MENTAL HOSPITAL RESERVE BILL

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 321, 7 October 1908, Page 8

MENTAL HOSPITAL RESERVE BILL

LETTER FROM THE MAYOR. THE\ POSITION EXPLAINED. The following letter Las been sent to the Hon. G. Fowlds, Minister for Education, by tho Hon. T. W. Hislop, Mayor of Wellington.: —"Sir, —Referring to tlie Mental Hospital Reserves Bill, now before Parliament, under your charge, permit me to point out that it proposes to givo the Government power to out up and lease for revenue purposes certain land which originally formed a portion ,of tho Town Belt, and which was taken by the Crown from the city for a hospital reserve. As Town Belt, the land could not bo cut up and leased by the city in the manner now proposed. It is therefore considered that if the area is not now required for tho public purpose for which it was originally taken, it snould be returned to the city. I shall therefore be glad if you will bo good enough to give this phase of the matter your careful consideration." In a brief interview regarding the history of the site upon which tho Mental Hospital stands, Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, M.P., said that the land was first vested in the citizens of Wellington by the English, Government in 1861. _ It was subsequently vested in tho Superintendent of the Province of Wellington in 1871. In 1872, by a special Act, tho Superintendent alienated certain portions of the reserve for specific purposes, amongst the portions being tho section on which stands the Mount View Asylum. It was now contended that having fulfilled its purpose, and being of no further use to the Government for the purposes for which it was practically lent, it should revert to, and become an asset of, the City of Wellington. The Government was now proposing to take power to lease and allow houses to bo built on the reserve. , When asked if they were not risking the possibility of losing a site for tho infectious diseases hospital by opposing the . Bill, Messrs. Aitken and Fisher (Wellington members) both replied that they were forced to do this to prevent the loss of a .valuable reserve. ' ■ The Minister for Education, when asked if reporting progress on the Bill meant its abandonment, replied in the negative. Progress had been reported to prevent a possible lengthy discussion on that Bill, holding up the work of tho evening. The Bill, however, would have to take its chance, though it was desired to give every facility to enable the exchange of land to come about to the end that tho fever hospital might be established.