Conference with the Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9880, 27 February 1901, Page 2

Conference with the Borough Council.

THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE

DISTRICT.

At the Borough Council Chambers last evening the Horns. T. Duncan and J. McGowan (Minister of Lands and Mines respectively) met the members of the Thames Borough Council in conference. 'There ,'wa^ a Jf ull attendance oif the Cornell.

The Mayor '(Mr Trembath) welcomed Mr Duncan toi the distinct, and slta.tt&:*(. that the Borough Council took an active interest in the principal matters brought beforo the Minister—the purchase and drainage of lands at Piako. As showing tha,t the Council had done so he remarked that they had been, working for years in connection with this important matter. Ho regretted that the. Borough -hod* not been officially represented in. accompanying the Minister of Lands to the Piako on Monday, but assured Mr Duncan that it was through >nol fault of .pny miemper or official of the Borough Council. ..The Council had placed . their views on this important question, before Mm on 'a previous wccasion, so that there wafc nothing more to bo said on t~hat head. He would ask the Towjn Clerk to read the letter that had been sent by the Council to the Land's Department, dated July of last year. . \

Mr Albert Bruce then read the letter mentioned, which was as under: July 9th, 1900.

I have the honor .by direction of the Thames Borough 'Council to bring under your notice the advisability, in the beast interest of the district, af draining tho land ihelcl by Government in the Piakcu district, and have same thrown open for settlement. While advocating that this work be itakeSn in hand the Council are fully aware that it involves ,the expenditure tof a considerable sum of money, as the area to bo drained is of largo extent However, the Council are satisfied that the expenditure would be amply justified both from a Council and'a business point of view, as the land whenunwatered would be of such exceeding good quality that it would be largely sought after, and its high value would enable the settlers to bear witTi eiise the loading necessary it cover the interest and cost of drainage j. The dairying industry as you are well aware is already of great value to the colony, and capable of great extension, especially in districts where the land is of good quality (for dairying purposes. No better class of- land can be found, 'than raupo swamp, similar to the Piako land, when drained, as fromi its nature it car'ij ries good feed' all the year round.

The CouiDtcil desire to point out that there is a great scarcity of land in this district -available for settlement purposes, and that were good land tlirowii open for settlement it would be a great boon to the inhabitants of the whole of the Haurakj mining distrct.

The Council trust that you will give the matter your early an dmost favorable consideration. I have the honor to be, Shy Your Obedient Servant, . • • . ALBERT BRUCE, T-own. Clerk. After the letter had been read the Town Clerk said that Mr Duncan had forwarded a .mobfe courteous reply to. the Council. The Council at the tipile 016 forwarding 1 the aforementioned letter had also written to the Hon. J. McGowan asking his assistance in backing the matter up and the Mfnister of Mines in his reply to the Council had furnished all the assistance he could give and as^ a first istep he had gob his colleague (tie Hon. Mr Duncan) to; promise tot visit the land with Mm at the end ofl the jyear. The speaker |men>-tic-ned tEab he had for yeara been woirfy ing towards the ■ carrying out of this scheme and stated .that some 4 years ago he had induced the Hon. Mr Cadman to buy about 10,000 acres of this land and a promise from the natives to fac&lditatje 1 the passing of their lands through the Court; and also to lease to the Government 4000 acres of the higher .land. Several of the Councillors spoke on tho scheme. Mr Duncan in his reply Slid there were a "great ma»y tbiage to he

and he was in favor of it. As a first step he and Mr McGowan ! had wired to the Cabinet advising the purchase of the only remaining large soctioni that the Government did mat own, RECREATION GROUND FOR THE BOROUGH. Tho next matter brought under the MSnister's notice was the singular position tho borough, was in re Laving no recreation ground, and the urgent need there was of one beinb obtained. This matter was explained by Mr Pcml-graijn, who pointed out that the Thames Harbour Board was possessed of sections on the foreshore near "the Moanataiari mullock tip, which would, if made avilable, make a suitable (site fofl recroafcilon purposes. Tho Hon. j. McGowan pointed out that the land in question formed part of the Harbour Board's security for its £10,000 loan. Mr Pourgrain thought that difficulty would be overcome by an extended lease being secured from the Harbour Board. Tho Mayor and several councillors supported the remarks o£ the previoii^fpeaker. Mr Duncan expressed surprise that a place like Thames should not be possessed of a suitable recreation ground. The Government, however, had no land in the vicinity to give them, otherwise he would have no hesitation in giving what was required. Ho did not think he could provide any money for the purchaseof|o|suitably piece of land, but if the borough, pur), chased a site they no doubt could get a subsidy tiy petitioning Parliament. He would do hia best to assist them. THE EXTENSION OF THE MOANATAIARI TUNNEL. The Minister for Mines vnus then asked by Mr Foy if tho companies interested woula unite together and formulate a tamirfl^o sdheme for the extension of the Moanataiari main tunnel whether he would be prepared to grant a subsidy to. wards the cost of the same. Mr McGowan said he could not give a definite reply to such an indefinite question. If a reason, ablo scheme was placed before him, ho would be prepared to consider it, but in the manner in which the ■ question was put the Government would be equally justified in subsidising a woollen mill or any othe* private enterprise that would give employment. He would be prepared to assist any scheme that "would be for the benefit! of the district, and not for bnffl private company.

Mr Cancan, left for Auckland thisl atfternoon withl the object of proceeding to Whangarei, after which he proposes to visit the Upper Thames district.

The Slinister for Lands, accompanied by his private secretary (Mr Oliver Mewhinny) left the Thames for Auckland at one o'clock this afternoon. •