LYALL BAY PURCHASE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 941, 7 October 1910, Page 6

LYALL BAY PURCHASE.

AN AGREEMENT. , CITY COUNCIL SATISFIED. The City, Council has at last virtually completed the purchase of the land at Lyall Bay which has been for a considerable time past the subject of negotiations with, the trustees of the late H. P. Crawford.

Speaking at the. council meeting last night, the Mayor (Mr. Wilford, M.P.) said that, after many months-of negotiations, a provisional agreement had that day been entered into between the Crawford trustees and himself, on behalf of the council, and he .was pleased to say that the council in committee had now confirmed it,. and . expressed-their satisfaction with the terms. The acquisition of the land had long''been regarded as necessary, and the only, difference of opinion among Councillors .was as to the terms..-' The numerous 'discussions -that . had. 'taken place had helped in the elucidation of the problem, and the objections ..that, had been raised to. certain of, the terms in the first- suggested ;arfangement had- led to the council securing better' terms. The .trustees had hot' treated the council unfairly. Twenty*acres were. to. be purchased' by- the;council for i£lßo,;,and four acres would be given, to the. council by the .trustees without any payment. at all// These four acres'were in front of ;ho \ twenty acres,, and- might , used eventually by the- council for the.Vpurpose of making a road which would- proV ably, in/ the. future connect the-Queen's; Drive with Seatoun. .There was ■no commitment to. make : -the road.' The trustees were to hand ■ over- the'-twenty acres .for, ,£IBO ■ and the four, acres ;'free without any, conditions as .to. the time of making any road. . The council. would igive the 'trustees access eighteen 'feet wide. across the twenty acres, 1 such ■' access to. join: with the-road on the four acres,, ithat ; road -was.' made—"when :niade," : .. were the., words ; ,of ; the agreement. He.thought they.could congratulate the ' citizens . oh"' having .'secured the foreshore and the'land for a recreation reserve for all?time. (Hear/ hear.). In view, of the :giowing .popularity of;Lyall Bay,: it was the desire : of.' the council /to ' see the foreshore held by .the- people, -ami 'not. by 'a-'few'individuals'against ■them.' ■'/ , . .'■■ ;■-'■.,. ■•■',. ■'■'■ .■■■/' ;:/:.■:.-''

Councillor Fletcher-said /that hei iiad -objected to •what-had'/be'eniformerly':pro-posed, but he now: wished to:. congratu--.late' the Mayor. and Council; on :the: bargain, made. 'He- thought - the. question of access:might-have-been left -out; but the bargain .was probably; the.-best' that" could haye,-been secured. . The;property would .be of great -value-to: the councilin., connection-with; the development of Lyall Bay. - V:;/ •■: ; ~-'.•;:'. ' Councillor; Luke also congratulated - the' .Mayor, and: council: on' having ''done ' the right, thing.-.The;-council .now' had a strip of land one-third! of a'' mile, long, which, with the twenty acres, would'prac-. iically make the • council's -property, ex'tend' from the Lyall.Bay'tram ..terminus, to; the approach; towards ,"Seatoun.'.' . This would be.;of great- value'-'for "picnicking and other'purposes, and' the keeping of ;the;beach:for; all time in' the. hands, of the city, would';bo ;a'great boon. ..The negotiations which, were-entered into by, the lata- Mayor * had', given' : the councila great deal ;-of- work. They-had. been carried ..through.to-a successful .issue, by. the'-.-presont -Mayor; and vtho time'.would t come':,.when .tho^ipeople .would recognise, the -value of the work. .';'.:-. v-.f. ;-.-,.■ ' 'Pouhcillo'r,;.Srhith : added:his cdngratuliv ,tions.'."^The'' whole 'foreshore' from Island Bay to' -the.;.far.-end, of, Lyall Bay. ; now belonged ,'to -the city, 'and the : . citizens would .'appreciate, that, fnctyas' it' would enable, the .council.-, to prevent manufac? torics,.' etc. i; : being "erected' there. \ ■; :'•. ; i.The following motions were unanimously' ■',' ','[■' :".-<.' .'■■;-'■■:'.'.■.

/Councillor' Fitzgerald said the -present excellent, ; arrangement was largely '; due: to tho - strenuous 6ppositfon":bf >'the-.'.-lote Councillor Devino and others to. a -pre-. vious proposal. ; , - ' '

(1) That ' the resolution passed 1 , at ; the .meeting:.'of •; the -council held /.on , July 14, 1910, having reference to the'.'. •' purchase- by ..the council ' from.-:'.tho;'•;■ : : trustees; of - the late ;H. ,D., Crawford's;..'.Estate' uf; 20 acres', of land'.at Lyall ; ■Bay at .£IBO per -acre .(subject to 'av right-., of '.. access . through; same) and . '■■ the.taking over, of four acres, adjoin- i '~-. ing: from; the: said, trustees for 'foa£ ;. purposes, .the-, road to' be formed- by;, :; the:.council at'- its ':' own'- ' cost .be' /rescinded; ' . ■ ' :; ; .: ; ; -:-,- ', ,;'; ;(2);;THat, this/, council, expresses.-its ■• appreciation of the work; done .by the / •;: Mayor in this matter, and 'that effect ' be given to"the tentative, agreement'-, ■:', laid before the council this evening;-.-/ / - Other motions of.which the' Mayor had given -withdrawn. ■.--., :.,.;.'.'