MISSION TRUST LANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18458, 23 July 1923, Page 8

MISSION TRUST LANDS.

PURCHASE BY STATE URGED. NEEDS - OF ..SETTLEMENT. " . S AREA -DESIRED FOR PARK. Residents of Tamaki • West, •;, with the future welfare of their district in view, have , lately been interesting themselves in the block of land owned by the Melanesian Trust Board, comprising 195 acres, adjacent to Mission Bay, where the flying school of Messrs, Walsh Brothers is situated. It is considered that, should this* block be subdivided and sold, the best interests of the district, as indeed those of tho city generally, would not b<j served. '.'..;• AAA At the last meeting of the Tamaki West Road Board, members expressed the opinion that tho bay and tho adjacent fiat land should be reserved for the people. It was stated that the half-mile of; beach lying between Bastion Rook and the Kohimarama Wharf was undoubtedly the best on the town sido of the harbour,,, and adjoining this was an area of flat knd comprising approximately 50 acres, admirably suited for a recreation reserve. The board decided that it would be a public benefit if the Government purchased the block, in order that it' might be included in its land at Orakei, which is to be subdivided as a model suburb. This would allow of an adequate recreation reserve adjoining the beach, and the better linking up of the district by & uniform roadmg scheme. . The Minister for Lands has accordingly been written to on the matter. The board states that a much better scheme;, of subdivision of the proposed Orakei model suburb could be mado if the mission property were included, The, land beyond this particular area has already been subdivided and become fairly closely settled. The city would ultimately extend right up to the head of the Tamaki River, and within 10 years the. land now under discussion would bo very closely settled. The board added that it was more than ever convinced that to subdivide and build along this beach would be to create a blot for all time on what. should be one of the main beauty spots of Auckland. The. owners of the block had recently api proached the booo-d.to ascertain ' what its reading conditions ■would be, and in reply tho board intimated that it would like to purchase for a ' public reserve an area of ac least Vi acres; Ihe board considered, however, that in view of the unique pbsi'< tlon 'of the property, 12 acres would' be inadequate for future requirements, but at the samo time, it would be impossible to get the ratepayers to sanction the borroving of sufficient money to purchase any greater area. An offer had recently been made to the mission trustees for the ourchswse of the block as a whole, but nothing definite had been done. A Bill was shortly to be introduced giving the Governor-General-m-Comjcil power, with 'tho sanction of the- board, to merge '-'the' Orakei district in the Tamaki West Road Disrtict. • ./■,.:.;......