THE BOATING SHEDS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5732, 30 October 1905, Page 5

THE BOATING SHEDS.

THE PEOPLE’S BIGHT OP FRONTAGE. REPLY BY MR 11. D. BELL. In reference to tho letter published in our last issue from Mr W. Ferguson, secretary to tho Harbour Board, on the subject of the boatshecl sites at tho corner of Jcrvois quay, Mr H, D. Bell, president of tho New Zealand Amateur Bowing Association, has sent to tho Harbour Board tho following letter in reply ; I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of tho 27th instant, which I had tho opportunity first of reading in the "New Zealand Times” this morning, and to thank you for tho information which you thereby convey to those whom I represent.

I avail myself of your courteous offer to allow me to see the plans of the land, and to give mo further information on tho subject, and I will call at your office on Monday morning for that purpose. I am delighted to hear that I was wrong in mv belief that tho boundary of the Board’s laud under tho exchange of 1898 included the boat-shed sites. I gather from your letter that the boundaries were so adjusted as to leave that site vested in the Corporation. lam also glad to observe that the Board has no intention of interfering with tho rights to tho sea frontage until tho year 1908. Witli regard to that part of your letter in which you object to my reference to the deviation of the defined line, you will find that £ did not in my memorandum state or suggest that the deviation was made at tho boat-shed site, I gather from your letter that tho Corporation is still 'tho owner in fco simple of the land fronting tho defined lino between the* cud of the present Harbour Board stagim” and the Wellington Rowing Club’s shod. If that he so. and if the Citv Council quietly eubmit to tho exclusion of the citizens from tho harbour at that point in the same manner as tho citizens are now excluded from nearly the whole of the frontage under the control of tho Board, then it appears to me that tho Council will greatly fail in its duty. Further, I trust that the Marine Department will give consideration to the rights of tho citizens in this matter, and that opportunity will he given by that department to oppose an application by the Board to shut off the people from the only right of frontage which will remain to them if tho Board’s operations are carried out as proposed. At all events, it appears from your letter that nearly three years remain during which tho question can ho fairly considered and debated, and I sincerely trust that the Board may in that time find it possible to agree to some compromise which will conserve tho rights of the citizens without interfering unduly with the functions of tho Hoard. It appears from your letter that it will bo necessary for me, in the first instance, and after the further information which von arc kind enough to offer to me, to specifically admit errors and omissions in the memorandum which I submitted to the Board on behalf of tho deputation. When these minor matters are cleared up, the main question will, I, hope, be kept prominently not only before tho Board and tho City Council, but before the citizens as a body. The main question is that tho Board is now proposing to practically bar, from Oriental Bay to Pipitea Point, tho public right of access to tho water, and that the one corner suitable for boating can be preserved if the Board on its part will reconsider its plans, and if the citizens on their part show due concern for their rights and privileges.