THE BLOCK IX. QUESTION.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 201, 16 September 1873, Page 6

THE BLOCK IX. QUESTION.

So rnanydifforenocs of opinion bare arisen nnd been expressed as to the proper method •of dealing with the occupants of Block IX., that we deem it our duty to give a short summary of the facts of the case. It is more ■especially our duty at the present time be•cause of the action taken by the Mayor and 'Councillors In memorialising his Honor the Superintendent, as maybe seen in another ■column, to reduce Melmore Terrace to a uniform width of fifty-seven feet from the Bridge to Achil-street, in order to give those persons who are occupying any portion of Block IX*, •—or rather of the street opposite to Block IX. ,—a proper title to the ground so occupied. In the meantime we shall make no 'remarks as to the policy or impolicy of lessening the width of the main street for such a purpose. The subject is one which has often "cropped up at election times, when all kinds 'of promises have been made, and all sorts of plans have been suggested for its settlement. But this is the first occasion on wliich the 'Council has fairly attempted to deal with it 'with a view to its final settlement: whether Tightly or wrongly is a question on which, we think, some opinion should be expressed by 'the people interested in it,—that is, by all the citizens of the town, but more especially *by those possessing freehold property on the side of Melmore-street. For we ■are convinced that no favourable answer will be received to the prayer of the memorial till 'some indication of the feeling of the citizens is received by his Honor the Superintendent. Those in favour of the proposed alteration in Block IX. go upon the principle, we presume, that it is belter to lessen the width of the street in elder to make the township Snore compact, and also to avoid the risk of causing pecuniary loss to those who have •already erected buildings upon the ground ; while those opposed to any alteration are so Upon the ground that the purchasers of freehold property on the Northern side of MelYnore Terrace brought on the faith that the land in front of them would for ever remain •open, and, further, that no consideration is Tequired for the interests of those now owners •of buildings upon the street, because they built knowing the risk they ran, and therefore were prepared to take the consequences. Before adopting either of these conclusions, it is desirable that some of the facts of the case 'should be known. It will be seen that certain vested rights must be considered in dealing with the mattei, so far, at least, as "the Council is concerned* The first encroachment upon what is now •known as Block IX. but what really is the Tmain street, was made by Mr R. Dagg, in the ‘erection of a stable opposite his hotel, — Whether with the permission of the Council or 'not we cannot say, hut we believe it was. That was some time in 1869. On the 6th December of the same year, the Council granted Messrs Brown and Heron permission to occupy a site above that of Mr Dagg ; on the ■'3rd of January, 1870, they granted 100 feet frontage to Mr Robert Kiddon the 10th 'of the same month they granted sites to Mr W. Grant and Dr Corse ; and on the 18th ■of the same month they received Mr Weaver’s ■application in such a way as would lead ns •clearly to infer they meant to grant it if certain •conditions were complied with. After this ■date, finding, we suppose, that it was not altogether profitable to keep on granting sites for nothing, the Council applied to his Honor to endow the municipality with the Reserve, with the view,” to use the then Town•clerk’s words, “of the Corporation improve ing and embellishing the appearance of the town, in laying it out as a plantation, or •otherwise as they may think advisable,” it being, “in its present state, a great eyesore, •&c., &c.,” —the writer of the letter evidently not being aware that he was applying, as before stated, for a portion of the main road, and not a reserve at all. To make confusion Averse confounded, the Government granted Avhat really was a reserve, stipulating very Unnecessarily that no buildings of any kind should be erected upon it, but that it should be held sacred to the purposes of recreation. Since then—-April, 1870—the Government bave not been communicated with, and the evil has steadily been growing larger, no Council apparently being willing to meet the difficulty, till we have arrived at the present pass. A large number of buildings are now erected on the main road, and their numbers are steadily increasing from time to time. The owners have evidently some claim upon the ' consideration of the Town Council, and there- : fore upon the citizens. And now comes the : question : Is their claim such as to demand the ; assistance of the Council in cutting off nearly 1 half the width of the main road in order to 1 enable them to secure Crown Grants to the • portions hitherto occupied by them ? That \ they have a claim, and that a very strong - one, no one will, we think, attempt to deny ; 1

but we also think the Council should try to get an expression of public feeling from the citizens on this subject. If it is in favour of the view adopted by the Council, their memorial will almost certainly bo favourably answered:; if nut, perhaps some compromise might be suggested which would meet all the wishes of the occupiers of the so-called Block IX.