DOMAIN LANDS

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13888, 14 October 1918, Page 2

DOMAIN LANDS

AND THE EDUCATION REPARTrtiENT AN EMPHATIC PROTEST. Mr Darke, secretary Hamilton Domain Board, wrote to the Borough Council on Friday as follows.—"As you are aware, the development of the Domain lands entirely depends upon sections which we are gradually letting on building leases. Among the most valuable of such endowments are Sections 197, 198, 206 and 207, Hamilton West (Whitiora) which are valued at £1350. In future years these sections would yield to the Board a very large Income • whirl) would In; expended in developing- and beautifying our Domain lands. About two years ago Mr Auld, who represented the district on the Education Board, formulated a proposal whereby the ,Go.YfiTJiment was to purchase the sec*i«."~ ~„Z " """ fnn ° n "blic school. ' nous, tia n„»,„ »». ~ r - ~ paying to the Domain Board £1350 as compilation, and this sum would, • h *lb enabled the Domain Board to i out very extensive works, and open up parks and pleasure grounds. When the proposal came before Parliament it was rejected, because it was said that a public school was not required in that locality. About a year ago, however, some person appears to have interested himself in getting these lands taken from the Domain Board without any compensation whatever, and when the Minister was in Hamilton he informed the Domain Board that the Government was going to tako these lands without compensation, because he had been assured that it was the wish of the people of Hamilton that this should be done. The Minister himself said that to his mind the proper thing was for the Education Board to exchange some of its endowments in Hamilton for this land. However, the Department has now informed the Domain Board that these lands are taken without any equivalent in exchange. I would point out that in other towns the .Government purchases sites for schools, !»ut the effect of the present proposal is that the people of Hamilton shall trive up a piece of land practically given to the town in order to save the Government of New Zealand certain expenditure, or, in other words, tin' interests of Hamilton are to be sacrificed for the interests of the people in the other parts of New Zealand, and this, we are told, is to be don.; because the people of Hamilton wish it: The Domain Board has represented to the Minister that the education , endowments are for the public revenue and therefore it would be a fair exchange that a domain tand should be given in exchange for an education reserve. The Domain Board is convinced thai ii. is not the wish of. the people of Hamilton that Hamilton should be robbed in this fashion, and it therefore requests the Council, speaking in the name of the people of Hamilton, to protest against this confiscation and sacrifice of .<ocil interests."

Cr Young said he had learned Hint it was proposed to take the lands by legislation, and not under the Public Works Aet. Whatever eornpensati.il was payable would, legally, belong to the Consolidated Revenue, and not to the Domain Board.

The Mayor said the proposed proceeding would mowi the. putting dn»vn of tie. spending power of the Domain Board. There was education ns< rves in the town whieh sliould he given in exchange for the Domain lands. ' The matter was referred to the Leg;.! and Flounce Committee.