THE CITY RESERVES.

Evening Star, Issue 3810, 11 May 1875, Page 3

THE CITY RESERVES.

This morning a deputation from the Corporation, snhsfefing of the Mayor and Councillors Catfroll, Grant,, and Walter, waited upon the Superintendent with reference to the above.

The Matob BtSd the subjects they wished to bring before his Honor were the exchange of ■'the old Bdtaxgcal Gardens reserve for an equal area of the dm cemetery reserve at the top of Rattray steed; ; and the requirement by the Government of two sections of the Albany street reserve for the purposes of a playground for the school. As to the first he did not think there would be any difficulty in making a satisfactory exchange, and if carried out he thought it would be desirable that the Corpo- r ration should hate permission -to. let portions of the cemetery reserve on building leases, as it joined the town bolt and formed an excellent site for villa residences.' With reference to the sections required by the Government as a playground for the Albany street school he would remind his Honor that in September last permission was given to the Corporation to lease all the sections in the block—all those needed for railway purposes having been taken up—and notice was accordingly given to the tenants to quit their holdings. Now, however, the two sections requited by the Government were really the beat in the block, and the Corporation felt rather nettled, after permission to let them was given, at the mosfc, valuable ones being taken away. They were desirous of meeting the Government in any reasonable way, but must object to putting down in the proportion of LIOO to every Ll5O for the maintenance of the school in that particular district. There were three ways in which the Government could act, viz., give the Corporation a fair exchange in return for the two sections, pay a fair rental, or give a money compensation. His Honor would be aware that L 2,000 had been voted for , the improvement of York place, and ho (the Mayor) hoped the Government would be induced to place on the Estimates a sum for the improvement of the Town Belt,

Hlb Honor said the apparent discourtesy shown by the Government was because of the necessity--for the two sections not bejng foreseen ; if it had been known that they would be required would have called attention to it at the time. His idea was all along that these reserves were quite available for public purposes of that sort without fee or reward. The Government were not in a position to grant L 2.000.

The Matob said that sum was not specified ; whatever sum the Government might think reasonable.

His Honor said there would be no objection to a fair exchange. The Corporation, however, had made another application fora site for a gasworks With reference to the other matter an Ordinance would have to be passed to enable the exchange to take place, and there would be no difficulty In enabling them to have eight acres. It must .be regulated, however, by the fact that a portion must be reserved for the Middle District School, which must be put somewhere, and it had occurred to him ■that this would be a good site. Still, as there were twelve or fourteen acres altogether, there would be plenty of room. The Government did not want the control of the sections but only the use of them—they did not ask the Corporation to relinquish them for all time. It was a good idea for the Corporation to let part of the old cemetery reserve on building leases. The two matters brought forward by the deputation would be submitted to the Executive.