THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL VERSUS THE GOVERNMENT.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3802, 21 September 1883, Page 2

THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL VERSUS THE GOVERNMENT.

[To the editor of the Daily Telegraph.] Sir,—With your kind permission I will say a few words "in reference to your strictures on my letter of the 19th instant. You say you have caught me tripping, but I fail to see where. Let us go over the throe encroachments in question. With regard to the Post Office you admit that the Government has given up part of their land to increase tho width of Shakcspearo road ; that the Superintendent had authorized the erection of the building on part of Brown-ing-street, and you admit, further, that it would have been dangerous to erect the building on tho original site, but you point out that this exchange has never been legalized by an Act of Provincial Council. You are quite correct there, but I have not said that the Provincial Council had passed an Act to that effect, as I was fully aware that this had not been done. All I Btated Avas that the exchange had been made with tho consent of the Superintendent; that it was made at the request and in tho interest of thcpcople of Napier, ancl that tho Govern- - ment, in agreeing to it, has been put to pecuniary loss and inconvenience. Would any member of our Council now advocate the upsetting of this arrangement and the removal of thoTPost Offico from Browning-street to the site originally pegged out ? Concerning the Court House encroachmentyoti say that tho quid pro quo mentioned by mo—that is, tho gift of the original Court House reserve —could not have been witb-held, as all reserves within the borough naturally became the property of the Corporation. Not all reserves, if yon please, as those dedicated for specific purposes, as gaol, police ntal.ion, ho.pitul, lighthouse, etc., You will admit Uinl; the Court House ro-i-.crvc did h'-.lniti/ 1.1 t.hm el/inn, but as it was not n-,'juin-/l owbip/ </< th« ((light encroach* itifiiA on lAwhtn IWlb- it w?i-«< banded over •/; ih!:m>ttiu:\td\hy, 7M« J .*j.*_Jl a. liberal \ '/>/..,>/. pft >/w, j&fcr/ftj'/, V; ftfct; ht~x i'.n- ---[ .'.-,*'/v.;'.m!.".v:\v°.. Sfes-t ivyMw Un'if you , .-.*_■ ■'■■'■ ;l'f:«''*'.V : ( -.jU6t fife »'s*«i<k" ii .■.•.•■'■.* .i:I_V,VV„Y;v.V,.<:iV.VVV 'h? ih*i ■-! *.-Vi h : .n-ii^iWUvi;^:< ? > ( ;.vM j ;.W-..Viv ov.'.vJjW-iM* ■■/:,.. ! 'j?\vi? MMXl'&t&jisitfttl rlvw :;-x.iv) J;.vr wader ih f : V'sblu: ~)VvffcA A.'.*/ c 'Ki&fll'Yr 'imwnber, 'Kir, iba* t}ax »/.'.arj.'Jal</_'! e_w'w.4iHieriileaves Murj-rw-'lTOd i_ its rMrr'Atwl part' a width of V-'/i i'-:<A—th&t hmntfi than twice the width of Ifeiings-fitTec't, and more than three times that "of Carlyie-Ktreet, in fact wider than the leading streets ofSydney or Melbourne. As Napie- is not likely to exceed 200,000 inhabitants this encroachment will only be felt by tho " unborn millions." With regard to your statement that the encroachment by the line has never been gazetted you must have overlooked the proclamation, as I have just inspected the plan and description at tho Registry of Deeds Office. I will not trespass auy longer, as I have brought beforo the public " the other side of the question," with the sole intention of causing further investigation, so as to avoid, if possible, the scandal of seeing our Council turned out of their offices by the strong arm of the law. That the Government is in earnest there can be no doubt, as anyone acquainted with the working of the Land Registry Office must admit that the work has outgrown the present offices, occupied since 1860. Tho Government must turn' out the Council, or build new offices. —I am, &c, Charles Weber. Nanier. Sentember 21. 1883.