THE LOST RESERVE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 93, 13 January 1908, Page 8

THE LOST RESERVE.

. MUNICIPAL MARKETS-MAYOR'S. OPINION. , Oil his return from the south on Saturday the Mayor (Hon. T; W. Hislop) was asked by a Dominion reporter ,if he wished to make any comment on the statements of Mr. William Tonks touching the old market reserve where the Royal Oak' now stands. Mr. Tonks had said, as reported in the last issue of this paper, that the land in question was given to the citizens of Wellington as long ago as 1864, for a market place, or for other purposes of publip utility, and ho blamed the City Council for granting Mr. Gilmer a perpetual lease of the site. "All that the 1 present' Council has done in the matter," said iiis Worship, "was to put 0110 or two leases, which Mr. Gilmer held, on the same footing' as, the old leases adjoining. Whatever was (lone in the way of granting Glasgow leases pf the old market site was virtually done loii? ago. Mr. Gilmer, oil taking over .certain leases from Messrs. Luke and Sons, Limited, for the purpose of extending his hotel building, applied to us to put one or two sections on the same basis as those lie • already held at the same place. We thought it a reasonable and advantageous thing to do. That action did not aftect the question of a market site, because the bulk, of the land had been parted■■ with many years before on the Glasgow lease system." Invited to express his opinion on the general question of a municipal market for Wellington, the Mayor said that the great difficulty was to find a site. Besides, lie was afraid that the habits of .the- people were not favourable to such a scheme. They seemed to want the goods. brought to their doors. However, the Council'ought'to try what could bo (lone in' the matter, if only somebody conld suggest, a site that would not cost too much.