LAKE LOGAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18673, 30 September 1922, Page 12

LAKE LOGAN

QUESTION OF PLAYING AREAS. DEPUTATION TO THE HARBOUR BOARD. RIGHTS OF UNIVERSITY COUNCIL AND EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. A large deputation, comprising representatives of the Otago Importers’ and Shippers’ Association, the Chamber of Commerce. the Manufacturers' Association, and the Otago Expansion League, waited on the Otago Harbour Board last night in connection with the allocation of the roclaimed area at Hake Logan as a recreation ground Prior to the deputation wailing on tne board the secretary read two letters which ho had received bearing on this matter The secretary of the Otago Importers’ and Shippers’ Association wrote stating that at its last meeting his executive had resolved to address the board on the subject of Lake Logan reclaimed land, which is part of the endowment of Dunedin Harbour. The purpose of doing so was in view of tho clamour for surrender of this area for recreation purposes, to urge that, tho Harbour Board should fully recognise and hold fast to its responsibility to maintain intact these endowments for the purpose for which they were given—namely, to secure the loans of the board, and out of the revenues as early as possible to give relief to the trade of the port, and eventually to make Dunedin something more approaching a free port. The trading community here was already heavily handicapped, and if Dunedin was to prosper every avenue of relief should be made available. His association was in no way adverse to proper provision being made for recreation grounds, but it held (hat.it should not he done by tho misappropriation of reserves set aside for an even more important purpose, and essential for such purpose if tho city was to prosper. It was no part of the duty of the Harbour^Board to Consider the needs of the city in regard •to recreation grounds. That duty devolved upon the City Council, and if the council desired to get the use of Harbour Board endowment land for tho purpose, then tho council should be prepared to pay rent for it on fair terms and at such a price as the board might reasonably expect to get for the use of its lands. The, town clerk wrote stating that the Dunedin City Council had been approached by the representatives of various oodies, and by petition and otherwise from the citizens to make further representation to the Harbour Board with regard to the question of the reservation of the Lake Logan reclamation area for recreation purposes. The council had remitted tho matter to the Reserves Committee with instructions to report, and in the meantime thp c6mmitteo had directed him to write and suggest that arrangements be made for around-the-table conference between the committee and the representatives of tho board in order that the whole question may be gone into. It was decided to deal with this letter at once, and hold over consideration of the Importers letter till the deputation had been received. ? C*hairman suggested that the chairDjeri bf the'Finance. Reserves, and Works Committees, Mt London, and himself should meet the Reserves Committee, iiA^ r karnach said that the city wanted the whole area. The Harbour Board however, did not want to give the whole area. They should have a f talk over the table about it. ; Mr Russell said , that the board had already had two conferences with the Citv Council over this matter. They would find m the minutes a recommendation from the Reserves Committee of the board, and before they could do anything they would have to rescind the decision previously come to. if he remembered tho position'aright Die board had agreed to offer part of Lake Logan at a. price. The City Council had, however, refused the offer on two occasions. The board had agreed to take a certain rental. Mr Walker moved that the whole board should meet the Reserves Committee of tile City Council. seconded the motion. He said that the board had come to ah agreement with the" Education Department, and the University, Council, and he, personally was prepared to carry out the agreement come to. Tne motion to meet the Reserves Committee of the City Council in conference was earned.

Mr Galbraith said that he would dike to place a statement before the board- regarding’ Lake Logan, ’ He said that this area (62j acres approximately), with others, had been transferred to the board on September 23, 1876, by the Superintendent of Otago. When the k?“fm?* the £IOO,OOO loan, authorised by A i Ct ’ ~h a, d , been P. la F®d on the market, a plan had been exhibited showing the hake Logan area (described as "to be reclaimed ) as- 1 one of the securities for investors,. The average annual rental (subject to revaluation each 14 years) of their adjoining lands was £52 per acre. No final subdivision of die area had been adopted by the board. There was no record of any nnnute by which the board had pledged itself to give any portion of the area to the city as a recreation ground. O n the contrary, the board had absolutely and unanimously declined to do so. On Feb. ivirltA 11’ 6 council offered to pay ±-4000 for the foe simple of 20 acres, in an approved position, the board to reclaim the area to agreed level. The offer was declined. On October 23, 1921, the board ottered to lease the council 14 acres at the north-eastern end under its usual 14year lease form, at an annual rental of £35 per acre. The offer was declined. By correspondence, the board had agreed to lease (when the reclamation was completed) to the University Council for recreation purposes only, 20 acres lor 60 years. The first 10 years’ lental to bo £IOO, and the remaining 40 years to be £2OO. Clause 109 of “The Reserves and Other Lands Disposal and 1 übJic Bodies Empowering Act’’ gives the District Land Registrar power to register the lease. The board had also agreed to transfer five acres to the Education Board in exchange for the Albany Street School site and buildings thereon, and in the same way it had agreed to lease (when the reclamation is completed) a further three acres for 50 years, at £IOO per annum. Subjoined is a copy of a letter which has been received from the secretary of the Auckland Harbour Board, giving the rentals that board receives from the Auckland City Council.-—“ln reply to yours of the 16th msfc., m ro lease of reclaimed land for recreation purposes. I beg to inform you that the lease of Victoria Park (16J acres) was granted to the Auckland City Council in 1905. The lease was for a term of 50 years, and fhe rental (which was much below its value, even at that time), was fixed at £SOO a year. The board has since added another one and three-quarter acres, the rental of which is £137 10s per annum.’ Besides the usual conditions regarding payment of rental, the lease contains the following provisions:—Lessee not to assign or sub-let; lessee to fence and lav down area in grass; and land to be used for recreation purposes only.’’ The first speaker for the deputation, Mr W. Gow (on behalf of the Importers’ Association), intimated that they had no desire to find fault in any way with the Harbour Board, nor did they desire to say that (ho board was unsound in the attitude it had taken up ovdr the matter There was no doubt (hat the board wohld be subjected to considerable pressure in regard to giving over the area They should remember, howevr, that the area had been set apart as an endowment for the board. Those who were particularly interested in the reduction of tile charges of the board were somewhat concerned that the continual clamour might produce some result on the minds of members, and lend them, perhaps, to do something which would be unreasonable and unfair. It had been one of the creditable things of Otago and Dunedin that those in charge of their affairs in the earlier days had set aside considerable endowments for a variety of purposes. T]he setting asich of these endowments had been fully justified. Wherever there was a possibility they should see to it that they took steps to provide for the relief of rates, which were a heavy burden at present. The speaker referred to tlie handicaps of the port as compared with other centres, and , said that when all their endowments, were made re venue-producing they would go a long way to secure that the trade to their port should be free. The engagement which the board had made with its debenture holders was a very important matter. From the very beginning it had been sot forth again, anil very plainly on the occasion of the 1907 loan, that the Lake Logan endowment would bo a seouriljy for the payment of the interest and eventually of the principal of this money, borrowed for harbour improvement purposes. Any appropriation for any purpose other Ilian that sot forth in that statement of the affairs of the board at the

