LOGAN PARK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3662, 20 May 1924, Page 44

LOGAN PARK.

DISPOSAL OF THE AREA. City Council met. in conference again on the 12th in an endeavour to come to some arrangement regarding the disposal of Logan Park. Prior to the meeting the following position had been reached:—The Harbour Board had offered to lease acres of the pane to the City Council (reserving eight acres for thp Education Board and 2 Oacres for tne University Council) for a period of 99 years at a peppercorn rental oil the condition that the council constructed an arterial highway from Anzae square to Union street, on land to be dedicated by the board upon the council paying compensation for the demolition of buildings now erected on the area to be used as a highway. Further, the Harbour Board was to bo immune from the cost of any drainage, reading, or taxes in respect to the area to be leased. The cost of Las work was estimated by the council to be £65,000. and it was also considered by the council that other expenditure would bo necessary. Under the circumstances the council decided to reject the otter, and informed the board of its decision. The board thereupon stated that it was prepared to hold another conference with tlie council, and yesterday’s meeting was the outcome of that decision. 9 he board was represented by Messrs T. 11. Russell (chairman, who presided over the conference), W. Wilkinson. J. Loudon. J. A. Roberts. T. Anderson, 11. E. Moller. A. Cable. J. H. Walker, D. Larnach. and J. M. Dickson. M.P. The council was represented by Crc J. Wilson anc! J. FI. Hancock and the town clerk (Mr G. A. Lewin). The first question which cam© up for consideration was whether members of the press should be present at the conference, and it was agreed that there would be more freedom in the discussion if the business was taken in committee. The decision come to was that the dele gates of the City Council should recommend its Works Committee, and the Works Committee should, if it agreed, recommend the City Council, to form the highway and take over the responsibility of the drainage of the area, on condition that the Harbour Board vested in the City Council the whole of the Lake Logan area, unencumbered Uv anv arrangement with the University Council or the Education Board—the Citv Council to make its own arrangements with the University Council for a playing area. The Works Committee of the City Council considered ihe recommendation from its delegates in the evening and decided to make a recommendation to the council in accordance with this decision. QUESTION OF ITS DISPOSAL. The Works Committee is reporting to the City Council in the following terms on the question of the disposal of Logan Park and the arrangements come to atCa recent conference with the Harbour Board: In accordance with instructions from council, your committee has hac! a further conference with the Harbour Board with the object of endeavouring to come to some arrangement regarding the disposal of Logan Park. As a result of snob conference a, decision was arrived at with the delegates of the City Council to recommend council to form the proposed highway on the reclamation area and take over

this responsibility of the drainage of the Logan Park area on condition that the Harbour Board vested in the City Council the whole of the Lake Logan area unencumbered by anv arrangement with the University Council or the Education Board —the City Council to make its own arrangement with tlie University Council for a playing area. As reported to council on a former occasion, the cost of constructing the highway and providing the drainage facilities for ihe park is estimated at £65,000. this sum representing the expenditure that would require to be made by the council to give effect to the arrangement with the Harbour Board as above set forth. Your committee now begs to recommend that the proposals, as above outlined, be approved and that the whole matter be now remitted to the Finance Committee for report on the financial aspect in terms of the Standing Orders. r lhe Finance Committee reports that it has considered the matter and approved of the principle proposed, provided that fee simple cf the area is vested in the council.