DEFENCE IN DEVONPORT

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 215, 11 September 1929, Page 8

DEFENCE IN DEVONPORT

THE NON-RATEABLE LANDS. PREMIER'S PROPOSED VISIT. STATEMENT BY THE MAYOR. "Devonport will welcome the Prime Minister's announcement that he intends to visit the district to investigate the matter of the ammunition depot and the defence reserve," said Mr. E. Aldridge, Mayor of Devonport, this morning when riiscus-sing the statement -made in Parliament last night that Sir Joseph Ward intends to visit Devonport in connection with the no-rateable lands question. Six additional properties had been taken under the Public Works Act this week for defence purposes in the borough, Mr. Aldridge said. That meant a further annual loss of rates to the municipality. The problem was becoming every year more serious. Sir Joseph Ward's proposal to visit Devonport was-the result of a conference held in Wellington last month, at which the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence, the Hon. T. Wilford, Mr. A. Harris, M.P., and Mr. Aldridge were present. Regarding the munitions depot at Vauxhall, Mr. Aldridge said, that, entirely apart from the heavy loss caused to the borough through such a valuable property being exempt from rating liability, it would surely be in the Government's interest to realise on the £56,000 now invested in the land. "The interest now being taken in the matter by members of Parliament is very gratifying," concluded Mr. Aldridge, "and we sincerely hope that something practical will result to remedy this serious disability to Devonport."