THORNDON DEAL.

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 171, 15 April 1932, Page 10

THORNDON DEAL.

Mayor’s Statement on Negotiations A PREVIOUS OFFER? In answer to a question by Councillor J. N. Wallace as to whether a previous offer had been made to the City Council in connection with the Thorndon Esplanade elicited an interesting statement from the Mayor, Mr. T. 0. A. Hislop, at last evening’s meeting of the council. Councillor Wallace said he would like to see a report brought down of all previous offers made to the council concerning the esplanade, as he had beard that one offer included an overhead bridge, £35,000, and some 12 acres at Evans Bay. He could not say that tbe figures were correct. If such an offer was made be would like to know why it was turned down. The Mayor said that similar information had been conveyed to him a few days ago, and in the Press a letter or an Interview appeared from a prominent businessman on the same lines.

“If it is in the public interest to disclose the information, it is a pity he does not do it and give tbe seal of his own name to it,” said his Worship. “On this report I had tbe file turned up referring to this matter. It included a memorandum prepared by Mr. Norwood just before he went out of office. A special committee had been set up to negotiate with the Harbour Board and the Railways Department, but tbe memorandum was only signed by Mr. Norwood and evidently left on the file for the consideration of whoever was to succeed him. Earlier Negotiations. “It set out that there had been an interview with the representatives of the Harbour Board and the Railways Department, who had agreed to pay £35,000. At first the Railways Department had only mentioned £30,000, but it was afterward made £35,000, and In addition some ten acres of water in Evans Bay for reclamation purposes. “Those were the two definite things —the rest was not definite, the reference to a road and a bridge over the railway were not definitely mentioned. “The next thing on the file was an exhaustive opinion by the city solicitor setting out the legal position, but it does not refer to the memorandum, so the inference is that the city solicitor had no knowledge of the offer made nor had he seen the memorandum. Seeing that in, such an exhaustive opinion he did not mention these matters It is clear that he was not asked to consider that offer. These papers were just on the file—l know no more about them.” ' Not Confirmed. "It was not confirmed by subsequent negotiations’,” said Councillor H. A. Huggins. “I know because I was on the committee.” Tbe Mayor said that the filed document was merely a memorandum signed by Mr. Norwood. Councillor Wallace said he was satisfied ‘with the Mayor's statement and did not wish to see tbe file, which the Mayor said he would make available to councillors. The offer accepted by the City Council was £20,000, a new road along the Thorndon reclamation waterfront and a bridge over the railway lines at Hutt Road.