THE SITE OF THE LUNATIC ASYLUM

Press, Volume II, Issue 41, 22 February 1862, Page 3

THE SITE OF THE LUNATIC ASYLUM

la it true that Fanthain's land oil the Lower Lincoln road has been bought or is to be bought as the site of the Lunatic Asylum ? The question was asked ia the last session of the Council, and almost every member present, competent to express an opinion on the subject, stated that the sum of Forty Pounds an acre for fifty acres of land was a most extravagant price to give for any land for such a purpose, and moreover, was a great deal more than the land was worth. Mr. Maude, as we understood, undertook that the purchase contemplated should not be made, but that some other site should be looked out for. Mr. Harman especially, no bad authority on such a matter, said, there would be no difficulty in getting a site suitable for the purpose for much less money than that proposed. The Government, it was understood, were to advertize for tenders for sites, and were to select the best that could be found. We now understand that, notwithstanding all that pased, Fantham's landia to be bought after all, and at an enormous price. The price given is, we believe, something about thirty-three pounds an acre. So that if the discussion in the Council did no other good, it has prevented the gross aud scandalous job of putting into Mr. Fantham's pocket exactly seven pounds an acre more than his land was worth. So far good has been done. But the Council objected to this land altogether. They thought that it was insane folly to buy high priced land at all, for an object for which low priced land would do as well, or better. Now we happen to know that two hundred acres of land were actually offered to the Government forthe purpose at the rate of £10 an acre, instead of £40, —in a much better situation, that is to say, a dryer and healthier situation, —for it must be allowed that all the Lincoln road district is low and damp—the owner of this property actually offering at the same time to spend £1,200 of the purchase money in waste lands, thus replacing wore than, half of the outlay in the chest at once. »hy thia offer was not accepted we are unable to fia y- But we want in the first instance to know, Are these facts, or not ? Has £33 an acre been given for land in a district in which no land has ever yet fetched anything like that price? Have fifty acres been bought when two hundred might have been obtained tor nearly the same amount in a situation as good, or better ?

T ow appears in its true light the folly and "iHK'ovidence of selling the site reserved by the first Government for the Asylum. Here is £2,000 spent or a purpose for which not one sixpence was required. The old site sold, we believe, for under £1,000. The Manee may therefore be put down as dead loss to the cou utiy to gratify some unintelligible crotchet.