THE TOWN BELT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 322, 8 October 1908, Page 9

THE TOWN BELT.

CITY COUNCIL'S LEASING SCHEME. DRASTIC AMENDMENTS PROPOSED. Tlio Wellington (City) Town Belt Reserves Leasing Bill has been before the Local Bills Committee and the Lands Committee of the House of Representatives, and those bodies have agreed on drastic amendments which they recommend the House to adopt. The amendments amount to nothing less than striking out everything after the " short titlo," and substituting tlio following now provisions:— (1.) The Wellington Town Belt as described in the schedule hereto is hereby vested in the Mayor, councillors, and citizens of tlio City of Wellington in trust as a recreation reserve within the meaning of the Public Roservos and Domains Act, 1908. ■ (2.) Nothing herein shall effect any existing lease of any part of the said Town Belt. (3.) Tko City Council may from time to time lay out and construct such roads and streets over the said land as it thinks fit for the pui pose of connecting tlio streets of the city with any country roads. [4.) The Wellington City Reserves Act, 1871, is hereby repealed. It appears, on reference to the Public Reserves and Domains Bill (which consolidates the legislation under which most of the domains held in trust by local bodies are administered), that, if the Bill passes in its new form, the powers which the City Council desires to have in the matter of leasing portions of the Town Belt to sports associations will bo very greatly curtailed. Leases may be granted for no longer a term than three years, _ instead of 21 years, as proposed in the original Bill. Admission may he charged for on only ten days in the. year, instead of 120. The leases under thci Public Reserves and Domains Act are to be for the purpose of grassing, planting, or otiienviso improving the land leased, aiid the trustees (i.e., the City Council) may grant the exclusive uso of all or part of tho land to a person or association for any one or more of the ten days when admission may bo charged for, but not for more than three days in succession. An association may bo* authorised to orcct a stand. Tho trustees may prescribe tlio games that are allowed to bo played on tho land, and may regulato its use for such games. Mr. Fisher, who has charge of the Bill, has given notice of amendments which amount practically to restoring the Bill to its oriirinal form. As it is among tho local Bills which aro to bo dealt with by tho House this morning, some decision will doubtless be arrived at within the next few hours.