A PUBLIC RESERVE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6494, 14 April 1908, Page 7

A PUBLIC RESERVE.

golf club and hutt rack. STRONG LANGUAGE ABOUT TUB LEASE. "KCANJJALOUS,” DISGRACEFUL,” Sonic strong comment upon tho Hutt ibuk Trust V lea-c to the Ihitt Golf Club was heard at a meeting of tho UuLl Borough Couucii lar-t vdien tlu» Unit park Uommittee, which now ha.-, control of the public i-n-erve. ior-arJc-l the following resolution :

That tho piescnt position bs fully rc-porled to the Couneila iuCereslcd, ami that they bo asked to guaranltn the exj;en-c of coriU'.-ting the Ic-ga*-ity of tlie Icum.' held by the Hull God UU»h from tho old trustees, and that the Councils be. adied to icpiy a= floeni as possible. LEGAL OPINIONS. Councillor Bussell (chairman of the CMiiimUecj :wdd that whvn tiiey secuiod coniioJ of iiio rc.-eevo on behalf of tho public they, a<i business men, desired to a-.corl;dn. *1 hr-ir righl.s ami responsibiiilic-. Tiu'V iouml that tlic Golf Club jiad a lease which gave it full control ol the park. It wars dated November Ist, J;;b7, and was evidently drawn up Ly tin* trustees when tlio Act was being put ih/ongii Parliament. Tho effect, jf tho leaco Avas valid, was to -hand over the control to the club for .seven years, in the lease a claiuo ga”C the right to have spurf.s, {denies, and military cncarnpimuits. but subject to tho Golf Club not being' interfered with. Tho opinion of tlio lion. Dr Findlay was that tho lea<se was invalid, the ground being that some of the members of tho Board of Trustees were also members of the Golf Club when I hey gave the lease, so that they

gave tiie lease to thenisclvcu. One member, who signed on behalf of tho club, was also a trustee. There wore other points on which the lease might be up-

THE COMMITTEE'S TERMS. Having this opinion, the committee asked to meet the . cdub's representatives. Tlio hitter put it toithem that, supposing they (surrendered the lease, what terms Mould bo offered by tho committee? It was then decided to offer a lease of five years at a rental of X'l3i> per annum, the club to have solo use of tho stewards’ stand as a clubhouse, tho right to graze sheep, and to fdy JDJ per annum towards the salary of a care-taker who would be partly at their disposal, tho conrmitteo to havo the right to use the reserve, with.due regard to tho convenience of the Golf Club. Mr C. P. Skerrott, K.C.. had advised tlio chib that its lease was valid, and that if it was surrendered the committee would havo no power to grant a valid lease. Thus an untenable position, had been reached, which could only bo settled by a decision of tlio Supremo Court, and tho would have to bo amended. Ho moved :

That tho Council agree to vote* its proportion of tho cost of contesting tho validity of the Golf Club's lease, with a view to getting what was intended by Parliament—the full benefit of tlio ground for the snorting people of Hutt Valley and Wellington.

Councillor Hodgins seconded. "SCANDALOUS.”

Councillor maintained that it had been a scandalous transaction. Councillor Ward added that, if necessary, ho would subscribe privately towards tho legal expenses of contesting the lease. Councillor Ross said ho attended a meeting of the -Amateur Athletic Association, one of the bodies to which a letter -was said to have been written by a representative of Eastbourne, bur it never camo up. Ho wanted to seo if Eastbourne was going to pay its share. Councillor Judd thought the committee had a good case, and should bo backed up. Tho action of tho trustees in granting the lease was scandalous. Councillor Baldwin explained that tho Eastbourne Council should not be blamed. It was tho Mayor who was responsible for tho attitude. His letter to the athletic bodies was not official, and was not Intended for publication. They should not blame tho Council ■ before they saw what was to be done. Councillor Russell stated that within tho last few days the Eastbourne representative had resigned his position on tho Reserve Committee.

Tho May or considered the position mast disgraceful. Ho hoped tho committee would not bo able to legally give tho Golf Club a lease. Tho committee's stand should bo heartily supported, aud it should bo known that every member of the general public hud a right to go on tho reserve.

The motion was unanimously adopted. "With acclamation, if necessary/ remarked a councillor.

Tho resolution passed by tho Hutt Park Committee was considered fast night by tho Petone Borough Council. It was resolved that the matter be referred to the solicitor of tho Municipal Association for an opinion.