Ellery).. The
only condition imposed by Sir Edwin re
making the presentation was that the
City Council EDWD provide a. boat staging
opposite the kiosk and other lakeside improvements,
which had been made at a
cost of £200. On behalf of the council
and the citizens generally he thanked Sir
Edwin most heartily and expressed, regret
that Lady Smith was unable to be present.
(Cheers.) I
"Elder Smith" Park.
Alderman Bonython, in supporting, the
Mayors remarks, said evidences 01 Sir
_d win's generosity and public spiritedness
were to be seen on every hand. The Ko
turns was presented by Sir Thomas Smith
and with the addition of the Kiosk those
beautiful grounds would probably be known
in the future as the Elder Sun Parkes
name well known in South Australia,
(Laughter.) He had happy recollections
of Having, as a boy, been entertained by
Sir Edwin, when the latter was the Mayor
of Adelaide, at a fancy dress ball, and he
felt particularly honored at being able to
support the present Mayor in thanking Sir
Edwin for his most recent gift to the
citizens. Through his splendid generosity
the people would now be able to obtain entertainment
for many years to come, and
they would all remember Sir Edwin as one
of the best citizens Adelaide ever had.
(Cheers.) Councillor
W. B. Wilkinson supported
the remarks of the other speakers. By every
such addition to their park lands they were
carrying out the purpose for which they
were originally dedicated, namely, the, recreation
and enjoyment of the people.
Mr Frank Johnson remarked that with
his customary munificence Sir Edwin, (when
he became aware of the movement to secure
such a desirable addition to the attractions
of Elder Park, had determined. to make it
a "one-man show." in ' i
Address by Sir Edwin Smith. :
Sir Edwin, who was heartily applauded,
desired the kiosk open and unveiled the
large copper tablet, bearing the inscription:
-''A axe from Sir Edwin Smith. K.C.G.,
to the citizens of Adelaide. March 17,
1910, He said that was a part of the programme
he would rather have been out of,
but he was exceedingly pleased to make the
gift to his fellow citizens. It was Senator
Vardon who had undoubtedly prevailed upon
him to do so. Sir Edwin described
how Elder Park, originally a hollow and is
rightly piece of ground, used for dumping
earth, was obtained in 1880 by the City
Corporation from the Crown, when he was
mayor, in exchange for another piece of
land (about four acres) adjoining the railway
line and the cattle market, which was
of no use to the citizens. Sir Thomas
Elder, before leaving for England, took a
deep interest in the work of forming the
Torrens Lake. Sir Edwin afterwards
wrote to him, telling him, of the way in
which the City Council were beautifying
that part of Adelaide, and suggesting that
some of the people in England, who had
profited by the prosperity of South Australia,
should do something for the benefit
of its public. As a result of that representation.
Sir Thomas forwarded £100,
which was spent on the Rotunda. There
were between 14,000 and 15,000 cubic yards
of earth tipped into the hollow which existed
where Elder Park now stood. The
foundations of the Rotunda stood on the
original ground, some 15 or 16 ft. below the
floor of the structure. The ground where
the kiosk stood had also been built up,
but special care had been used in putting
in safe foundations. He was glad to know
that the rental from the kiosk would be
about sufficient to pay the cost of labor in
keeping the park in good order. He
handed the building over to the citizens,
with the sincere hope that it would afford
the present and succeeding generations
many pleasant hours of rest and recreation.
(Cheers.)
At the call of the mayor hearty cheers
were given for Sir Edwin and Lady Smith,
and at the instance of Sir Edwin cheers
were given for the Mayor and Mayoress.
The visitors concluded an enjoyable
gathering by partaking of refreshments at
daintily set tables.
A crowd of several thousands gathered
round the bandstand in the evening to
listen to programme of music supplied by
Allison's Viceregal Band. The concert
was given under arrangement with the
Adelaide City Council.
$