CORONATION MEMORIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 482, 23 July 1902, Page 2

CORONATION MEMORIAL.

BATTLE OK THE SITES

The question of the memorial site came up in a new form at the Borough Council meeting last night, an application being made for the Point, site, Messrs Vi. Webb and Sons wrote “ Wo write to you with respect n> the section at Read's- Quay, and want to know will you let it fur a term of years. We would require 320 feet of frontage, taking the land from high water mark, and leaving a chain roadway, We are prepared to make a substantial offer for the use of ~tiie ground." Cr Harding : What part is it ?, Or Jones : The Point. Cr Harding : It does not say so, Cr Miller : It is a hit of bluff. Cr Lysnar moved that the application lx- not considered. The Mayor said they had no title to the land. Cr Jones moved that the Town Clerk be instructed to make enquiries with a view to getting thu land vested in the Council.

The Mayor : .That is- the proper course. Cr Kennedy said if if was- not in the hands of the Council they, had no need to apply for it, Cr Lysnar said they should give a point blank refusal, and not give the idea that they would barter away any of the foreshore. Everything was at the upper end, and not at this end. Cr Jones : They have the money down here, Cr Lysnar : Rut not open spaces. The Kaiti hank was being made a nice place, and he supposed someone would want to take that yet. Cr Whinray seconded Cr .Jones’s motion, and warmly advocated the utilising of the Point, for commercial purposes. It would greatly help the laudable work of the Beautifying Association. They would probably by submitting the land to public tender obtain £511(1 a year revenue from it. He had pleasure in supporting tiic motion, so that if necessary a Bill could he drafted to have the land vested in the Council as a source of revenue.

The Mayor said he was prepared to support that, and he thought the Council would agree to it. Cr Kennedy : We should deal with the letter first.; Cr Miller said he did not sec why the Council should not decide tho other question at once. They were almost unanimous not to allow the Point t.o lie let for revenue. Cr Hepburn said that they were not unanimous. lie strongly held that they should utilise the foreshore. If they wanted breathing spaces they would not go to the Point for them. Cr Jones said he did not propose to go into the question of the letting or otherwise of the foreshore now. He believed that in time they would have to let it. In a few years the town would so grow that it would extend away over the Kaiti and Whalaupoko. ■They would have open spaces yet given to them.; The Mayor strongly opposed 'the Jetting of the foreshore except lor public purposes, (Cr Jones : Hear, hear). lie went on to. instance ul>plications that had been made lor leases, and said they would, not -lie able to make the wharves there now if they had granted those leases, lie would always oppose allowing building on the foreshores. Cr Whinray said their reply, should he that they, were not yet in a position to lease, Cr Kennedy : No, no d 1 move that the request he declined. Or Lysnar : I second that, Cr Whinray moved t-liat the reply, be that the Council would not lie in a position to treat with the applicants until such time as the land was vested in the Council, Cr Hepburn seconded .the amendment, The amendment was lost, thoso for being Crs J Whinray, Hepburn, and Jones-* I The motion was then carried, C'rs. Hepburn and Whinray opposing. Cr Jones asked that his- motion now be put, Cr Lysnar: There is no occasion for it, Cr Whinray : There is occasion for it. You may just as well do it in a soft manner as try to force our hand. If we do not get it this way it will be done by petition, Cr Jones : I think I have a rigid to ask for the motion to bo put. Cr Whinray: They, arc trying .to force our hands. Cr Miller : There is no use you trying to force our hands in the matter. You have no chance. The Mayor said he could see no objection to the motion.

In reply to a question, the Mayor said there was a portion that was not u. road or vested in the Council. Cr Kennedy thought it would he as well to know the position, with which Cr Harding agreed. Cr Jones’s motion was then carried unanimously. In the outward correspondence there was a letter to the Memorial Committee, forwarding the resolution of the recent public meeting. Later on, Mr Whinray asked if it was necessary to discuss the resolution of the public meeting until it had gone before the Joint Committee "meeting. The Mayor said he did not think there was any use in going over the ground twice. Cr Jones : Kveryilxniy approved of it when it was read, so it is all right. The Mayor said he assumed the Council would meet the Harbor Board when the subject was again gone into. Cr Harding : Is that to l>e the last and final fight ? The Mayor : I don’t know. After some facetious remarks, the subject was dropped.