RAINCLIFF RESERVES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVI, Issue 14922, 14 December 1912, Page 7

RAINCLIFF RESERVES.

THE COUNCIL'S MOTION. (Continued from page 0.) Councillor Green suggested that Mr Stewart bo asked to suggest/ a scheme of subdivision. Councillor Soutsr said that if the committee met Mr Stewart and discussad the matter witli him they wo'utd probably bo able to make a suitable recommendation to the .Council. He did not think there was any necessity fox - a survey of the whole reserve. Councillor Horrell said that he intended to visit the reserves before they were finally dealt with, even if ho had to go up at his own expense. Councillor Bowie moved and Councillor Horrell seconded, that a. committee consisting of the Mayor, Councillors Angland, Horrell, Green, Sealey, Hurdley', Higgins, and the mover be set up to draw up conditions of lease, these to be submitted at next, meeting of , the Council. Councillor Angland said lie knew about as much as any Councillor about ■ these reserves; ho had .gone to a lot of trouble to thoroughly inspect the ' land, and he considered it_ would be very desirable to cut Talbot's block of 1000 acres in two. In the- past the land had been badly worked, and if . there were any conditions of lease j they had been broken. He thought ; the motion should be carried, and was i surprised that Councillor Green should want to defer the matter. Councillor Sealey said they had no- :■ tiling definite to go on yet; there ' should be a report from those who visited the land ; and in the meantime Councillor Bowie's motion should be carried. Councillor Shillito advised that the matter be referred to a. committee which should get the advice of an expert. Councillor Satterthwaite suggested that the committee should look at the old leases, and if they found the conditions hud not been complied with they should make the tenants comply with thom. Councillor Hurdley said he wanted to see the land cut up into suitable holdings, including good and inferior land, and the sections should bo let on a long lease with valuation for improvements. They would probably ! get from 8s to 8s 6d per, acre in ] future, whereas thoy were only get- I ting 3s an acre now. | The Mayor said lie thought that ' Councillor Hurdley's motion was premature; the committee should report, first. Mr Robert Guthrie had given him a copy of the conditions of lease under which the High School reserves were now being let. These would be useful to the committee. On a vote being taken the motion was lost, and Councillor Bowie's proposal was carried. Councillor Angland said it was simply a waste of money to inspect hind when the Council rejected a motion as they had juvfc done. Until the land was survey; ..1 it was impossible for any coninvJi ■;■• to fix the prices to be put on each block. Councillor Hurdley endorsed these remarks, and said he would not go to much trouble again for no result. He asked Councillor Bowie to add to. his proposal that the land ho surveyed. ! Without a plan they could not nossibly : fix the rents and conditions of lerise. Councillors Hurdley and Soutcr had intended to move that 14 year leases bo granted, with compensation for inv ' provemeuts. but the Mayor said the , Council had no power to give compensation for improvements. j A this stage Councillor Hurdley left the, meeting, in disgust at the way his first motion had been dealt with, and said it was only wasting time to move . anything further. j Councillor Bowie explained that under, his motion the committee would naturally get the advice of a surveyor as to how the land could be best cut up, if they considered it necessary. Councillor Pearson said he. would be prepared to give the committee full authority to act as they thought host, and there should b« no Quibbling about it afterwards. As regards the old leases, he thought the Council should insist on tho conditions being adhered to. Councillor Souter said he. too was quite prepared to leave the whole matter to the committee. The personnel of the committee was a guarantee that the jbest would be done. Councillor Bowie added to his motion ■what Councillors Angland and Hurdley had asked him to add. namely, that the committee should have power to consult an export and engage a j surveyor. In this 'oris tho motion was car- j ried, and the discussion closed. ]