WHARE -O-MARAENUI.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11125, 18 January 1899, Page 3

WHARE -O-M ARAENUI.

THE PBOPOSAL OF THE SYNDI. CATE. At the meeting of the Napier Harbor Board yesterday the Works Committee recommended as follows :— " Your committee reports that it has received the attached report from the sub-committee get up to consider the question of dealing with the "Whare-o-maraenui block, and that «. copjr of it was sent to the representatives of a syndicate with which the sub-committee has been treating. The sub-committee's report and the communication received from the representatives of the syndicate in reply thereto are herewith forwarded for the consideration of your Board." The following is the report of the subcommittee : — Your sub-coniiuittee appointed to investigate the offers of the Napier Borough Council and of a syndicate for carrying out certain works in the Wluire-o-iuariienui Block, bog to report as follows, viz ;— 1. Letters from Bprough Council, — Your subcoiuinitte cannot see their way to recommend the alienation of the block of 1-W acres fronting the Wellesley-i'oart, as in their opinion the said block forms a very important factor in dealing with Ihe Mock Jia a whole. 2. Letters from Syndicate.— Your snb-com-uiittee have had ft further communication from the syndicate, nud consider tlic terms altogether too indefinite to recommend their acceptance, but your sub-committee ore of opinion that o. scheme might he devised for the lease oiid general improvement ' of the Whare-o-niarauui block upon the following basis, viz. : — Lease for 21 years - rental, first sis years £150, nest flvo years £250, last ten years £500, subject to the following conditions : — 1, Renewal of lease for faecoiid term of 21 years subject to conditions hereafter nainet]. Mental, £ — . 2. Lessee to deposit £1000 on sighing agreement, 3, Lessee to undertake within Bis months to execute works ensuring river cuts as shown on plan, and keep same open to the satisfaction of the Board's eugmeer. 4. Lessee within 12 months to place on ground plant required, sand pump, ie,, to reclaim an area of 250 nci es adjoining Wellesleyroad. The details and value of such plant to he set forth in the agreement. Such reclamation to , include a. training wall on the outside boundary to a height of one foot above level of big ilood. 'Hie whole block to bo reclaimed to "\\fellesley-road boundary. 5. The reclamation to be completed within five years from starting work or sis years | from signing agreement. G. "Work to the value of at least £5000 to be done in each year of the live years allowed for tho work. 7. Un completion of the reclamation, block to be surveyed into suitjle sections, the agreement to provide how this filiall be arranged. Lessee to haye 1 acre 3, Boned .--acres, Borough Council 20 acres for park, providuil ibat the Borough Council enter into agreement before tbti »voj,k» t>£,ur(. tli pay cost price for reclamation. Sections for Lessoo ami Harbor Board to ho proportioned in each surveyed block or street. 8. Lessee to have the right to sell his sections on completion of the reclirnmtiou a|i<l its apportionment. 8. After expiry o( six yeni'H awj completion of reclamation of the 250 ucres lessee jyiy nnilerfake and coin, plete reclamation works for other part or parts of the block; and' the Harbor Bqard on completion o,f the lease pay for any portion lit the blnck whjch ijlialj nave been roclii\me(l s.o as to be securo froii flivid to th<* USvol i>t (be ilydd of April,lho7,a»um equal to three-fifth's of thetheu selling value of sflch block, provided that tie sum. to be paid by the 130.ii d shall not oxcaad the total sum of £ . 10. Tho lessoe. to Uuvo the right to sub-let over the block during the currency of his lease, but this shall not apply to the 250 acres to bo reclaimed iirst, which may be let up to the date of the partition, after that tho portion assigned to the lessee to ho his full property. 11. Failure diirinifiuiy year to curry out tlio works undoiitukflnshaHforfeifthe lease and any rights or clahnu Jin'dir v. ' ' THE SYNDICATE'S TERMS. Messrs Kennedy and Xusk, 'acting' for tho syftdicatej wrote : — " Ttie rent asked for 21 years is £150 for first sis yearn, .PSO iwxf live, ai|d ,<,MC| tat (en. '('bitf \« to 9 hjgh, and we think we caii nu(isfy yijn Unit It is so.' ■>V<J fcpcind somotning ljkD .E2OOU Vn ifiaitinW overflow channels, thus rendering" a' cousideml))q uren upt,le(|s for trnizjili? j (.l|e lea'sohcild i's reduced to about 140U acneq ; vy« iln \^j\, \u^^n\{u jiuVUng more than £100 pel' ainnpi) in the stifle It wRI he (or nt least seyenilyear^. 'j'hu interest on money spent In channelling (£140), with pcis"iil)lo outlay for mafnleiuiiKHs (i;loO), will lirjng the rentnl tQ £14<) pot annum -. at the un<l nf uay hovoii yoare, when t]ie natural reclamation may lju taken to ciaso, a" Kxpundltiiro of ,(JI(i,COQ liooomea neco». sary in order to reclaim anil drain the land mid lower the water level, which In the uialu woi'k w a rely <«i to sfi'act licriiiuiieiit liuiirovuiiiuiit. Tho intere-st on this outlay is ,CU2O, no that at a rental of £150, rates say £,*iO, interest on previous £2000, we should bo paying .Cl-W0 pet* annum, which will bo, we antieipato, tho full value of the block. On this estimate ho liavo not allowed nnythim,' for duprecklion of plant, which can be li!lH'( l da(. C-50 per annum, your Hoard's position, li tilt; IMlt wiih fr At tl ill 'ilSl'l, til. il irri^iliti'.l} p lt ilVi=cd, wolild lie llirit ynij \s/mld tcnc'jrt-' ou<!-tliu'/t of tin: viiliionf iiniiriiviiiiiuiils (eqiinl to ii ■■nmljil •)t JtCSWI), totiillliju' ua liillims:- Bunt LISH, lumiial jntcrost oh jiiiiu-ommiiuijl^ LoIKI, ni\tu t?5; total l;s'J,j inn- annum, 'I'h'jrc i^alsu Ibe nu\ iu^ of drfidtflng rot.sfjvon >'f'(ir« to lie <.'ons(ilored. Wi» Uißrcfiire consider the ivnLil should not exceed £150 per annum. C.'::" ao '• " ""'".'■■.ui of L«i«f!."-wo sul;™;!: that this be m;idi; mi iln: terms originally jtl'npoyeii, vi/. : Tlutt tbf rcnial of -tl-SUbo continued, iiml no tilliiv.ani-n jiiijil i',l Urn t'nd 'tf llie s(-('nn([ lerin mr iin)ii<)vuiii('iit ft . Viiiir Hiiiild vviiuld liicn receive qquiil u> l.^U'l [mv aniiuiu fur the becond term. 2, Depohlt. — Wo liiLVi- no objoction to this. :s. Cuts.— We nu'iod to this, 4. l'limt, fcc—Wi: ngrcij (o this. 5. Time.— Wo agree to llii.s. U. Progress. — We suggest that in place of 11 value ot £5000" that progress be insured by uiakiug it so nuiny acres per annum ; i( the total jb 250, say 50 ucres n year, iJ 3W, 00 oared,

