LUNGS FOR THE CITY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1203, 11 August 1911, Page 6

LUNGS FOR THE CITY.

BIG LAND PURCHASE. In Committee last evening, tho Wellington City Council decided upon the purchase, at tho cost price ..of .£125 per acre, of an additional area on the Crowford Estato.at Lyall Bay approximating 75 acres, which, added to tho council's previous acquisition of twelve, eight, and ten-acre blocks at the bay, will givo tho city; for all time, a breathing spaco of about 100 acres. Tho council has held aii option over this area, which expired oil August 17, and it had reason to ],<•- lievothat once lapsed, the option would not be .renewed. Negotiations with the Government resulted in an agreement being arrived at whereby the council will pay half only, of tho purchase money, tho Government paying the other half on the understanding that the area, or such portions of it as may be convenient, shall be available for use by Territorial units indulging in field tactics, and so on. Two acres and a half are also to be set aside as a site for military stores. The I council is to level 30 acres of the newlypurehased block of 75 acres, at tho rate of 7J. acres per annum, commencing next year. Within tho urea is a small block of four acres, belonging to tho Miramor Borough Council, Hip transfer of which to the city is expected to present nothing mnrn than n formal negotiation. .

Referring to tho council's decision, the Mayor remarked to a representative of The Dominion that the step taken' was justified by the certainty that the population of the city would he trebled or quadrupled in tho years to come. "Wellington is a child city in population," ho said, "and we mu=t look years ahead. The citizens of Wellington have now reason to feel proud in tho knowledge that tho council has a recreation resorvo of 100 acres." Indicating the' locality of the area on the plain—fioin almost tho farthermost end of Hie long beach on its south-eastern side, to within a few chains of the tramway line, oml from the s\t bnck to the lino of.the qrrat outfall sower— the Mayor rc-nifirked that a block of land adjacent, on the tramway sido, had just changed hands nt .£3OO per acre, and ho considered that at .£O2 10s. por aero the council wns 'extremely fortunate in becoming possessed of such a valuable block.