Levin Land Owners Ask Sanatorium Committee To Move On

Chronicle (Levin), 2 December 1948, Page 4

Levin Land Owners Ask Sanatorium Committee To Move On

The Levin properties inspected and approved recently by the Minister of Health, Miss Mabel Howard, as'a suitable site - for the proposed tubereulosis sanat'oriurn- may.not be acqijired. Following^ disciissiobs yesterday between the Western Hospital Districts' Sanatorium Committee and the land owners, it was lindicated by the ehairman, Mr! J. A. Nash, that the owners | were desirous of the committee seeking alternative pijoperty.

The discussions were hot openi to the Press, Mr. Nash stating that he considered they were of a pure-1-ly private nature. He raised no - objection, hqwever, to a sugges- 1 tion that he release a statement. ' afterwards. At the close of the meeting,' which lasted two and a half hours,l iMr. Nash was approached by a re-l 'porter and asked whether he j could not reveal the location of I the site, which has hitherto been clothed in secrecy. He replied that! he waS -not prepared to do so. ■ Apart from members of the committee and a number of legal advisers, among those present were 'Mrs. C. Prouse and Messrs R. A. iProuse, J. P. Prouse, E. Roe, J. N. 'Roe and C. L. Roe. Said Mr. Nash at the conclusion ,bf the discussions: "The commit'tee has had discussion wAh tne land owners ' in Levin and has found that it is occupied for dairy

, urpos.es and producing for the Wellington. City miik supply. The owners made a strong recommendation that endeavours be mJ'ae to get educauionaJ land at the Boys' xraining Farm, Weraroa, at~ present being used for grazing. .The committee has now decided to go into that question and see if it is possible to avcid disturbing the y land owners." Asked if the present site approved by the Minister of Health, Miss Howard, was to be abandone'd, Mr. Nash said: "No, it is still being considered." Questioned . further, Mr. Nash said that. the matter of the Education Department's land was now in the hands of a special comtaiittee of three appointed to -act. Asked to enlarge on this, he stated that the committee would have fjall power to enter into afly negotiations on behalf of the Western Districts' Sanatorium ' Committee.