GARDEN PLACE HILL

Waikato Times, Volume 117, Issue 19545, 6 April 1935, Page 8

GARDEN PLACE HILL

QUESTION OF REMOVAL. MR LAFFERTY’S STATEMENT. DENIAL BY THE MAYOR. The statement made by Mr C. Lafferty at the meeting of Hamilton East ratepayers on Thursday evening and published in The Waikato Times on Friday, that ”in September, 1933, a Bill had been prepared by the Borough Solicitor seeking legislation to undertake the removal of the hill without the sanction of the ratepayers," has been referred by us to His Worship the Mayor. Mr Fow said that this statement was not only contrary to fact, but that Mr Lafferty is well aware of the position. At the meeting of the Council with the Minister of Internal Affairs some weeks ago the Borough Solicitor stated that at no time had he been instructed to prepare any legislation giving the council power to proceed with the removal of Garden Place Hill without obtaining the consent of the ratepayers. -Mr Lafferty was present at this meeting, and, in any case, all the documents are available for his perusal. The Operative Clauses.

His Worship asked us to publish the operative clauses submitted for the Local Legislation Bill in 1933, and explained that they gave no more than the powers to proceed with the work if sanctioned by the Loans Board and the ratepayers. Nothing in these clauses exempts the council from the procedure necessary to raise a loan under “ The Local Bodies Loans Act ” and 11 The Local Government Loans Board Act.”

Ilis Worship also handed us a copy of the original letter of instructions to the borough solicitors dated June 29, 1933.

Clauses In Looal Legislation Bill. (a) The Council is hereby empowered and authorised to acquire in manner, prescribed by “ The Public Works Act 1928 ’’ such parts of Allotments numbers ninety-six, ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred, one hundred and one, fifty-eight, one hundred and three, one hundred and four, one hundred and five, four hundred and eighty, four hundred and seventy-nine, and four hundred and seventy-eight of the Town of Hamilton West as the Council may consider necessary or desirable in connection with the proposed work; (b) The Council shall be entitled to recover and receive one-half such betterment increase in respect of any rateable property as. may be attributable',to the carrying-out of the proposed work.

Original Letter to Solicitors.

Dear Sirs,—The council desires you to arrange for an Empowering Bill which will enable the council, subject to the approval of the Loans Board and the ratepayers, to raise loans to purchase private land and to proceed wit hthe removal of what is known as Garden Place Hill, with authority to lay out new streets, and sell, lease or beautify and improve in such manner as may be decided, any part of the existing street' or the acquired properties. The powers other than to raise the loans should he made as wide as possible. 1 shall he glad to discuss preliminary details as soon as you are ready. Then when a draft has been prepared it is to be considered by a special committee.—W. L. Waddel, Town Clerk.