KING'S ROAD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1099, 11 April 1911, Page 6

KING'S ROAD.

MEETING AT MIRAMAR,

DEAL WITH A GAS COMPANV,

Troublous times were expected at thfl meeting of the ratepayers in the Miraniar Borough held at the Worser Bay Kiosk lasl evening, but Iho only evidences of any serious storm came from the howling gale that raged without the buildnig. Now and then there were dangerous muttering*, but discussion never became anything more than discussion. Tlio Mayor (Mr. J. Urodie) occupied thu chuir ami the member;, of tiio borough Council were present at Mic table. About «S);t}' ratepayers attended. '•the Mayor said ho was sorry there was occasion to call « public meeting. Ho accused certain councillors of absenting UioinsQlvcs from the meetings of the council in order that there should not be a quorum to deal with the matter of dilmnishiiig the width of King Street, Mira- !""• , , I v, ' ;,s . a matter that should liavu been dealt with by the council who were very well with its details. At the timo of the old council the then aoyor would not face tlio question, inero was an election coming on now, but ho (the speaker) was determined to ace tlio question in the interest of the bciough. 310 called on Councillor Howie «ho was opposed io the proposal to diminish the width of the rpad, to speak. Councillor Bowie expressed surpnsa at being asked to sneak tirst. fie h;ul oulj expected to be cal.ed upon to refute arguments for tlio proposal. He had felt from the tiVst if the negotiations that it was a very unwise plan to reduce the width 0- .i • plrpe f lron ' idnety-nino feet to sixt,\ -six, unless there were exceptional circumstances. Exceptional circumstances lied not been shown. He argued that tlio statements that the narrower width, of the road would save <£150 a year in uukeep would not bear examination. Ho contended also that the matter had been rushed through the council. The gas company had offered to open a new road Gtift. wide, and in lime hand it over to (ho council. This would give them two roads when the wide one lliey had would suflice. Tlio Gas Company's road Would benefit no one but tlio Gas Companv. Jvo doubt it would he nil excellent tiling for the Gas Company if the strip pf land taken from the road were sold to them as proposed, and their road taken over cut hp could consider (ho matter only from the point of view of the council. (Applause.) Tho whole matter of thn transaction in tlio council had been bungled, and he and fellow councillors had stopped away to force file'- 1 matter before tlio ratepayers, and leave it for the new council lo deal with. (Applause.)

In Favour of the Proposal'. Councillor Bell was next called on. Ho was in favour of tho proposal. lie discredited the previous speakers' vemavks about bungling. The Uns Company was bound up with the welfare of tho bor» ougli, and while conserving its own interests there was no reason why it should not try and give them assistance. Tho new road would never be taken from tho company until tho Harbour Board had lowered the hill. The proposals of the company would increase the finance'of tho borough, "1 now call on Councillor Muir to slato llis case," said the Mayor. Councillor Muiv spoke strongly against such a retrograde step as to reduce tho width of the street. Jn time King Street would bo the mtiin outlet , to and irom tho Miramar wharf. A voice: "It has only got a narrow approach from either end." • Councillor llichards said he had como to consider tho proposal a good one. King's Road was not tho main outlet to tho wharf,. but Miramar Avenue was. Mr. V. R. Meredith pointed out that under the Act tho land could only bo sold.to adjoining owners. Under the Act also they were bound to havo the land valued before selling it, but in this caso they acceptcd an oiler from the Gas Company for (he strip of road for JJ7SO. It seemed' late now to appoint a valuer after the offer was accepted. , The borough might not be legally bound to keep to th6ir, offer; but the valuation must surely be prejudiced by the council's action. It seemed (hat the scction in the Act had been overlooked. Tho Mayor"Oh, no; it has not beea overlooked." Councillor M'Lood contended that tha council should have obtained tho services of a competent valuer beforo tho company's offer was accepted. By their proposed now road the company was getting two'more frontages, and, therefore, it was not the case, as had been said, that the borough was selling depth and not frontage. The company's land would become very much more valuable.' In va-luing, a general average should be struck from the propcrlies round, and that,' lie contended, would give a price ranging from .£IOOO to .C 1590 yer acre.

Tho Mayor said (hat (ho price paid by tlio Gas Company for their land at a

"boom time'' Was .CKS per acre. Tho pi ice the borough was receiving for lliis ship ill a depression period was at vim rate of i'SOO tier acre. Supposing tlio valuation placed the land as worth .£l.">o (which, in his opinion, was what it was worth), woro they not doing well in getting ,£750? (Applause.) In any ease, tlio contract was not completed until it was signed, sealed, and delivered, and that could not bo done until the special orders were complied with. Was the Act Complied With? Mr. Meredith pointed out that his con. teution was that the Act which directed valuation first had not been complied with. In tho course of further discussion, tho Mayor submitted the wholo of the transactions that had taken placo in council in regard to this particular matter. Mr. Meredith: "Tho position is that if you get a meeting which confirms your special order, then you have to get a valuation made before you can sell. What is tho good of getting a valuation when you havo committed yourself to tne Gas Company for .£750? You are committed morally, if not legally." A questioner: "Who made the first move?" The Mayor: Two years ago tho Gas Company had njado the first move. They had made Sir. Crawford, the late Mayor, an offer of .£6OO, which was not taken seriously al tho time. ■ Another ratepayer: "Supposing, in tho event of another valuation being made, what will you do it your valuer values at JC900?" Pressed on the point, the Mayor said they would take X'7M. The ratepayer: "But you can't. You will infringe the Municipal Corporations Act." Mr. Meredith: "You will admit the valuation has lo be done?" Tho Mayor: "Oh, yes," Mr. Meredith: "You must, remember that you ara bound by the valuation, whatever it is. 1 am not complaining about the price. It is only a question of making a deal fust and a valuation afterwards."

Councillor Bell, replying to flfr. Bowio on (lie mnttev of liaving rushed through the negotiations, said that the Gas Company wanted to get on with their reticulation, and urgently required more land, Tho matter had been going on for eighteen months. Too much of the time of the council was taken up with recriminations. (Loud applause.) A lady stood up, and hazarded the opinion that it seemed that the council liau more of the interest of the Gas Company at heart than the interest of the borougli.

A ratepayer, who deprecated "hencackling," said it was the duty of the ratepayers to put into the council lluisu people who were prepared to do their best for the borough, and who meant, what they said. II seemed to him' Hint there wcro some of that class in. In regard to the deal with the Gas Company, ho was with tho Mayor entirely, (Loud applause.) Tho Mavor said lie thought the atmosphere had been cleared, and no harm done. The matter would now have to be dealt with by the next council.