BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 33, 9 February 1922, Page 6

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

If it is true, as was some time ago announced, that the Railways Department, the Wellington Harbotr Board, and the Wellington City Council are all satisfied with the tripartite agreement now included in the Thorndon Reclamation Bill, the passage of the Bill into law should present no difficulties ; though why a Bill, merely registering an agreement, should be kept back till the last hours of the session is a mystery. The negotiations that'have dragged on could easily have been concluded

last year, whereupon Parliament could have performed its part of the contract at leisure. However, if congestion or contrariness does not impede the passage of the Bill, it will be well to say " better late than never," and to rejoice at the prospect that, subject to the veto of the Minister of Railways, work on the sea-wall, and later on the reclamation, will soon be initiated. The two main parties to the agreement are the Department and the Board, which will divide the reclaimed land. The cost of the permanent sea-wall will be divided between them in the same proportion as the land is divided between them; and the cost of reclaiming (filling iv, etc:) will be divided between them in, the same proportion as the filling-in material is divided between their respective land holdings. The City Council gives Thorndon Esplanade and receives compensation on, a basis to be settled later. The compensation is to bo devoted to providing facilities for recreation. The Bill thus avoids both trie actual assessment of compensation, and the earmarking thereof for expenditure in any particular locality. '