THE CORPORATION AND MESSRS. PLIMMER, REEVES & CO.'S BILL.

Evening Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 38, 4 September 1882, Page 2

THE CORPORATION AND MESSRS. PLIMMER, REEVES & CO.'S BILL.

A special meeting of the City Oounoil was held at noon to-day, to consider thj^pftent position of tha Wellington Corporation And Harbour Board Land Aot Amtndtnant Bift, k Present— Councillors Allen (in tha chair), Danks, A. W. Brown, 8. Brown, Greealeld,*" M'Kenzie, Newman, and Logan. The Town Clark (Mr. O. C. Graham) road the following memorandum from the City Solioitor in reference to the Bill :— " I have carefully considered this Aot in the form in which it was presented to the Legislative Council, and am of opinion that, upon the facts of the cue, h bearing upon the claims of Messrs. Plimmor, Reeves, and Co., and Mr. Joseph, tho Corporation and Harbour Board have nothing to fetr, the only possible claim being in respect to the right (if it existed at all) given by tho Provicoial Legislature in respect to the whaif ." Mr. Graham added, in reference to the clause, that Mr. 'J raven explained that the Bill would merely give Measre. Plimmer, Beeves and Co. the pre-emptive right to pnrehase tha sits at the same prioe that the adjoining land was sold for. binoe that, be bad reenred m memorandum from the Mayor, whioh he read. His Worship mentioned that the Government (tad attached a clause to the Bill, protecting the Government th< mselvee from all liability in tho event of Plimmer- Kaaves Mtabliahing a olaim. That was exactly the position no (the Mayor) hod been endeavouring to secure for the Corporation; but, unfortunately, when tho Bill was in oommittee in the Legislative Council on Friday lsst, to his surprise a letter from the Town Clerk, eounUnigned by the City Solioitor, was read by the Hon. Mr. Wan tell, announcing tha withdrawal «f all objections to the Bill on the part of the Corporation. Of course the opponent* of the Bill were completely disarmed, and the Bill went through oommittee. After complaining that ha was not consulted previous to the writing of such a memorandum, ti» Mayor added— " However, Mr. Tr'.vers said this monriog, in tha presence ot Councillor A. W. Brown and the Town Clark, that even under the Bill a* it stands Plimmer, Reeves will not get a shilling." The Town Clerk explained that ha wrote the letter in question at the diotation of the City Solicitor, a oompronuM having been ¦graed upon between tne latter and Mr. Bell, counsel for Messrs. Plimmer, Reeves & Co. In regard to the new clause introduced by the Government, Mr MantoU thought the Corporation should petition against it, as introducing new matter without warning to either tbe Corporation, Harbour Board, or Messrs. PUmmcr, Beevf s & Co. On tha motion of Councillor Greenfield, the Council resolved in accordance with Mr. Mantell'a sosrgestion— to send in a petition to the Legislative Oounoil atWict, The meeting then adjourned.