EVANS BAY

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 264, 3 August 1929, Page 9

EVANS BAY

HARBOUR BOARD’S RIGHTS CITY COUNCIL SETS UP COMMITTEE It has been pointed out that a certain area of Evans Bay which has been vested in the Wellington Harbour Board does not give the board authority to reclaim such area. This refers to the areas set out in the sixth and seventh schedules of the Wellington Harbour Board Reclamation and Empowering Act, 1008. Clause 9 of that Act says: “All lands acquired by the board under this Act and the lands described in the sixth and seventh schedules hereto shall vest in the board for the purposes for which the board is constituted subject to the provisions of the Act.” Although the Act provides for the board “to acquire ■ certain lands, reclaim lands from the sea, execute works and borrow moneys,” it is not interpreted that the lands so vested may be reclaimed, though for what purpose other than reclamation the board would desire such lands to be vested in it is difficult to conceive. It has been indicated that should the board some time in the future desire to reclaim the bay areas set out in schedules 6 and 7, fresh legislation would have to be acquired. The Act gives the board authority to borrow up to £1,000,000 for the purposes set out in the ninth schedule, “provided that no money shall be borrowed under the authority of this Act which shall produce to the lender a higher rate of interest than £5 per centum per annum, and that the board shall on borrowing such moneys provide a sinking fund of not less than one pound per centum per annum.” Another interesting feature of the Aet is clause 6, which reads: “No lands reclaimed from the sea shall be liable to pay any rates whatever to any municipal authority so long as they remain the property of the board and are not let or leased.” Such is the renewed interest of citizens in what might happen in Evans Bay that the City Council—which has not given any great time to the subject in public—has set up a committee with the object of coming to some understanding with the Harbour Board as to foreshore rights as they are likely ' to affect bathers in the near or distant future. The committee consists of the Mayor (Mr. G. A. Troup), Councillors R. A. Wright, T. Forsyth, R. Semple, and M. F. Luckie. RECLAMATION OPPOSED There was a good attendance at a meeting of the Evans Bay Foreshore Protection League, held in the Kilbirnie Hall on Thursday, in order to protest against the carrying-out of the Harbour Board’s proposed plan of reclamation at Evans Bay. In his introductory remarks. Mr. A. E. Batt (chairman) stated that the Harbour Board bad had endowments in mind at the time of the securing of an area of 400 acres, and the Bay had then not been residential in character. He did not think either the City Council or the Harbour Board was to blame in the matter. It was the duty of those present to cooperate with both these bodies. He hoped that the present state of affairs would be altered by agreement and legislation to the exclusion of the foreshore lying between Shag Point and Patent Slip. It lay within the power of the board to put back the whole of the existing coastline, but industrial should be segregated from residential areas. Industry was to be encouraged, but not when it entailed the taking away of healthy recreation. Legislation was desired to prevent the acquisition of the foreshore by the Harbour Board, and at the same time additional bathing facilities should be provided by the City Council. In moving a resolution of strong protest against the carrying-out in its entirety of the Harbour Board’s proposed plan of reclamation at Evans Bay, Mr. R. Semple, M.P., endorsed the remarks of the chairman. He did not think the city should be robbed of one of its greatest bathing places. Expansion of the harbour was necessary, but the people s rights should be protected, and development could take place, without industrial growth cramping bathing areas. Mr. P. Coira, on behalf of the New Zealand Swimming Association, seconded the motion, stressing the need for swimming facilities. Mr. John Hutcheson (an ex-chairman of the Harbour Board) pointed out to the meeting that the board was not elected by the citizens of Wellington, only four out of fourteen of its members being so constituted. He read n further resolution to the effect that the meeting should call on the Mayor and councillors immediately to begin a strenuous and sustained effort to secure the .setting aside of a certain adequate portion of beach, foreshore and adjacent waters, more particularly that portion lying between the lower end of Wellington Road and the Patent Slip, to be a place of public recreation for the citizens of Wellington for all time.

Mr. R. W. Shallcrass seconded the motion on behalf of the Sports Protection League. Mr. A. G. Jorgenson pointed out the possibilities of Petone East for Harbour Board purposes, but was informed by the chainnati that southerlies rendered it impracticable. Both motions were carried unanimously. A further resolution —“That this meeting instruct the committee already appointed to immediately wait upon the City Council to place before it the resolution passed by this meeting and to take any further action it deems necessary,” was also carried, Messrs. T. M. Donovan, E. O. Thornton, A. G. Jorgenson and A. C. Blake being added to the committee.