THE PARKS OF SYDNEY. 33 



cipal park of the principal city of the world was not safely- 

 lighted up till 1899, and then only the path from the Marble 

 Arch to the Statue of Achilles. A leading London news- 

 paper asked for still more light, stating that it would be 

 the means " of relegating crime and vice to those obscure 

 portions of the park remote from the frequented footways." 

 In 1901, during the summer months, portions of the Outer 

 Domain and Hyde Park, Sydney, were lighted by electricity, 

 but the work was discontinued for financial reasons. Never- 

 theless the experiment was a useful one, and I now advo- 

 cate the extension of gas-lighting. Incandescent burners 

 give a brilliant light, and the average gas lamp is of a con- 

 venient height above the ground, giving the light where it 

 is most needed. The gas is entirely under control, and 

 noisy, dirty engines, hideous buildings and overhead wires 

 which appear to be necessary where electricity is gener- 

 ated are entirely done away with, matters of supreme 

 importance in a public park. 



The lighting of Hyde Park, London, made one of the 

 minor poets break into song less than three years ago : — 



" For well I know what danger lurks 



In all such mad progressive movements, 

 Electric lighting once obtained, 



London will call for more improvements. 

 And I shall live — ah, cruel fate ! — 



To see Hyde Park, spite my endeavour, 

 Become a people's Paradise, 



Bright, light, and beautiful for ever/' — (London Truth, 1899). 



2. Sanitary matters. The provision of water-closets 

 and urinals in public parks is a matter of absolute necessity 

 unless these conveniences are well provided outside in the 

 vicinity of a small park. In large parks they are necessary, 

 no matter what may be the arrangements outside the park- 

 area. In the Botanic Gardens there is special accommoda- 

 tion for women and children ; such has not been provided 

 in our parks, so far as I am aware. All our most im- 



C— June 4, 1902. 



