THE TOWN BELT.
TO THE EDITOR OE THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sir, —I am anxious to draw the attention of the inhabitants of the city to the sale of leases of portions of the Town Belt advertised to take place on the sth June. For some time 1 have held the opinion that it would not be well to lease portions of the Belt for any purpose,- but I did not feci strongly in the matter, as I bad but a hazy sort of notion as to the whereabouts of this public laud. To-day I chanced to see one of the plans issued to guide intending purchasers, and I was very much surprised to find, upon examination, that many enclosed pieces of land which X had thought were freehold are really portions of the Belt. Not long since I was walking across one of these paddocks, when I was met by a farm laborer, who allowed me, as I then thought, very goodnaturedly, to climb a fence and get into a street. The remark he made to me was, “ The best thing I can do is not to see you, for if the master knew you were crossing he would make you go back the way you came.” The plan shows this paddock to be a portion of the Town Belt, and as much opeu to the public as Willis-street is. When anew arrival hereland a friend started for the top of Mount Victoria, but were nearly stopped at the head of a street by the sight of a warning to trespassers. The board was on the Town Belt. Again, there is some ground near Goathurst Farm which lies in the way of a short cut to a most desirable country walk. I never ventured overit, because I thought it was private property. It is part of the Belt. I remember some passengers from a steamer going for a walk towards Wadestowu, and when half-way up the hill one said he was sure it was private property. While the point was under discussion, Mr. Rhodes came in sight, and a notice to quit was expected. As he did not interfere, he was deemed to be a most courteous proprietor. The fact is the pedestrians were on the Town Belt. I have been unable to obtain a copy of the conditions under which the leases will be sold, and I have not had time to inquire into the law bearing on the matter, but I will hazard this much; —that the City Council canuotlegally lease any portion of the Town Belt; that anyone can walk at will over it ; that fences and other improvements by lessees are nothing more than illegal obstructions, and an application to the Supreme Court would cause their removal.
In Dunedin the people highly prize the Town Belt, and will not allow it to be encroached upon. They have even insisted that the City Council shall remove the Fever Hospital which was erected on it. The residents of Wellington should take prompt action to prevent the leasing of this reserve, for long before the proposed term of fourteen years would expire this land will be a necessity for the health and recreation of the inhabitants. At present numbers are deprived of pleasant walks in consequence of the manner in which former local authorities have neglected their trust, and the appropriation of the rents received might well be inquired into, so that it should be known whether the money has been expended on the improvement of public reserves. In conclusion, permit me to say that if I find I am right in my object as to the law, I will take steps to secure a public meeting of the inhabitants with the object of having the announced sale stopped. In the meantime I hope this letter will have the effect of letting people know that the matter needs watching. —Yours, &c., C.
THE TOWN BELT.
New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5048, 29 May 1877, Page 3
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