WANGANUI HARBOUR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1777, 16 June 1913, Page 6

WANGANUI HARBOUR.

DISPUTE WITH RAILWAY DEPARTMENT.

THE MINISTER'S ATTITUDE. Interviewed'"by ft Dominion reporter on Saturday, ilio Hon. W. H. Hortiea (Minis' tor for Railways) mado tho following statement in reference to tho between his Department amd tho Wangoniui Harbour Board regarding tlip control of tho wharf ait Wanganui and tho ownerJliip of an .adjoining strip of land:'— "The dispute botweeoi the Railway Department and tho Wanganui Harbour Board Tiaaboen. going <xn for many years, and has pocupicd the attention of many successive Ministers ■ for Railways. At present tho .wharves aro worked by the Bailway Department, who ohargo so much a, ton to the board. Owing to a disputo as to the amount of- tho charge, the Wanganui Harbour Board were desirous of taking t>ver tho working of tho wharves, and approached my predecessor—Mr. MillaT— •who offered to let them do so on payment of i! 700 a year for tho shed and acoom-. modation. This tho board considered execs sivo, and desired arbitration. was not agreed to, and when I took office I was approached en the matter. Alter visiting the pkce.and.se'eing'it for myseit. I made the deputation winch waited onDie yesterday what I think was a iair tiffer—to put the following three mam questions to arbitration:—The value of the railway land rennired; tho value of the shed on that land; 'and, thirdly, what is a fair rent for tho land and shed? Tho . board apparently do not want to pay, rent for tho land on which the shed i_s built, but I-do . not think I would bo justified in my position of guardian ,of all railway lands m the Dominion m allowing, a valuable piece of .land rent free to the Harbour Board. However, lam quite willing to submit what 13 a fair rent .to 'arbitration; or, if the board dispute the Department's title to the land, -l orn prepared to allow the board to . take a cletlaratory judgment. .The strip of land ' In question was taken by i proclamation, many years ago, and was reclaimed by the Government, and, in justice to the Test •of the Dominion, rent should be charged {or"it; but lam prepared to leave the huestion of rent to arbitration, as stated >bove.- Tho Department's estimate of j-fco value of tho land is about oGIIjOQO.