THE TWIGGER ESTATE.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13466, 5 July 1909, Page 8

THE TWIGGER ESTATE.

TO THE EDITOR Or "THE FB-JSS." Sir, —On Wednesday • evening the local Liberal Association are to meet and discuss the proposal of the Charitable Aid Board to sell a portion of the above estate. Already some of the local M'.H.R.'s and the editor of your contemporary have challenged the proposal, claiming that to lease the sections 'for building purposes would be mor© advisable, and would prove more profitable to the Board and to the community in general. Perhaps it "would be in order if'a few facts about the estate were placed before the public, so that a just judgment of the Board's action may be arrived at. Nearly a quarter of a .'century ago the Charitable Aid Board were benefited by the will of the late John Twigger to the extent of a large block of land next to the show ground-. Early in the history of the bequest the Board decided to let tho estate for building purposes, and went to some considerable expense in laying out in sections-and advertising same. The title offered was that known as the Glasgow lease, i.e., a lease for twenty-one years, with the extension of ten years if desired this extension being subject to a revaluation. Although such attractive terms were, offered, there was not a single application for the sections, and the Board then offered the land for twentv-on© years for grazing, for which purpose the land has been used ever since. This lengthy lease is now falling in, and the Board, desiring to benefit to its utmost, hay© decided to give the public the opportunity to purchase sections from a portion of the estate. Former experi ence has proved that the public aro not desirous of leasing for building purposes. Such is the history of this property for the last twenty-one years. Now, what has the leasing meant to the district? Addington, which has become the industrial centre so far as the productions of the land .ire concerned— witness the seed, grain and wool stores, the Central Dairy Factory, the saleyards, bacon-curing factory,' etc., etc. —has been- limited in its settlement owing to the tying up of th© above estate, and the business peop'e of the district who trade with the people, are strongly desirous of that increase of population which rightly belongs to such an important suburb as Addington. They feel that the solution of the difficulty is the settlement of this splendid building sit© with the best class of artisans and others. Difference of opinion may, and does,,exist, as to how this happy consummation may be brought about. On Wednesday evening, the speakers may criticise the action of the Board, and question their judgment. Criticism, however, is easy. It i.s to be heped they will offer the alternative scheme,. and that which will open up the land to the people. There are several pertinent question which are worth answering on that occasion if they decide in their own favour, viz.: —Where is the money to come from for cutting up, grading the roads, asphalting and channelling? Is this to come out of the rents, and how many years' rental of the sections (supposing that th© sections let) will it take to pay this primary expense? What will the price of the sections be? What conditions as to the size and value of the buildings will be imposed on the lessee? And last, and not least, where are the lessees likely to borrow money from on their leases- for building "purposes? There are quite a number of other difficulties suggested, but no doubt the wise ones will be able to explain them all without the slightest difficulty.— ! Yours, etc., ROBERT NAIRN.