ALBANY STREET AGAIN

Evening Star, Issue 19724, 26 November 1927, Page 3

ALBANY STREET AGAIN

NO DEFINITE SUE PROMISED SITUATION UNSUITABLE FOR SCHOOL , ■ ' ■ _ i ■ \ DEPUTATION TO WAIT ON MINISTER Considerable time was devoted at last evening’s meeting of the Otago Harbor Board to the question of the Albany Street School site. It was generally agreed that a site had been, promised to the Education Board, but no particular site. Several members of the board considered that the site under discussion was not suitable for a school property, and, moreover, was too valuable for Harbor Board requirements to be given up. Finally, on the motion of Mr T. Anderson, seconded by Mr D. Larnach, it was decided that a delegation interview the Minister of Education (Mr R. A. Wright) at a view to' arranging a change of site. The delegation will comprise Messrs J. M. Dickson, W. Gow, H. E. Mollcr, J: Loudon, and Captain M'Donald. : Mr Andersqji, in putting his motion, pointed out’that, although the Harbor Board had carried the resolution by a majority that it would give some site, no definite site had been fixed./ The Exhibition and all the consequent excitement was on at that time. It was ridiculous for the Education Board to say that the Harbor Board bad been relieved of ah expenditure of £30,000, as was stated in the circular letter,sent to members. The Education Board had accepted the site offered to it, but since then the policy of the board had greatly developed in a northern direction. "it seemed ridiculous for a school to be situated there in the way of traffic and shipping.: In going to the Minister his idea was that he was opposed to giving the Education Board any site at all, for ho considered it ought to pay lor a site. The Education Board had led the Harbor Board to understand that the affair was under the control of the Minister of Education and the Director. They should ask the Minister to .view the wholc_ business, and . let him , see their point of view. They should let him see what was best for Dunedin.

Mr Larnach, who seconded the motion, said that a't the time of the first negotiations ho was not in favor of the agreement. The. Education Board was foolish to give up its opportunity of getting on to Lake Logan. Thov could have had it at their finger ends. Mr Loudon, in proposing an amendment, considered it unwise to put the question of the site before the Minister or the Director of Education at all. All their negotiations had been with the Education Hoard, and that body should know more about the dispute. If he gauged the feeling right, the members of the board had made up their minds they could not seo their way to take up that area for the school —it was hard by oil tanks, railways, etc. About 800 or 900 children would have to cross the highway several times a day. Altogether the situation would be a menace. Moreover, the site was on a blind side, and there would be no further reclamation and no more dwellings going up in that neighborhood. If the site were taken the policy of the Harbor Board would be prejudicially interfered witli. for the deep sen frontage was needed for commercial and shipping requirements. Ho put the following amendments: —“ (1) That all resolutions relating to the negotiations with the Education Board in respect of the eight acres of harbor lands adjoining block 75 mid contiguous to the old Pelichct Bay railway station site be rescinded. (2) That a copy of the foregoing he sent to the Education Board, and that it be advised that if it so desired the Harbor Board is prepared to meet that body a"d further discuss the question of a school site.” “ Members know that various sites have been offered. The whole thing is most regrettable.” continued Mr Loudon. “But while one does not like to ho n+ider the imputation of going back on an agreement, every member is agreed that no member of the board is actuated by wrong motives.” It was recognised, ho said, that the site must remain foe harbor extension. He did not think it right to put the mater before the Minister or the Director of Education. Mr Larnach: “Is it not a fact that it is in the Minister’s hands now?” The Chairman: “No ”

Mr Gow, in seconding tiie amendment, said that in the original documents at the time of the proposed exchange the Education Board had asked for five acres of land fronting the extension of Union street about halfway between Logan Point and Harbor terrace. They had never determined on the site, but there was an understanding that they would be prepared to make such an exchange. It appeared that in some correspondence the Education Board was very dubious about taking a site on the south side of the road. Eventually at was agreed that the Education Board should take eight acres in place of the proposed site on Logan Park. Later on negotiations went still further, and the Harbor Board expressed a willingness to act. A Bill went through authorising the Harbor Board to exchange five acres of freehold for the Albany Street School site, and there was also a question of three acres of lease. The matter was not defined; it was simply an authority to exchange. He pointed out that the original proposal was to have five acres at the extension of Union street for the school site, and that would have given the school a frontage on the opposite site facing the south away from the sun. Pie understood that recently the ‘Education - Board was offered a site immediately # opposite. Yet the board now declared it was unsuitable; ami if it was suitable on one side why should it not be so on the other 'i The Education Board had not really considered the matter, and members of the board were justified in their attitude. Ho could never agree to going back on a final decision, but the decision had not been final. The Harbor Board was still prepared to give five acres on the opposite side of the old site. They must negotiate further with the Education Board with a view to d settlement. They were not bound to give them that particular site,' Mr W. PI. Hayward said that when a map of Logan Park was drawn up the school site was clearly set out, and the Albany Street School Committee had decided to have no other site but that. He quite realised the position in not allowing Albany Street to have a 'site close to the oil tanks, and it was an extraordinary position that Messrs Wallace and Wilkinson had taken up. They were set on no other site than the one promised thorn. Mr Lnruacli; “ A tentative promise.” . “ It was never fixed up,” continued Mr Hayward. “Surely if a school were-built on that site it would be a disgrace to the public men of either the Harbor Board or the Education Board.” Mr'Hayward supported the amendment. Mr H. M. Driver; “I don’t agree with either the motion or the amendment. 1 understand the Harbor Board made an arrangement by—•Mr Larnach: “ Tentative.” Mr Driver: “To give the Education Board a site. If we can get out of this honoiably I have nothing to say. Tithe Education Board agrees to take another site, well and good. If not, the board should give it the site. It was probably a mistake , in the first place, but: we ought to - bury, Hu? ■hatchet. Wo ought to adhere to the former agreement. It was agreed by letter, and now the Harbor Board jrants' to - &ei out of it.”

