TAUWHARPARE BLOCK.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5436, 28 March 1889, Page 2

TAUWHARPARE BLOCK.

«. . Sir, — Your report of the Harbor Board meeting on this impoitant matter does not contain enough information to convey to the ratepayers the true position, and I wil] Miereforc with your leave explain. Sonic timeugo the Board at considerable expense called for tenders for, and obtained from Messrs O'Ryan and Dufaur, a report upon the block, its quality, suitability for settlement, and value. The reporters, after a long and laborious examination of the land, sent in an elaborate report and map, in which they state that they classed the land into throe qualities. First class land (described as " rich soil"), area 32 650 acres ; 2nd class (described as "fair soil"), area 4500 acres ; and 3rd class (described as " light soil "), area 7000 acres. And they cut up the land into 23 lots suitable for letting on leaso, and varying in urea from 500 acres to 3900 acres. They state that in subdividing they bestowed particular attention to character and quality of soil, natural features, water, proportion of fuel, etc., and that each section "will have, a fair proportion of land suitable for a homestead, and a plentiful supply of water." They further report that after an expenditure of L7OJ (to which other adjoining proprietors would no doubt contribute) for giving access to the land via Tologa ßay,and after a further expenditure of £1350 in making subdivision bridle tracks as required, they value the block at L.30,591. The Board was so pleased with the admirable way in which the reporters had done their work that they were specially thanked by the Board. Up to the present time the Board has steadily refused to place the land in the market, until, at least, a bridle track should be made from the main road to connect with the block, and until the " times " should have improved so as to secure proper rents. The Board under its Special Act (1884) has power to lease for 30 years, but cannot extend that period, and cannot, in any way, arrange for payment for improvements. Consequently letting unimproved land in this way places both Ihe Hoard an I intending settlers in a disadvantageous position. Attempts have been made by the Board, by promoting legislation and otherwise, to remedy the defect, but without result as yet, aud the object of the motion I made was to remedy this defect by bringing the Board within the provisions of the Public Bodies' Pov.ers Act, ISS7, which if done would enable the Board to Ist. Lease the whole or portion of the block for 21 years. 2nd. Give a covenant to renew for one or more periods of 21 years, subject to a re-valuation of rent for the second 21 years, and every subsequent 21 years. 3rd. Provide for payment by a» incoming tenant for all improvements made l>y an outgoing tenant ; and it would further enable the Board to deal with its foreshores and reclaimed land in various ways. The Board has by a majority rejected the mode of dealing with its endowment which the Legislature has specially provided for local bodies having such endowments ; and, disregarding entirely the report of Messrs O'Ryan and Dufaur, has resolved, in the words of Mr Clarke's amendment : "To offer by public tender in accordance with the law the Tanwhareparae endowment in two sections of not less than 22,000 acres each for 30 years. A Committee consisting of Messrs Bennett, Chambers, and the mover to draw up conditions and submit to the Board next meeting." There could be comparatively little objection to leasing the land for 30 years without payment for improvements, though certainly better arrangements can be made had the Board allowed men of moderate means an opportunity of obtaining leases of areas — one or more—as proposed by Messrs O'Ryan and Dufaur ; but to limit the areas to two blocl : of not less than 22,000 acres each means that none but men possessing or capable of raising capital from £30,000 to £50,000 shall compete ; and it also means, certainly, that tenders of a minimum rental only will bo made, like that of three half pence per acre offered by Sir George Whitmore. To act in this way with an endowment, which is the property of the ratepayers of the County, is, in my judgment, deliberately to sacrifice the best asset and the greatest standby, which the Board has to ease Iliu ratepayers of the burden of interest on loan. The Board lias resolved to invite tenders, without even fixing a minimum rent, and therefore the highest tender must be accepted, iind that highest tender will probably lie little in excess of that made by Sir Gco. Whitmore ; while if the land were allowed to be tendered for in small blocks under tinprovisions of The Public Bodies Powers Act, 18S7, the experience of the last two or three years as to land in other districts, no better off for roads, shows that land of the quality o* this block would be eagerly sought after at from (]d to Is per acre of rent in its present unimproved condition and without roads, and even without an actual survey of the subdivisions. — Yours, &c, W. Sikywuicht