A CITY LIGHT AREA.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2013, 21 March 1914, Page 2

A CITY LIGHT AREA.

CJR; HINDMAESH AND MR, SEIKTCLIFm old imm mmm. At Thursday's meeting of tho City Council, CounciUor A. H, Hindmarsh, n '•> j e . veJ1 ?4 a ctla ''ga against Mr. Geo. Swrtcliffc, jnaßa.giiig director of Messrs. A. S. I'ata-son and G0. 4 in. Wc.ilingtoii, as th* result of a recommendation of tiie Lighting Committee of the council, to tho etfect that tfe light area granted to A. S. Paterson and Co. benot resumed, alleging that whilst a ■iiiembor of the council life (Jlr. SJiirtolitfe), with tlio assistaiee of oilier councillors, had gained an advantage for ins fifm {tho back of whoso premises abut o-n to tho electric 'lighting powerhouse), Thorsby, CoUncillm- Uindniarsh stated, that the seetion Jia.d been spoiled, and graiefally referred iu strong terms' to tho transaction.

■Ill© ehurg* aacording to Mr. bairtoliffe. is the same- as was made by Councillor .Bindmarsh in May, 181-2, when tijo Tramways Committed mended that the land in uuosiiGji be resumed, which recommendation Was not carried. The conclusion, of the- debate' ofi that oecisioa was the carrying of tip amendment by CouircjUor J. Fuller referring tho (resumption) clause baek to the eotuniittee, and asking for a report of. tiro engineer, fhat was carried by 8 votes to 5. 4 In th.o debate on that occasion (videDosmion, May I, .1312), ,OounciHor: Hindmarsh said that the matter re-l ferred to the application of Messrs. A. S. Patorson and' Co, in tlja first instance for a right-of-way. Hi; did not say that the- applicatkn should not Intvo been made, ani lie. took Softie of the Mjtmo himseiL Tile eomiiiitt.ee had relied on the chairman, who Jiad apparently neglected to obtain a report when tile ;appli.eati.on was made. Though. Mr. 'M'CoiJ; had protested, tho council had parted with the land for the ridiculous sum of. £12 a yosr, which hardly paid tho interest on the. cost of the wall the coun-, ell had been forced to erect, TJuVposi-. tion Was now that unless the. council resumed this Srea' a necessary fiSteiision of the switchboard could not he carried cut.. The sooner tfe .council got out ofits bad bargain the better. Oouiieillprs: had to trust fiho Sffotliefj and ri'heh tiey found tlijt theirirust had heen ed, owiftg to connivance Gt oUterwise, the sooner the mistake ivas rectified the better, the position, was, in shorts that tho. Officers had reported that the- land should not be parted, v'itli. It had- been, parted with to a city tolrnciHor. - Ocrtin«illo.r ShirtoliiEe, on ■'risitjg, said lie proposed to retire whilst tho matter was under diseii.ssion. Before retiring' lie dejired. to make ft statemoiit because of his position in the firm of A. S., Paterson and Co., aiid also as a member of th.e City .Qouncil. IJo had a feeling tliat rumnjng throug.h the W<wds of tho i-esb-lutiou, and those used hy CounciHor Hindniars'lj, titer©; was a'suggestion fliftt to (.Councillor Shirtclifte) had so.iiicliow as a- cailnfiillor iiifiufenocii tins decision of the council j and of. tho committee of that day in granting a ligllt area. H<i> Vs'ished tfl say that tWs applieation from li'is firm Was ftiado in PO6, moiitiis before he ever thought of becoming: a city couniciftof. Notkinj; was. doii.o in ths matter at that time,. Tlio reply the fem got to the'first'application for jt right of way • was that tbe matter would he cbnsici'ered ■ Vlien the. land h question was peing deklt with, ffho matter remained at tliat stag* until some tinio after Ap'rii, 1907. H. : o stded for tlie ccririieil rh BftT, ■■ and the matter of the light area waß, itot'tlceided Until October. He- wanted just to' say that lie had bold hims.elf ■ as a couneillor ontrrely aloof from tliis; matta' while it was ftitder cenßidOTatioii by tho committeo and by. the ■council. Ho had takon iiopart in tiro disßUssion,' and Councillor Bindnrars.li had.been.ni> ; generoim in suggesting, tiiat.thfiro had beoii comiivtance. -Ho fjid iioi think sie. should express any opinioft upon the. merits or dettjorite of what tto cbvnctl had done at that titino (19i3'7). It had to bo wnicmbpred that the matter was. being dealt with five- years. after t'lio event. IJottneffior Biftdmarsh. ha.d. ridi-.. euled the rait of £12 per year. It was the rent of a piece of land 30ft. by Bft. >. and double the- ijcait per square foot 'was' being paid Upon it that was being paid Upon, l.aiwt Of tho adjoining niaiii. Within the last few days he had consulted Sir. Atn&s (City Vainer)., ;ajid/ tho lattor had stated that Ho fcoiisider.ed' £12 per year ftuite'a lair ron.t for ihe land, Cdiinc'lllor ShirMiifo said ho .had not spoken, to a single councillor or to : tli.o Slayor- of that/ tinio (1.90:7') with re* gatd to the question.. ' Tho only man he Sad eo.fisuTted wa-s ]\J.r,. Bi.cnards.on. The ■ latter, after being in favonr of a- rights O/f'ivay ffofli Mercer Street, for . some reasah changed ]ifs mind, and'sftisl }w. would lravo iio objeetioii to the firm V c ' ing granted ,a>-light area.. No roport. had been made bV Mr. Bioliardsnn against granting this light Tho plan for it had been prepared in tiio electrical engineer's ofTico, and iio protest had been made at any timo. It was ■estromely unfair that any cottticillor should 'get up at tliat stage, five years after tins ovent, and awjrty that pressure had been hrqnght to_ bear by the spisaker in regard fo tliis paltry piece «.f land. .;..••• Couiicilloj: Shirteii'ff'ft then mado to leave tlio room, the Mayor said it' was unnecessary 'f«f luW to do so", hut 'Cotinerllor Shirtdif o persisted in. his intention. : " ■=•*■'. . Coming- dowii is last Thursday's meeting, Comrcftlor ttindniarsh again raises "the old question—seven years after tlio ovent. '