Captain C. McDonald referred to. the clear, statement- of the position given by Mr Gow. But, instead of burying the hatcher he considered . that, the Harbor Board was justified in using it for all it was Worth. Those who bad seen the progress made.on the waterfront must, if they were intelligent men, cast an eye 1 to the future. If a rough .draft were sketched out it would show the policy that the Harbor Board intended to follow, and also the reason why the board .wanted to retain the land.. With another site the school could have salt water .baths, the water for which could be changed every tide. He had never seen sue* l an Ideal spot for a school. The speaker supported the amendment. Mr W. Wilkinson said he was very pleased to know that the members of the. Harbor Board had come to the conclusion that a mistake had . been made. It was the Harbor Board s duty to look after its interests irrespective or those of the . Education Board. When there were two contracting parties to an agreement, before the agreement was ratified, surely one of the parties could withdraw honorably. He was in favor of a conference with the Minister and Director of Education, if the Education Board still tried to ‘force them to give up the ground they should rescind the motion. Mr Sharpe said that first of all he was of the opinion that a definite site had been agreed to, but he now learned from Mr Gow that no, such agreement was made. He asked if that were a fact. . . ‘ At this point the Deputy-chairman (Mr 11. E. Moller) said he would ask the secretary to read some of the previous correspondence. He went on to say that they had had a conference with the ..Education Board, but 'they had turned the Harbor Board down and passed the matter on to the Education Department. They must not lose sight of the fact, however, that a site was offered. Personally, he would not vote to give them the site they had promised. The land was now too valuable and too important to bo parted with. In a few years to come they, would have to buy it back from the Government to carry on their works. Before they rescinded anything they should take the matter tp the Education Department and get to terms. , Mr Moller went on to say that they did not agree to a site. They wore there to look after the interests of the Harbor Board. But they should give the Education Board some site; they would not break their promise as far as that was concerned. In the first place the Government took the Harbor Board’s land, and gave them nothing for it. That was one of the mistakes that had been made. They should see if they could not appoint delegates to meet the Education Department and deal witli them as gentlemen. Ho did not like to back out when they had undoubtedly made a promise. At the time of the Exhibition the site was not of the same value as it was now. Mr Munro said that every member recognised that the negotiation was one perpetuated mistake. Ho favored the amendment. Every member present was quite decided that the .Harbor Board was not going to give the Education .Board that piece of land. _ It was for the board to say that_ night that they would not give that site for tiie school. Mr Campbell stated that ho was one of those who had made a mistake. That was years ago. Things have now changed. He considered that the Government should not put up a school on a site around winch there would bo no dwelling houses. Factories’ were still going down 'that way. Further, instead of children being brought into the town they should bo taken to some place in the country. They must try. and obviate the original mistake. The Chairman pointed out that the oil companies must go to the site in question. It was impossible to let the school have that site. Mr Anderson said that in the first place ho was inclined to agree to withdrawing his motion, but they had undoubtedly offered a site. The Education Department in Wellington held sway, and it was the responsible body. The authorities there should ho approached with a- view to their rescinding the site. They, as a board, should go to the department and then the department could not accuse tliem of backing out. As gentlemen they should give them a chance, and if they did not accept it was open to the Harbor Board to act in its own interests. The Chairman: “You must impress upon the Education Department that you are giving them a site just as good, and they can tell the Education Board.” Mr Driver: “I have an objection to rescinding the motion, but I have no objection to approaching the Minister.” Captain M'Donald: “Are we weakening our position? I don’t think we are.” The Chairman: “We have made a 99 per cent, promise.” Mr Munro; “We should deal with the local body and nobody else.” The Chairman: “The Education Department is boss.” The amendment, being supported by six members and opposed by seven, was lost. The motion was then carried unanimously. A DEPARTMENTAL CONCESSION MAY WAIVE THREE ACRES. With regard to the three acres which were to bo leased from the Harbor Board, making a total area of eight acres for the site, word was received last night from the Education Department that it is not unwilling to waive its claim to this part of the bargain, if by that means an agreement can he facilitated.