RICCARTON BUSH AS RESERVE

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24749, 14 December 1945, Page 6

RICCARTON BUSH AS RESERVE

12 ACRES OFFERED AT £16,500 ACCEPTANCE FAVOURED BY TWO LOCAL BODIES The purchase of 12 acres of the Deans estate at Riccarton, part of which is bush-covered, at a price of £16,500, or £1375 „an acre, is being considered by local bodies. The Warmairi County Coqncil and the Riccarton Borough Council are strongly of the opinion that the property should be preserved in its present state, principally because of its historic interest and value to the metropolitan area of Christchurch.

In making the offer of this part of the “Riccarton Bush, the estate has stipulated that approximately three acres of the area offered at £4500 will not be ! sold separately, but must be taken along with the rest of- the area of. approximately nine acres at a price of £12,000. A report to the Waimairi County Council last evening said that the representatives of the county and the Riccarton Borough Council had agreed to suggest to the Christchurch City Council that the three local bodies jointly purchase and maintain the property. Another suggestion was that the purchase price, to be agreed upon should 'be apportioned on a population basis, but as the Waimairi County and the Riccarton Borough were more adjacent to the area the population of these two local bodies be doubled in the apportionment, the contributions on this basis being:—Christchurch City £11,300, Waimairi County £3600. Riccarton Borough £I6OO. The suggestion is that the same basis be used for contributions for-the future maintenance of the property, payments to be made to a trust for the administration of the property.