A MODEL SUBURB.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 138, 12 June 1911, Page 2

A MODEL SUBURB.

ACQUISITION OF ORAKEI. PROPOSED SPECIAL LEGISLATION. PAYMENT IN CITY BONDS. SPECIAL COMMITTEE'S ACTION. A meeting of the special •committee set up by the City Council to inquire into the matter of the proposed purchase of the Orakei block of 040 acres, for the purposes of establishing a model suburb, was held last Saturday. The Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr) presided, and there were present, Messrs. John Court, J. M. Mennie, H. Shaw, A. M. Myers, MJ?., G. Elliott (vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce), and O. Nicholson (Mayor of Mt. Eden). A letter of apology -was received from the other members of the special committee, Mr. J. H. Gunson (Chairman of the Harbour Board), -who wrote stating that lie was unavoidably absent, but that die was fully in accord with the project. His Worship the Mayor was elected chairman, Mr. A. M Myers, vice-chair-man, and Mr. H. W. Wilson, clerk of the committee. The Mayor <fchen explained the Imsiness of the committee, which, was to inquire, at the wish of the City Council, into the advisablcness or otherwise of 'the city engaging in the purchase of the Orakei native reserve, with a view to its ultimate development as a model suburb. The first step, added. Mr. Parr, would be to inquire at what price the freehold of the land could be acquired, as upon that fact all further negotiations would depend. It was no use going into details concerning the transaction .unless it could be shown that the city was going to profit, and not lose, by the venture. He had been informed that already certain persons were endeavouring to acquire leases of this land with a view to afterwards claiming large compensation from the city if the purchase of the block was decided -upon. It might be as well, therefore, to state at once for the informaVion of these people that their application for leases would be opposed before the Native. Land Court' until such time as the city had had the opportunity of deciding what course of action it would take. Mr. A. M. Myers and other members of the committee suggested approaching the natives and ascertaining at -what price they would be prepared to sell. The Mayor pointed out that there were no less than 42 separate subdivisions of the "block, each subdivision having different owners, who were scattered all over the province. It would be most unsatisfactory, and in fact almost an interminable business if .they bad. to go to every owner. Eventually, on the motion of Mr. O. Nicholson, it was unanimously decided that the Government should first of all be approached in order to ascertain if they would consent to the removal of the present restrictions against the sale of the block, and further, if they would, favourably consider the passing of a private bill through Parliament next session, giving the city the right to acquire the property at a fair -valuation, say at the Government land tax valuation. It was also resolved that the Government he asked to favourably -consider a proposal that in the event of purchase being decided upon, the Maori owners should be paid in city debentures, to be held b*p I the Public Trustee on their behalf. The Mayor explained that the proposed bill would not commit the city to anything. It" would simply give the city an option for a year an which to consider the whole matter, and finally decide as to the payability of the venture before embarking upon it. It was further decided that the committee should wait as a deputation upon the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. jas. Carroll) while in Auckland this week, respecting the proposed acquisition of the bleak, and the proposed special legislation.