GUARANTEE OR BETTERMENT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 274, 12 August 1908, Page 7

GUARANTEE OR BETTERMENT.

EVAIjfS BAY RECLAMATION : THE MAYOR OF'MIRAMAR'INTER- '" " . Interviewed with reference to pup remarks in yesterday morning's issue .'referring to the presont position of -the 'fiegotiatio'ns being carried oh between the' Wellington- HarJjour and tho ftprainar Borough* Council, llio Mayor qf Miramar was not preparedto make (iny statement, the-mattef being very inuqh lii committeo at tho present ,nionient„ „• Ho pointed out, however, that, our remark'that " tho rnattor of reclamation had been dropped altogether" would give an erroneous impression to tho public,,;,,,'J!h.9,iSliramar Ijorjjugh, Mr'.' pniy..fl!jgo'tiat'p i with referencq to tliat part of the" scheme which' is witlini its' bquu'daries' 'q'r upon' its foreshoro. That is from, say, tn<> Miramar Wharf to a point, say 20 chains southwards. Owing to the great' depth of water _clo'se inshore, this plcco of forcshoro does not' lerid itsolf to ecqnoinipal' reclamation, except for a narrow strip. Thp . roalVtccla'niation-area aliutts on thb city's foreshore, and is "a matter for tho City Council and tho Harbour Board to arrange. " Our negotiations," Mr. Crawford stated, " if successful will start the scheme."

in answer to a. question as to whether lie could not givo somb'.information regarding tli'e whole matter, Mr! Crawfbr'd said:— "Personally, I should bb'onjy. too glad to furnislj tho Press with the lipes upon which the present negotiatibns are being carried oil, as L consider in'a matter of this sort with po many public and private interests involved tho moro publicity tlio better, but I am iiecossarily unable to give information without tho consent of tho other negotiator, thq JJarbour Board."

From wliat can be deduced by the attitude of members of tho Harbour Board, tho question would sebni to have developed into a contest between Evans Bay on the one side and liutt aiid Petono on tho other as to which shall he the now industrial suburb of Wellington, sinpo.it is assumed that the city must removp some of its industries from the cchtro to tho outskirts in'tho near future.'' Ejoinb members of the Board say: " No'bottormeiit, rip' reclamation I" -Yet it' seem,s that tlio Board has spent something like £10,000' in acquiring tho hill to tho 6outh' ; of'tho"Miramar cutting for tlio purpose of tii'mbling it info thb h'arb'our. PrcsumabljV if'tlio betterment blauso is thrown .put'. by tho Hbuso, the pchomo will bo thrown out'by the Board, and tho hill properties acquired will "be opce'moro thrown upon tlie market.