NINE ACRES.

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 1288, 14 September 1910, Page 4

NINE ACRES.

PURCHASED BY THE A. AND P

ASSOCIATION

YESTERDAY'S MEETING

A special meeting of the Feilding A. and P. Association was held yesterday afternoon to consider the question of the purchase of a piece of land, nine acres, more or less, at the back of the racecourse.

Mr A. Campbell, President, explained the matter, stating the Association had the option of the land at £100 an acre. He had got a private valuation of the land, which placed the land at £75 an acre. The pieceof land had only 3J chains frontage , , and though he knew the Association needed more land, he did not t<±el like advising the Association to purchase it.

Mr C. Carr spoke in favour of making the purchase, but thought they should try to get a right-of-way to Kawa Kawa road. He suggested that a deputation wait on Mr Meehan and ask for the right-of-way. Mr J. Wilson said two deputations had already waited on Mr Meehan, and found they had no hope of getting the right-of-way. Mr Wilson showed how necessary it was to have the extra land, and said though he was not wedded to this piece of land one way or the other, he would propose that the Association purchase it at the price asked.

Mir H. J. Booth seconded the motion., and spoke strongly in support of getting the land. It was absolutely necessary to get more land, and this was the best available.

Mr A. It. Mayo opposed the purchase on the ground that the road to the land was only half a chain wide and there was no outlet to KawaKawa road.

Mr J. W. Bramwell asked if there was any possibility of getting the right-of-way?

■Mr Hugh Burrell said Mr Meehan had absolutely refused to part with one inch of the land for the right-of-way.

Mr E. Goodbehere said the intrinsic value of the land was not £100 an acre, but • the question was whether the land was worth more to the Association than to anyone else. ll' it were, then they should buy it. If not, then leave it albne.,t It would cost the Association £50 a year. Was it worth that to the Association?

Mr Burrell said ho was averse to giving the Association's money away at the rate of £25 an acre. He felt that he could not vote for the motion.

Mr Goodbehere thought the L\spo.piation might purchase two acres of the land, and then have sufficient for extending the sheep yards. Mr P. F. Haggitt was against giving fancy prices for any land they purchased lor the Association, as its trustees. Hβ did not think the land was worth a penny more than £75 an acre. The Association might be able to iiei a piece of land not quite so ■convenient at a cheaper rate. Mr Carr asked would the land be of any benefit to the Jockey Club? Mr Goodbehere said it would never be any igood to the Jockey Club. In further discussion, Mr Wilson said he quite admitted the- price was high, ibut it would pay the Association to procure it. Mr W, J. Phillips said the question was whether the land was worth £100 an acre to the Association. He thought it was. Mr Atkinson proposed a.s an amendment that the matter be- held over for six months, ami that Mr Meehan be askod to keep the offer open for that period. The amendment was not seconded. Mr Mayo proposed an amendment that the purchase be made providing the Association get a right-of-way to Kawa Kawa road. This amendment also lapsed for want of a seconder. The motion was then put—That the piece of land be purchased, 9 acres at £100 per acre, £250 down, balance in five years at ol per cent. The motion was carried by 15 votes to (5. Messrs Campbell, Lethbridge, Burrcll, Mayo, and Haggitt were the dissentients.