SECTION FRONTAGES.

Gisborne Times, Volume LV, Issue 6202, 6 October 1921, Page 3

SECTION FRONTAGES.

WHAT ABOUT THOSE OF LESS THAN 33 FEET P AN INTERESTING DEBATE. In accordance with a request inarm by the Borough Council, the Inspector of Surveys lias compiled a list of allotments within the Borough which have a frontage of less than 33 feet to a chain road. The list shows that, there are altogether 98 such sections. At the meeting of the Borough Council last evening, the Deputy-Mayor (Mill. DeCosta) said that he considered that all applications for permission to build on these sections should be dealt with separately on their merits. Cr. Ball said that he was not sure whether the Council had authority to prevent building on these, sections. The matter should be taken up and definite information received. It. was not right; that property should be sub-divideci into these, small sections and an innocent purchaser penalised. As long as the Survey Department permitted such sub-divisions lie did not. see that the Council was right in preventing build-

ing. Cr. Bowie said the by-law was definite and he would oppose any application being granted. The by-laws were being broken right and left. They had been framed by wiser men than the present Councillors and he would strongly oppose any breach of them. Regarding this matter h< had been ■'got at” to withdraw his opposition and he was going to stand firm. Cr. Todd said he agreed that the Council should not deliberately break any by-laws but, if it was thought that a by-law was unreasonable, they should use common sense. He would oppose anything that was going to create slums, but ho did not think that an innocent man should be made to suffer because of an unreasonable by-law. He suggested that tbe by-law should be revised so that, in the case of a large section without the required frontage, permission should be granted to build. Cr. Bowie said that, if a permit was granted for a man to build on such a section, he might later ask for three or four more houses to 100 built on the same section later on. Cr. Todd: Get an agreement. Cr Bowie: The same as Adair Bros. - agreementf No use at all. On the motion of Cr. Bowie it was decided that the matter should be referred back for detailed information regarding every section.