THE TOWN BELT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 303, 16 September 1908, Page 6

THE TOWN BELT.

LEASING THE CITY RESERVES. PROTEST AGAINST THE COUNCIL'S BILL. A meeting was held yesterday evening in the Trocadoro in order to form a committee to present d petition in opposition to the Wellington Town Belt Reserves Leasing Bill. About.twenty persons attended, and Mr. G. 11. Baylis was voted to the chair. In opening tho meeting Mr. Baylis briefly explained the objects for which it had been called. The Bill which the City Council was introducing to tho House would take away from the citizens the right to tho reserves which were, at present vested in them. Later on, lie said, Mr. Martin would explain to them the origin of tho Crown grant, and the manner in which it had been attempted to divest the people of their rights. He understood that the Government purposed introducing a Bill dealing with that portion of the town belt which was reserved for the purposes of a mental hospital, and, by teasing the reserve, doing away with that portion of tho grant altogether. Some ■years ago an attempt had been made by a private individual to secure a lease of part of tho belt for building purposes,, but the people had risen in a body against it, and the attempt had been defeated. Mr.- Baylis then called upon Mr. Martin to explain tho origin of the grant, and the manner in which it had been vested in tho corporation. Mr. Martin said that the town belt was originally a Crown grant vested in Isaao Featherston, superintendent of the province in IS6I, for purposes of public utility for the people of Wellington. In 1871 the control was transferred to the city corporation, to be held in trust for a recreation ground, and since that transfer portions of the reserve had been taken away from time to time for various purposes, namely, college, asylum, signalling station, and hospital., The remainder of the reserve was now held under trust for a' recreation ground. The Bill which the City Council was introducing would enable that body to lease portions of the reserve, up to 2J- acres, from which tho public would be absolutely excluded, or up to 30 acres, from which the people could be excluded on 120 days in the year. Under this provision iourfifths of the land would be leased under a tenure by which the public would bo absolutely excluded. Another important clause in the Bill provided th"at any land which should bo resumed by the corporation should come under Section 355 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1900. This section gives tho council power to charge a fee for. admittance to the ground if it thinks fit, and thus changes the nature of the reserve altogether. The arrangements which had been made, by .'the original movers in the matter of opposing the Bill were then detailed by Mr. Martin. A deputation would wait on the Local Bills Committee to speak on the matter, and a petition was also being circulated, and would be presented to tho House,'if it could bo got ready in time. Mr. AV. J. Toomath said that the position in which the city reserves were now placed .was due to the want of public-spirited men. All the other chief centres had reserves donated by men who had made their fortunes in the Dominion. He referred to tho way in which some reserves had been lost, instancing the market site at the foot ; of Cuba Street. Others were being devoted to diiforcnt purposes from what was intended. It was surprising to him that the Legislature should from time to time pass measures allowing municipalities to do as they liked with such grants. If the people looked after their own interests such things would not happen. He moved: —"That a-committee be appointed to appear before the Local Bills Committee in opposition to the Bill on the grounds stated in the petition; the committee to consist of Messrs. G. H. Baylis, W. Tonks, JVM. Ritchie,-J. Lewis, J. J. Devine, and the mover; with, power to add to their number." Mr. J.-. M. Ritchie- seconded the motion. He said it had been suggested for the improvement of the reserves, that, the various schools should have portions allotted them, and be. encouraged : to plant, and , decorate thoir portions. In regard to the Bill,, he thought that not only should it be opposed, but they should make an effort to again secure the reserves which had been lost. Mr. J. J. Devine said that the Bill was chiefly at fault bccauso of its indefinitoness. They should not allow any sectioA 'of the peoplo to monopolise any reserve.- Ho thought that if the people understood the 'position they would rise in a body and protest. Mr. W. Tonks also spoko in favour of the motion. Ho drew attention to tho fact that tho funds from the reserves had been .paid into tho general account of the council,' instead of being devoted solely to reserves. Mr. W. Ferguson thought the Bill, in its present form! was bad. He believed that there would be little opposition to it, if it did not go too far. Provision should bo made for allocating grounds to the various sports bodies, but the measure, as it stood, was fax too wide in its scope. ' i - The motion was then put and carried unani mously.