The Timaru Herald SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1911. THE FORESHORE PURCHASE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14482, 1 July 1911, Page 4

The Timaru Herald SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1911. THE FORESHORE PURCHASE.

The Railway Department's purchase from, the Harbour Board at £OOO an acreoori r ten acres of the reclaimed foreshore oil the south side of the harbour, seems to us a yery fair transaction as affecting both parties. The Board has let some of the frontages of this,land at a rent equivalent to a capitalised value of £4OOO an acre, and when the question of sale was discussed with the Hon. J. A. Millar two months ago, the price demanded by the Board was £I2OO an acre. It was submitted that the Board had borrowed £400,000 for the improvement of the harbour, and this reclaimed land was a result of those improvements. On the other hand it was contended that the reclamation was merely an accidental outcome of the Board's expenditure on the breakwater, and that the Government had legal power to take the land without paying a penny piece for it. The legal position might have been disputed, since the Board's solicitor has other views upon that subject, but there is a further consideration which commends the terms of purchase to the Board. The Den panmciil ;r»~tc

purpose of providing railway improvements which are urgentlyrequired, and will be of great advantage to the port. The station yard must be extended to avoid the present dangerous and vexatious shunting across Strathallan Street, a new and larger station is badly needed, and the shed accommodation on the wharves is also hopelessly inadequate. The purchase of an area of the reclaimed land will enable the Department to provide some of these improvements, and though it is not likely that they will all be provided at once, the most important of them will probably be put In hand as soon as the Department has the land to work upon. The price offered of £6OO an acre is an advance of £IOO on Mr Millar's previous offer, and in view of the objects for which the land is sought, which are as important to the Harbour Board and town as to the Government, we think the Board showed wisdom yesterday in closing with these terms. Even if _ they had been able to exact a higher price, the result would probably have been that the Department would have taken a much smaller area of the land, and curtailed its works proportionately, to the disadvantage of the port. The bargain which was made yesterday has still to be confirmed by Parliament, and the Minister suggests that an_ Empowering Bill may be required to enable him to make the payment to the Board. This, however, should not occasion much delay, and it is hardly possible that the very moderate conditions which the Board suggests should be embodied in the transaction should meet: with any objections from the Minister. H does not need to be pointed out that even if the Government had legal power to take the land without payment, it could not do so without gross injustice, and we regard the compromise arrived at as a very fair solution of the matter. It' is an arrangement with which both th«

Jiounl and the Government Lave Kootl reason to be satisfied, and the thanks expressed yesterday to Mr Cruipie, the Board's 'ast chairman, Mr Turabiill, its present ohsurman, and Mr Oi'bcll ■for their services in effecting tho settlement, were well deserved.