SUMMARY.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13825, 21 July 1915, Page 1 (Supplement)

SUMMARY.

THE MAITAI FOR; 'THE PEOPLE,

(From v"Tly> Oblom^t," July 15.) The community is to be congratulate upon the result of yesterday's poll of tho ratepayers on tli© proposal to conipulsorarily acquire email areas; of land on the banks of the Maitai for public purposes. The result justifies tho decision of tho City Council to test the feeling of tho ratepayers, rtnd so vindicate the proceeding already taken. Tho poll was no! condition imposed by iajw, the Council having full authority tio proceed to the acquisition under the conditions pr«K scribed by the Public Works Act. Tins course tho Council (vas actually following, in deference to sU-ong' public representations, and had it proceeded without interruption to the conclusion of the transaction there is no doubt that the great majority of the ratepayers '.vould havo been well pleased. The decision'to break off tho proceedings at +he stage they had reached., and take a poll of the ratepayers, was the outcome of the recent Commission, it being questioned by tJre Commissioner in his report to the Governor whether the Council had obtained a, sufficient direct expression on the part of tho ratepayers of a desire that the areas it was proposed to acquire should, be vested in the puWic. Yesterday's poll conclusively settles ail doubt in that direction, the tliroo proposal.1* beine; carried by v 75 per cent, majority of the votes polled. . We have often expressed the conviction that the ratepayers would not hesitate to grasp an opportunity that jcould not be expected -to, recur ■6f the most favoured in the Maitai Valley public property, especially when they were in a position to do so under the exceedingly favourable circumstances as regards financial aid now available; and tho result of the poll proves the soundness of that view. It is a source of much satisfaction to us and to all who have interested themselves in securing inalienable rights for tho public in tho Maitr.i that the ratepayers have expressed themselves so decidedly in favour of the project. Valuable as these resorts are now, they will become increasingly so as. with the lapse of time the lungs of the city become moro circumscribed and breathing spaces and recreation grounds must be sought further afield than is fortunately the case to-day. Armed with tho direct mandate of the ratepayers, the Council will now set in motion the machinery provided hy tho Public Works Act for the acquisition of land for public purposes, and tho assurance has been given that every effort will be made to expedite the proceedings, so that tho transaction may be completed as speedily as possible.