Mt Cavendish

Press, 20 May 1987, Page 20

Mt Cavendish

Sir,—As I understand it, Mount Cavendish, originally named Hill Morten, is held in trust as a scenic reserve, according to legislation, after having been gifted to the nation in perpetuity by the Morten family in memory of their father. This being so, surely the land belongs to the people of New Zealand? It is necessary, therefore, that questions which relate to the future use of Mount Cavendish Reserve be publicly answered. Why have local bodies given prolonged consideration to an application from commercial developers for consent to build a restaurant and gondola structure on this land bequeathed to the nation as a scenic reserve? Have the Morten family descendants been asked for their comment on the proposal to use the land for commercial enterprise when it was to be preserved as scenic? Are not such bequests sacrosanct? I ask for answers. — Yours, etc., AUDREY M. PARKER. May 7, 1987.

[The Town Clerk, Mr J. H. Gray, replies: “The Morten brothers gifted Mount Cavendish to the Crown for the purposes of a scenic reserve. Their descendants would, no doubt, feel that any proposal for the use of the land must be consistent with such a definition and the procedures explained here will ensure that this is the case. Although ownership remains with the Crown,' -the Christchurch City Council has been appointed to control and manage the reserve because of its scenic classification under the Reserves Act, 1977. The gondola project involves developments in various locations, which require a number of statutory consents involving. private land and Mount Cavendish Scenic Reserve. The City Council’s involvement is in the preparation of a management plan for the reserve and the consideration of an application for consent under Section 124 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1977, for any work including construction on the reserve. The final form of the plan and the Section 124 application by the promoters is currently being considered by the council. As Crown land, the Department of Conservation is the authority which must consider any application to lease part of the scenic reserve.”]