SCORCHING BAY

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 63, 8 December 1931, Page 6

SCORCHING BAY

Notice Served on Tenants CITY COUNCIL DOMAIN Pointing opt that the residents in whares at Scorching Bay were without a water supply and sanitary conveniences, Mr. G. Goodby appeared before the City Council last night on their behalf. He said that some of them had invested a life’s savings in their whares, and they resented the council’s demand for £l2 a year as compared with the £5 a year which they formerly paid the Government. In reply to a question, Mr. Goodby said that some of the sections were 20ft. by 20ft„ but they had no real right to a foot of it. Councillor W. H. Bennett said that when the sections were cut up. the buyers divided them into four and whares were planted on each part. Would the residents be prepared -to pay a fair thing for a decent-sized section? Mr. Goodby thought they would. Councillor Bennett: Would you be prepared to sell at a fair .valuation? The Mayor explained that the bay was a public domain and that they could neither buy nor lease. Councillor McKeen: Couldn’t , we get power to cut up the land and sell the sections? The Mayor said that that would mean legislation. The council would give the matters brought before it most careful consideration. This land had been handed to the .council as a domain and he did not know exactly what powers it had under the Act, but it wished to be fair and reasonable. Councillor J. Burns: There will be no eviction in the meantime? The Mayor: No. Later on Councillor Meadowcroft explained that the rent being asked was only 5/- a week. What they wanted to do was to improve and beautify the bay and they could not do so with these whares there. As it was the residents had been offered a five years’ tenancy. If they did not pay this very reasonable rent, they should get out. Six of the owners had accepted the council’s proposals. '■ The motion that the action of the reserves committee (in. serving notice on .the tenants) : be approved, was. lost by eight votes tp. seven, whereupon the Mayor moved, and it was decided, that the matter be referred back to the reserves committee for further consideration. ■ ■ : *;' > • •