EXEMPTED ROADS AND STREETS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 265, 1 August 1908, Page 6

EXEMPTED ROADS AND STREETS

THE. GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS. The Town Clerk (Mr. J. R. Palmer), in his annual report, states that in view, of representations that roads and streets, approved by tho local authority as suitable for the operations of tho exemption clause, did not in all cases receive the approval of the whole of the_ owners of lands abutting thereon,' tho following letter was' received from tho Department of lloads as expressing the Government's intention in all future applications:— Sir, —I am directed by tho Hon. Minister for Public Works to inform you that the Government has decided in all cases where application is made for the . exemption of roads' , and streets from . j .tho operation of Scctiou 1 117 iif tho I Public Works Act, 1905, and the exomp- [ tioii is approved on condition that tho building-line is set back, that the local authority must obtain tho consent of tho owners of all properties,affected-thereby before the exemption is formally authorised by. His Excellency the Governor-in-Council. . The consent of the owners of all property so affected will have to bo obtained'by the local authority in writing, and tho signature of the persons' so consenting must be verified by some responsible person, and tho consent must show in each case the. number of tho allotment, block, or . section to. which it relates, and such writteri 'cdnsents should then be forwarded to this offico by tho local, authority. If. ;it. bo found impossible to obtain tho consent of "all tho owners, then in such , case the consent of tho majority in.number arid value must at least be obtained. The necessity for this provision has. arisen from tho fact that experience shows that many local authorities have consented to the exemption of _ roads and streets, subject to tho building-lino being set back, , without consulting or informing the owners of property who are immediately, af-' fectcd by such a provision, and it is i feared that this will cause very great difficulties and serious claims for com-' pensation in futuro when the owners proceed to build on their lauds, or when '' ' they buildings: which may now be within the limit of tho building-line. This is more especially: noticeable in the ,• caso of corner sections where both tho converging streots. have been .exempted . from , the operation of the Act, and the ' building-lino has boon set back, for in. t j such a case tho owners cannot build close ■' up to either frontage;—(Signed) W. S. Short, (for Chiof Engineer). .