time of the loan would be fraudulent, as against: the holders of the debentures. The board was responsible for making a, harbour and making a cheap harbour. Whoso re sponsibilily Was it: to provide these reoren non grounds? They were not adverse to the provision of recreation grounds at hake Logan, but they did say that the responsibility of providing them did not rest wiiti., the board, but with the City Council as representing the eitizens. Any land wmen might bo allotted to the City Council should be paid for at a reasonable rate. they did not. however, want the board to exact the last farthing. The, question arose-- what was a reasonable price? and the boam should hold out rigidly for such a price It would be unjust to the debenture holders, unwise for the Harbour Hoard, and unfair to those whom the board had to serve to do otherwise than secure a fair rental from any of the area they might lease. Mr W. 11.. Hayward, on behalf ot trie Manufacturers’ Association, said that Otago Harbour was more than an outlet tor JJunedin, and they must consider the rights of the people generally of Otago. Mr D. Phillips, on behalf ot the Chamber of Commerce, said that the chamber had decided that the proper course was to endorse the views of the Importers AssociatloMr G. Erringlon. on behalf of sion League, said that he thought that the City Council should be prepared to pay. a reasonable rate for the land. He '°P > however, that the land would be made into a said that the, members appreciated the interest taken in he oi T by the deputation. The money which the board handled belonged to the people and it had to be expended m the best way possible— (“Hear, hear.”) He trusted as time went on that there would be more combination by respective bodies m the wearing of the city. Their representatives would receive the closest attention of the b °fhe deputation having retired, Mr M’Donald said that the board would no doubt like to see the area go as a playing area, but as the finances of the board were in a low state it could not see its wav to give the land without sufficient remuneraWalker moved that the question of the disposal of the area be held oyer till the hoard had met the Reserves Committee of ihe City Council in conference, and that the deputation be informed of the boards intention. Mr, Roberts seconded the-motion. Mr Loudon said that Mr Gow had told them a plausible story. Ho did not believe that, under the Ordinance of 1876, it was ever intended to reclaim Lake Logan. They should romembqr that the foreshore reserves granted to the board had greatly increased the value of their endowments. Mr Gow had pooh-poohed the saying made to the board bv having the lake into which to put the spoil. , Mr Mason had told him (Mr Londonl that the board had saved £25.000 :by having the lake to dump the spoil.i> He '.thought that, every member of the board was in accord with the argument that the City Council should pay a fair rental. Ho desired to emphasise three points. The first was that it was never contemplated that Lake Logan should bo reclaimed at, all; the second was that the board had made an enormous saving by haying Lake Logan for the disposal of spoil from the harbour: and the third was that the debenture-holders .would not suffer bv. any alienation of .Lake Logan., Since 1909 the board had increased its endowments by the foreshore reserves.

Mr J. M’Donald said that the board had already entered into an agreement with the Otago University and tho Education Department, and if the City Council desired laud from the Lake Logan area that body could bo given it-after the University 1 and Education Department had been satisfied. As.an alternative the' City Council might take stens do get, the land back by arrangement. with the Education Department. He would move as an amendment—“ That tho policy already resolved upon by the board, in re Lake Logan, in so far ns the negotiations between tho Education Board arid University Council arg coficerned, be adhered to. With regard ‘to'the balance of land, that negotiations be entered into with the Citv Council in the direction of leasing at a fair rental.” Mr Russell seconded the amendment. On being put the amendment was carried by seven votes to foiir.