7, Division of Land —We agree to the following figures 'bein? inserted : — Lessee ... . .. 200 acres Board . M acres Napier Horcuifh 20acrtH lioads . . " "0 ai-ro-i 300 acres 8. We agroe, but the apportionment need not wait until tbe whole area, is reclaimed. a. Tliis clause requires ulterntion ; ><• would cost over £100,000 to reclaim to thu livisrht snjj. Kosti-cl therein. Wu depend greatly on lowerim; the water in the rivnr channel'! to liriiij; Unhand iv «. lit stutu for agriculture, and will tie"*" lv receive from your Board 1 of the difference in value of (he leasehold at the beginning and termination of lease 10 and 11. — We agree to both. If your Board took over the property at the end of the first term the then present^ value of buildin? and fences would have to lie paid. Your Board must take into consideration the sum to be derived from rates on 200 acres of freehold reclaimed laud. Mr Brown thought that before anything was done they should have other engineering opinion on tho work. At present they did not know that tho town drainage scheme would bo interfered with. Mr Swan said he had the assurance of the syndicate that they would do everything to further the interests of the community, rather than interfere with any drainage work of the borough. Mr Carnell said he would like to know who the syndicate was. The Chairman: Mr Kennedy is their agent. The Works Committee has made no recommendation, except to report, but the committee drafted terms of their own, which they thought would meet the case, and the syndicate can accept the terms or leave them alone. Mr J. N. Williams said this was a matter of such great importance that it should be referred back to the committee. Would the syndicate undertake such works as would prevent any silt coming into the Iron Pot ? Mr Coleman said the question had been before the Board several times now. After numerous meetings a scheme had been drafted in reply to the syndicate's proposals, and counter proposals considered, and he failed to see the use of postponing the question any further. The Board should make up its mind as soon as possible what it was going to do in the matter, or it would become interminable. Mr Swan moved that the scheme generally as set forth in the report of the sub-committee be approved, and the subcommittee could then negotiate further with, tho syndicate and try and meet them on the subject of the rental and matters not now agreed upon. "That would expedite the matter and would settle it one way or another. Mr H. Williams seconded the motion. The Chairman asked Mr Swan to amend his motion to the following effect : — " That the report of the sub-committee on the Whare-o-maraenui block question be referred back to the Works Committee with instructions to consider further whether satisfactory terms can be made on tho general basis laid down ia the sub-committee's report for the lease and improvement of the Whare-o-maTaenui reserve." Mr Swan moved and Mr Brown seconded as above, and the motion was agreed to.