BLOCK IX, CROMWELL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 645, 28 August 1874, Page 3

BLOCK IX, CROMWELL.

—o— The action of the Municipal Council of Cromwell, at its last meeting with reference to a communication from the Provincial Government respecting the Block IX question is deserving of especial consideration. It seems that Mr John Marsh, an old resident—without consulting the local body—penned and sent a letter to the Provincial Government complaining of the illegal occupation by certain residents of Block IX, and to this letter the Government replied, intimating to the Council that if they did not, with as little delay as possible remove, or cause the buildings on Blo"k IX to be removed, the Government would be compelled to do so and charge the Corporation with the expenses consequent on such removal. As this matter is one which deeply affects the future of Cromwell I propose to give a resume of the facts. The first encroachment was by Mr Dagg, who erected a stable opposite bis hotel—this was in IBC9. After this permission was applied for and granted by the then Council to several citizens to bu : M on the south side of Melmore Terrace; but from some unaccountable and mysterious circumstance the Council thereafter suddenly applied to the Superintendent to endow the Municipality with this same ground as a Reserve “for the purpose of enabling the Corporation to improve and embellish the appiarance of the town by laying it out as a plantation, or otherwise, as they might think fit, as it was, in its present state, a great eyesore.” The Government granted this reserve subject to the provision that no buildings were to be ■erected, nor were the Council to let the same. The Government then offered it to the Corporation as a Recreation Ground, but the Corporation declined to accept it as such, they being of opinion that it was not adapted for the purpose ; and they applied, in lieu thereof, for a Recreation Reserve of 60 acres, situate, on the flat, which the Government at once granted. The Council still allowed people to erect substantial buildings, anil continued to levy and collect rates, thereby inducing the occupants to believe that some compromise had been effected, and that they had the legal right to hold possession so long as they paid the rates. It was then determined that a memorial should be prepared praying that Melmore Terrace should be reduced from the Cromwell Bridge to Innis street to a uniform width of 57 feet; that' the then north and north-cast line of Melmore Terrace should remain undisturbed. That the land withdrawn from Melmore Terrace on the south side, and opposite Block IX. should be added to the said block and handed over to the Corporation as a reserve for the purposes of revenue, or otherwise, and be subdivided into sections, and sold. This memorial was numerously signed, and placed in the hands of the new Mayor (Mr Dawkins) for presentation to the Goldfields’ Secretary (Mr Bastings), and Mr Turnbull (Provincial Secretary), who were then on a visit to the district, but whether it was ever presented remains to he answered True it was, to use the Mayor’s own words, “lying on the table before Mr Bastings, with other papers and equally true it was that neither of these gentlemen pave any positive instructions upon the matter. I contend that public opinion having been in favor of the prayer contained in the memorial, it would only have been an act of right, courtesy, and grace on the part of the Government to have acceded thereto, especially as a portion of Block IX and Bock XXVII were, and still are on that which was originally surveyed as a public road. The buildings on Block XXVII are also on the surveyed road, and it does appear most unfair to compel those located on Block IX to shift because the road is only a chain wide, and yet extend the privilege to the residents of Block XXVII to squat on the same roa 1. Indeed, it would be a difficult task to find out Block IX, as the Kawarau waters flow over the greater porof the original block. Xu sane man can urge that Melmore Terrace is not sufficiently wide (66 feet) to permit of all dray traffic for the next 20 years, as three waggons can at the present tune pass abreast on ai y part of it. W by then should the Provincial Government insist upon the occupants to remove from off this block contrary to the express wish of the majority of the ratepayers ; and why have they allowed the matter to remain in a passive state so many years ? New buildings have been erected, and others are in the course of erection. If the Provincial Government desire, seriously and permanently to injure Cromwell, no safer means can be pursued than (heir threatened action ; if they desire to act wisely they will do so by leaving the matter to the Municipal Council, unaccompanied by any threats. It must also be remembered that the Otago Local Revenues’ Ordinance, of IST—, makes all revenue derived within the limits of the borough munic : pal ordinary revenue of the Corporation, in contradistinction to the ordinary revenue o’ the Province, and it may be fairly asked whether the Provincial Government can deal with property within the limits of the borough and rated by the Corporation without the consent of the local body. Mr Marsh may have good cause for complaint, or he may not; with that we have nothing to do, hut he certainly might have had the courtesy to acknowledge the existence of of the Council. The plea of ignorance cannot avail, as he, in times gone by, had the honour of being a Councillor. Whatever censure he may be entitled to receive is nothing compared to that which the Government deserve. They forward a letter merely stating a complaint had been made by a solitary individual, at the same time intimating that in the event of their request not being complied with they would take the matter into their own hands. The usual copy letter “ for information,” was not even forwarded ; and we venture to say that such conduct will not meet with a parallel in the history of Provincial officialdom. I should have thought that the more dignified course would have been to

have returned Mr Marsh’s letter, directing that gentleman to apply to the local Council, and if the issue were unsatisfactory then it would have been time enough to have invoked the aid of the mightier power > more especially as it was a well-known fact that this Council had only been elected some throe weeks, and that the majority of its members were, in their candidture, pledged to deal with Block IX. I doubt not that Ors Taylor, Shauly, and Whetter justly felt very indignant at the uncivil treatment by the Government; but I am sure they will, on reflection, acknowledge the wisdom of Cr Grant's amend meat, and recognise the fact of the old adage “two wrongs don’t make a right. ” The action of the Provincial Government can neither be defended or excused, as practically considered, it resolves itself into a free invitation to every citizen to ignore the existence of the Corporation, and to hold the sword of Damaeles, symbolized by red tapeism and Governmental bungling, over the heads of those who are so unfortunate as to be entitled to sign Cr after their or his name. I have done with this matter, but reserve other remarks till a future issue. In conclusion I wish to congratulate the Mayor and Councillors in having upheld the dignity and honour of the Council. Just.