THE ORAKEI BASIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19485, 15 November 1926, Page 16

THE ORAKEI BASIN.

CONTROL OF THE AREA. . HARBOUR BOARD'S ATTITUDE. A REPLY TO THE CHAIRMAN. A defence of his criticism of the Auckland Harbour Boar<3 regarding its n attitude toward the city was made last a evening by Mr. L. A. Eady, in reply to I, Mr. H. R. Mackenzie, chairman of the i- board. The criticism complained of by a Mr. Mackenzie was made at the rneet- [, ing of the City Council on Thursday even- ,, ing, when the board's offer oi a 50-year if lease of the Orakei basin to enable the s council to provide bathiug and camping i- facilities was under consideration. The view was held by some members of the f council that the board should grant the council the fee simple of the basin, and s Mr. Eady claimed that the board showed if a lack of public spiritedness in its attitude to the city. B "In replying to my well-meant, but, 3 perhaps, rather outspoken criticism," said e Mr. Eady, "the chairman of the board . somewhat misses my point in regard to t the basin. While fully realising how attractive this section of the waterfront 3 could be made for aquatic and other sports, I felt that the very fact of the board making the proposition to the council suggested an unwillngness on the part of the board to undertake a responsibility which, in common with many citizens, I think should rest with the Har- ' bour Board. The board is deserving of unstinted praise for its fine administrative and constructive policy in regard to its port and shipping jurisdiction. The point 3 of my criticism, however, is that so far 3 as evidence of a sense of responsibility to ' Auckland City is concerned the opinion 3 does exist that the board's failing has L j been in acts of omission rather than com- [ • • mission. ' " Surely, when one considers that the present-day affluence of the board is due , in an appreciable measure to the develop--1 ment of the city, the board, as an important public body, has some responsi--1 bility in the matter of providing an enclosed boating area such as that 1 suggested at Orakei. Mr. Mackenzie claims ; that as trustees of the property for the whole of the province the board has no right to give away the fee simple of the basin. I suggest that as a trustee body , it should certainly not give it away, but should itself provide such amenities as i this, thus showing the people that as a port authority it recognises that its responsibilities are not merely of a utilitarian nature. " As Mr. Mackenzie knows, the board has been criticised in the past for its neglect of the aesthetic in its development of the waterfront. I for one realise the it has had to surmount, but I believe more thought could have been given to what I would term the town plannim aspect of its operations—the necessity for combining the utilitarian with the aesthetic along the waterfront, for instance. However, there are still great opportunities for the board to plan along these line in the eastern reclamation and I feel sure that, with the enviable record it possesses for its administrative work, a more generous and sympathetic consideration toward the aspects I have indicated will win the appreciative rega-d of the citizens."