CITY RESERVES

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 42, 13 November 1926, Page 8

CITY RESERVES

ALIENATION OPPOSED MORE ABOUT KENT TERRACE HON. W. D. STEWART’S SUGGESTIONS More was heard about the preservation of city reserves in general and the Kent Terrace block in particular yesterday afternoon ■ when a deputation representing the newly-formed Wellington Reserves Protection Society waited on the Acting Prime Minister (Hon W. Downie Stewart) and the Attornev-General .(Hon. F. J. Rolleston). Regarding the Kent Terrace dispute the Acting;Prime Minister conveyed to the deputation the names of two adjudicators who, it was suggested, might come to an early decision. Tn introducing the deputation, Mr. T. Forsyth, M.P.. said it behoved residents to take, a firm stand and see that no more areas of the Town Belt and city reserves were taken from them. "As member for the district which abutted on one of the reserves attacked fie trusted that, the Govern? ment would seriously consider the rights of -the people as a whole and prevent what might be termed an act of vandalism. . '■ The president of the society (Mr. A.. R. Atkinson) criticised one or two of the points that had been raised in defence by the council when the court proceedings were in progress. If . had been asked by the council what was the commercial value of. the cabbage trees that were liable to be slaughtered. How could the cominer--ciar value' of fresh air and reserves be assessed? The council’s claim was that there' Was no commercial value; 1 rather should it be held that the value was infinite. The speaker dealt at length with the deductions from the original area set apart for recreation purposes under deed of trust by the New Zealand Land Law in 1842; and said that if 400 acres had in fifty yeatS it' was just a question as to how much longer the remaining 1000 acres of Town Belt ' would last unless a halt were made. Regarding' the proposed Kent Terrace Reserve tribunal Mr. Atkinson said the society was of opinion that the matter should be held over until the Town Planning Board was constituted. It was ’ recognised that safety-first requirements had first to apply, but the society believed that such, was not the. case, as far as the Kent Terrace Reserve was concerned. However, they .were prepared to submit loyally to the decision of the Town Planning Board, or some other independent competent authority, if the ruling were along, those lines. Mr. Atkinson emphasised the necessity for alienation of city reserves being prevented unless and until other areas of a similar size could be made avail-. able to replace them., Mt. A. L. Hunt said. he had every confidence that the logic of the representations would appeal to the Ministers, and that nothing designed to stultify the reserve? would be brought about;

Professor Kirk appealed to the Government, as a gardener, to protect the citizens hr .the matter. • ’ .

Reasonable Decision Wanted.

“This problem threatens to becomeinternational unless it-is settled very soon,” said the Hon. W. D.. Stewart, in reply, “and my desire is that a conclusion be reached before it becomes a running sore* such as to cause, friction between citizens who, from their own points of view, have, the good of the city at heart. One good arising out of the matter has been the creation of a society to take a direct and personal interest in fhe beautification of tlie city and. the protection of its reserves. ... Our only desire is to see, as the Legislature has thrown on the Government the burden of determining whether or not a proclamation should be issued,; that all parties are heard, and that a reason-; able decision is. arrived at.” Continuing, the Minister said he did ; n‘ot agree; with the principle - that all 'reserves.should be unviolable,; but he hoped that great care : would• be -taken-- in dealing; or interfering with; them. He did . not hold the view that they , were sacrosanct, as the question of safety and other overriding matters must be the dominating factors. “I am offering nd comment on the Kent Terrace question,” said the Minister, “but . generally I have held the view that there is a disposition on the part of people in New Zealand to,cut down a tree as soon as if grows up into a handsome specimen.'' I don’t say that is the case with regard to the Kent Terrace Reserve.” • Mr. Stewart ,was of. opinion that ■ the principle bf : substitution in the case of alienation, -would .require very careful working out-. Once the principle were-admitted, lie said; -there was.the danger of citizens receiving some y_ery. poor substitutes—lands, situated on .the., outskirts which would never .be of use.. It seemed. ,to be a very difficult , prin-. cipie to apply. ■ ■ ■■ .- • • ■ Mr.i-Atkinson: It would.be wanted., ouly.-as a restrictive principle. Suggested Adjudicators. . > Reverting to the Kent Terrace Reserve issue, the Minister said he did not want to set up elaborate machinery which might prolong the matter, nor did he want to come to a hasty decision on imperfect evidence. He ■ had received a letter from the Mayor stating, inter alia, that the council iiad decided that he should recommend that the whole question be referred to Mr. Hurst Seager and an engineer of the Public Works Department who after inspecting the locality should read the written statements of ’the council and the objectors, “I want to ask the deputation,” said the Minister, “how far that would meet their wishes.” He pointed out that if the matter were referred to a Magistrate time would be entailed in preparing an order of reference, which in the present instance would not be an easy matter. If the question went before the two experts mentioned, men iu whom the Government and the parties interested had confidence, an earlv decision should be made. That course 'would mean leaving open the wider question of the operation of the Town Planning Act. He wanted to see the question settled on its merits. The Government would agree to the appointment of Mr. Seager and the Public Works Department engineer. The deputation's reply was to the effect that the members concerned would confer on the proposal. . The . Botanical Gardens. Replying to a point raised about the Botanical Gardens, the acting-Prime Minister said if any movement were set in motion likely to prove injurious the society would, no doubt, apprise the Government, who would see that a proper decision' was arrived at He hoped that such problems would be removed from the Government’s control- by the operation of the Town Planning Aei, • ■■■/_