ONLY SHELTER SPOT

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 274, 9 February 1928, Page 17

ONLY SHELTER SPOT

LAND AT NARROW NECK QUESTION OF OWNERSHIP The ownership of a small triangular piece of land adjoining the Narrow Neck Beach is the subject of discussion between the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. J. Rolleston, and the Devonport Borough Council, and the Minister crossed the harbour this morning to see for himself the Situation of the section, and its relation to the Defence reserve. There has been a genera] impression for many years that this small piece of land, although adjoining the Defence reserve, w T as part of the beach, and it had been? used as such by the people frequenting the popular resort. Shortly after the war ended, however, the department closed it on account of the risk of fires and the encroachment of the public on the Defence property, and since then it has remained in the hands of the Department and has been used by them. The Devonport Borough Council now wants the section back for the people and the Mayor of Devonport, Mr. Aldridge, and the member for the district, Mr. A. Harris, approached the Minister this morning about it. It was explained by the Minister that the land —amounting in all to less than an acre—was not the property of the municipality, but had been purchased by the Crown in the ’Eighties. Prior to the war it was not required by the Defence Department, and the people were allowed to use it. Mr. Harris and the Mayor asked that endeavours should be made to give the people the right of use of this land, as it was the only shelter spot on the otherwise open beach. The council would purchase it if necessary, but it was hoped this would not be necessary. The Minister promised that after inspecting the locality he would confer with the’ departmental officers in Auckland to see what could be done to meet the request.