RE THE MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 262, 9 May 1895, Page 2

RE THE MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS.

TO Till-: KDITOK OF Till" STAIi. Sii:. —I have read Mr Sandilands' letter on the subject in yesterday's issue (7th), and am sorry to sec that he dedeseeuds to personalities, which, we all know, is a sign of weakness, while he does not in any way reply to my straightforward argument. 1 must leave Mr McLean to defend hiinseif, which 1 have no doubt he is quite able to do, but with respect to myself, i would only remark that, although, as Mr Sandilands says, " Von all know Mr (iiesen ' (which I am very glad of), he is quite wrong when he says that I speak by myself, because Ido not. Whatever 1 say i can prove, if necessary, and that is more than Mr Sandilauds can do. I have no recollection whatever of saying (as stated) that the roads had been dedicated to the public because 1 knew they had not, and 1 certainly never said " that it was owing to an oversight as the part of the officers of the Corporation that they had been so <lc<Hr«t<<l," as alleged. "What I did say was that by an oversight the road had been made through the reserve, which i» quite a different thing. It will be a very difficult matter for Mr Sandilands, or anybody else, to prove that the road or Square has ever been dedicated to the public, although he says ho can prove it, as ] hold documents to show just the contrary. My contention is not that we want to block up (he road, as alleged, or tlivirt ifc, but simply to reduce its width from two chains to one chain and a-half. It is rather suggestive to see that Mr Saudilands says ''In fact, Mr Gicseu even went .so far as to suggest that the Couucil should apply to the Corporation to transfer the Square to them. Had the Couucil acceded to this what would have been the position with regard to the Denbigh Square "?" "What simpler answer could have been made to this than that the Square had already been dedicated to the public if it were so. Denbigh Square is iv the same position as Manchester Square. As I said before, it is not a question of diverting the road, but, supposing the Borough Couucil is the owner of a portion of the Square as pointed out, there is, I take it, no more objection to their building on that land than any other land belonging to them. I may, perhaps, be allowed to make a suggestion, viz., that if the Borough Council will pledge itself that in the event of the loan being secured they will then take the opinion of the ratepayers with regard to the site, I think the loan will be voted for, but if the Council persist in wishing to place the Buildings on the Stafford strect-Kiin-bolton road site I am afraid the loan proposal will fall through. 1 may add that both General Feildiug and our Colonial Directors are of opinion that the Square i.s the right place to put the Buildings on, aud that is the sole reason why they are willing to improve that site. The following is an extract from the report of the interview of the deputation to General Feildiug, consisting of Messrs Carthew, Sandilands, and E. Goodhchere, as it appeared in the Star of 20th Noycmbcr last: — "General Feilding said that if Municipal Buildings were erected in Manchester Square and Courthouse in Denbigh Square it would improve the value of the property around the Squares, and be an cuoruious improvement. " General Feilding thought the Municipal Buildings should be built apart from other buildings so as to reduce the danger from fire. The Corporation did not withdraw the offer already made of a site, but they would pay the necessary cost of removing road and fencing if the Couucil Chambers were erected in Man-' Chester Square. He was in favor of advancing the mono}' required for erectiug the Municipal Buildings and giving them time to pay it oil at a rate of interest as low as they would lend to anyone. " The Mayor pointed out that they could not raise a loau without taking a poll of ratepayers. There was a scheme to repay the loan by way of rent, but one way was legal and the other was not. "General Feilding, in reply to the Mayor, said thab, in the event of the Couucil adopting his suggestion aud endeavoring to build in Manchester Square not being approved of by the ratepayers the offer of a site would still hold good. His wish was to do the best they could for the advancement of the district generally. " The General assured them if they (the Council) would take the necessary steps the Corporation would assist thorn." I am, etc., E. Giksen, Manager, 1 Colonists' Laud a.u<:l Loau Corporation,