EVANS BAY SCHEME.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 133, 28 February 1908, Page 7

EVANS BAY SCHEME.

LANDS REQUIRED FOR SPOIL. PURCHASE SANCTIONED BY THE CITY! COUNCIL. '. THE QUESTION OF RATING. ' The preliminary negotiations connected with the Evans Bay reclamation scheme wore advanced a stage at last night's meeting of the Wellington City Council. ' LETTER FROM THE HARBOUR BOARD, Tho following letter from the . actingsecretary of the Wellington Harbour Board (Mr. H, E. Nicholls) was read:—' • : Under Section 51 of ' the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal and Public Empowering Act, 1007, liio Wellington Harbour. Board was, for tho purposes therein set out, authorised .to ; acquire certain land for the purpose:of providing spoil for reclamation. ... - Sinco the Act was. .passed . the Board lias approached several owners of the. land in question with-a view,-to ascertaining upon' what terms' it could purchase certain /of' the sections. As a result, of such negotiations,- the-Board has, . up to the present, ascertained that seven owners arc prepared" to sell at a price which the Board deems fair, proi vided'a' settlement is cCFccted forthwith. In ono instanco. (in which ho tentative : arrangement has been arrived at) the' house erected upon the section has lately been destroyed by fire, .ana. tue owner , has intimated his intention of inimedi'(ately.'rebuilding.ono, if not two/houses, ' • upon the section. It would clearly be a,great advantage to the Board.that itshould have power to deal with this : . owner immediately■ as the land upon •' which it. is proposed to build will only .be • required for spoil for , reclamation operations.' Another reason to'urging'immediate consideration of. this question arise.s from tho fact that certain other land adja-: cent to Seatoun, Road. belongs to Mr. .Crawford, Riid ho has prepared' a sale plan; and advertised a sale to takei place ' on March 17. It is unnecessary for me to point out to you the disadvantage to tho Board if it is unable, tc purchase at the sale or immediately< take steps to acquire the land uuder tho Public Works . Acts. . - , ; . , I trust that I. have given you sufficient . roasons why : this should require : immediate attention.. Under the Act it is necessary for the - Board to obtain your sanction beforo it can enter' into an agreement'" for a - voluntary purchase, or beforo it can exercise tho powers conferred by the -Public Works Acts. I shall therefore • bo obliged if you will givo the required: sanction. \'V

VIEWS 'OF COUNCILLORS. : . Councillor Llike, who occupied the chair in the absence of tho /Mayor, moved; that the' application bo 'granted.--'. " - - Councillor Fletcher seconded tho motion. , Councillor. Carmichael urged that the question ought to be submitted to tho ratepayers'.., Tho Chairman said that tho matter had arisen out of a joint agreement between the Council and the Harbour Board. Certain/ streets that were, or would bo, under the jurisdiction of the Council were affected, and thoroforo it had been provided that tho con-, .sent of tho Council must bo obtained, j Councillor; Shirtcliffe said that, whether the/ reclamation wero to bo done soon or later on, ithvas yery dcsirablei that tho sections should' bo acquired.'There could bo : no loss'-as to tho valuo of ; tho3o sections; TWO FINANCIAL- QUESTIONS; Councillor M'Laren said that ho objected to certain features of tho reclamation scheme, ; and Was not satisfied with thofway in which tho Council had dealt with the whole matter, : but ho did not wish to block thd purchase of : tho sections now in question. Tho real position of the Council was that of ail approving, authority withoukfull responsibility; aiid, ho thought :it should, r.ot' liavo approved ''of , exempting tho proposed reclaimed lands while unleased from municipal rates. Tim scheme meant'tho expenditure of) large sums without jcoiisiilting the (ratepayers, .who , might: be ultimately burdoned with liabilities. < He thought their opinion should have been taken. ■ ;Tho scheme involved, inc'reasings the values of private property, and ho regrettod that the; advico of the experts to apply, tho betterment l principle was not to bo followed. 1 *' He still j hoped, however, that these two points—that I of tho rating-of tho reclaimed lands and the; betterment of adjacent lands—would be favourably considered by the Harbour Board.: ;

RATES ON THE RECLAMATION. ■') Councillor Biss said tho Council's delegates had not given way on tho rating question,, and the Harbour Board -still had to settle it.' The Board; had taken all the financial responsibility, and the Council could not'ask tho : ratepayers to. votq on' a„ schomo which did not affect'thorn financially. , _ , _ . ' Councillor, M'Laren said 'ho had just had placed in his hands ii : Harbour.Board report which 1 indicated' that tlio question of rating was still to.bo settled. ' Tho Chairman said that tho question .wouldy come beforpHlic Council in duo time. , Councillor . Ballinger urged , that tho whole of the laijds should pay rates even before they were leased.. . ■ --' - \ . i Councillor; Fisher hoped tho, decision would not prejudice/tho Council in regard to. the. question of ' rating, the' reclamation land. ' Councillor Luke said' ho could give Coun- • cillor Fisher an assurance to. that .effect. -, APPLICATION GRANTED. : 1 Councillor Biss spid the. position was that tho Board in'reclaiming the land would take tho rislc.'of having 'to'pay rates oil evory foot that • it : n*laimcd; but' tho-. Board - might' ask tho ■ Council to mako a concession.'y,,- ; The' 'Chairman, after,j again assuring ..the .' Council that tho question of rating.',would . not bo affected by tho motion • botoro tho mooting, stated that tho Mayor was in full, accord with tho preseiit proposal, and: would come down to tho meeting, if required; to' explain it further. ' ' ,V • * V'y'v:'• ■ Councillor .'.'Shirteliffo said tlio . City J waa taking-iio'risks in. regard to tho rates on the reclamation. •, • _ : ■ •, . v The resolution was carried on the voicos.