FISH MARKET LEASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20234, 19 April 1929, Page 12

FISH MARKET LEASE.

SURRENDER BY COUNCIL.

INSECURE TENURE OF SITE.

OFFER OF £2OOO ACCEPTED.

An offer by tho Auckland Harbour Board of £2OOO as compensation for surrender of the lease of the fish market site was accepted by the City Council last

evening. A recommendation to accept the offer was made by the Markets Committee. Tho chairman, Mr. J. B. Paterson, said the matter had been under consideration for about 18 months. The council was deriving £SOO a year in rental from the fish market.

Mr. E. J. Phelan said he thought the council was entitled to more for the surrender of tho lease. Probably the retort would be that the council was holding the lease illegally, but the council should at least wait until it had been so informed.

The Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon: The Harbour Board has given us a quiet tip. Mr. T. Bloodworth said that the city valuer's opinion should be ascertained before action was taken. The council had never admitted it had committed a breach of the lease. If it was true that the council had not fulfilled the terms, then the Harbour Board could re-enter and was thus not entitled to pay £2OOO for surrender. Pointing out that lie was in the position" of both buyer and seller, Mr. Bloodworth said the council was not making a good bargain. A valuer of high standing placed the value of the lease at £SOOO, at least. There was no need for haste, and he urged that further inquiry should be made before negotiations were finalised.

"Wo have ceased using this as a public fishniarket, and we have been very leniently treated by the Harbour Board," said (lie Mayor. "The board's offer is a rough estimate of the value of the improvements we made, and is quite liberal. Wo were lucky to get an offer of £2OOO, for our standing there is not worth a .snap of tlio fingers. I can tell you this is the Inst word of the Harbour Board. Wo would have been put out neck and crop if we had been dealing with a private individual."

Mr. Bloodworth moved an amendment that the recommendation should ho referrcd back to the committee to ascertain the city valuer's opinion on the value of (he lease and goodwill. The amendment was defeated by 18 votes to 6.