THE TEMPERANCE SECTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9111, 10 June 1908, Page 6

THE TEMPERANCE SECTION.

DEPUTATION TO BOROUGH COUNCIL. Messrs Wm. M. Easthope and C. H. Anderson formed a deputation to the Borough Council last night, from the Masterton Rechabite and Good Templar Lodges, in connection with , the position of the section of land in Bannister street, held by Trustees in trust for temperance purposes. Mr Easthope stated that the history of the section briefly was that the late Mr Chas. Dixon had left a section of land in Dixon street to Trustees for temperance purposes. This section was later exchanged for the present section in Bannister street, and this latter section was now proposed to -be handed over to Trustees of the two temperance lodges. As, however, rates to the amount of £5 or £6 had accumulated, and a betterment in connection with the widening of Bannister street increased the indebtedness on the section another £3O or so. The lodges proposed to erect a meeting hall on the section, but if the present liabilities were not in some way reduced by tho Council the lodges were not financially strong enough to undertake the burden. He asked the Council either to remit the betterment or substantially reduce it, and allow the lodges a lengthy period to pay the balance. Mr Easthope said it was questionable if the section had been bettered a single pound by the street widening. Mr Anderson supported Mr Easthope in his remarks, and that unless some action as the deputation requested was taken the section would ha\e to ba sold to pay the rates. Cr Hunter suggested that the matter be referred to a committee, when the whole position regarding the section could be discussed. Councillors were generally sympathetic towards the request, but it was generally thought that as all the other property owners had paid their betterment the Council could not justly remit the amount in the present case. An extended term for payment was unanimously favoured. Finally the matter was relegated to the Works Committee to ascertain if the betterment was reasonable, and to report at next Council meeting. The deputation thanked the Council and withdrew.