RATEPAYERS’ MEETING AT EAST MALVERN.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1658, 13 June 1879, Page 3

RATEPAYERS’ MEETING AT EAST MALVERN.

The adjourned meeting of ratepayers was held in the Road Board office, East Malvern, on Wednesday, 11th inst. Mr McMillan, who apologised for the absence of Mr Mcllraith, was elected chairman. The minutes of last meeting were read, but Mr Jobson objected to them on the ground that they were incomplete, as the dork should have included the resolution of the Board with that of the ratepayers. The Chairman stated that it was not intended to mix the ratepayers’ minutes of meeting with those of the Board, The Chairman said that the Board had, since last meeting, deputationiacd the Commissioner of Crown Lands, from whom he had received a letter; also one from the Chairman of Selwyn County Council, which he would read to them. Office of Selwyn County Council, Christclnrch, Bth May, ’879. Sir, —I have, by direction of the County Council, submitted to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, your letter on the subject of planting certain reserves in your district, with a recommendation that it be complied with, and have now received his reply, copy of which I enclose. With regard to two of these reserves, namely, that for police purposes and that for education, No. 1241, there appears to be no practical difficulty in the way of the Road Board at once commencing operations, pending such further proceedings as may be necessary to put them in legal possession of the land they propose to plant. I shall feel much obliged if you will inform whether the suggestions made by Mr Marshman upon this subject meet with the approval of the Road Board. I have the honor to he, Sir, Tour obedient servant, John Hall. The Chairman East Malvern Road Board. The Chairman read the following letter, received from Mr Mars': man : Land Office, Christchurch, May 7th, 1879. Sir,—lt wo ald give me pleasure to assist, so far as it might be in my power to do so, in furthering the proposals of the East Malvern Road Board contained in your letter of the 25th ult. The Board can have possession at once of two of the pieces of land which they propose to plant. One of these pieces, about fifty acres, is part of a reserve for police purposes. The other piece, about twenty-five acres, is part of an education reserve No. 1241. The title to this is in the school commissioaers.

There can be no question as to the usefulness of the planting which the Road Board purposes to do, and although I have not had an opportunity of submitting the proposal to the school commissioners, I am quite satisfied that when it is submitted they will be willing to make such terms respecting it as • they have the power to make. The school commissioners have not a power of sale or exchange of lands, but the case would probably be met by lease to the Road Board for a term of years at a nominal rent, and a covenant by the Board to fence and plant within some specified time. With the concurrence of the Boad Board, I will submit the proposal to the school commissioners. As to the strip of two chains wide, part ef a three-chain strip adjoining what is known as the Gorge road, it will, I think, be necessary to submit the proposal to the Minister for Public Works. It is a railway reserve, and will probably be used for a railway line. The map accompanying your letter contemplates th s, and proposes to retain one chain in width for this purpose, but it is possible that the Railway authorities may see some objection to the planting of this strip. The trees would come very near to the line of rail, and what I think would be alleged as a further objection to the plantation is that it is to the eastward or sunny side of the line. I will, however, submit the proposals to the Minister of Public Works, if the Road Board should, on re-consideration, desire that it be submitted.

The fourth piece is also a railway reserve, No 435. It appears improbable that it will be ever required for that purpose, but it will be necessary to obtain the concurrence of the Public Works department in the allocation of it to any other purpose. I will submit this proposal also, if I hear from you that it is desired.

Supposing that there should he an objection to the partial use of one and the use wholly of the other of these railway reserves for planting, there would still be available the two pieces first mentioned, together about seventy.five acres. It may he that the Road Board might on recommendation propose to substitute some other pieces of land for these two railway reserves, either portions of plantation reserves, or others, or Crown lands, if Crown lands can be found, which the Board may consider suitable. I have the honor to be, sir, Your obedient servant, J. Maeshman, Commissioner of Crown Lands.

The Chairman, Selwyn County Council. Mr Jebson considered that the Road Board could not plant railway reserves as they could not get a title to the lands except by an Act of Parliament, and as for the education reserve, the longest time the education com* miefl'.oners could lease land was fourteen years, and he did not think that the Road Board would be justified in spending money and enhancing the value of the land, to which they had no title. He considered it was very, bad taste of the Board’s deputation not to have been present at this meeting, as he was one of the prime movers in the matter, and might at least have sent in writing what he had done. The Chairman—Mr Rossiter has been most energetic in the matter, and deserves great praise, instead of censure, from the ratepayera. After a long discussion the three following resolutions were put to the meeting and carried unanimously ; “ That in the opinion of this meeting the Road Board should decline to plant any portion of the education reserve, 1241, the title to which is vested in the school commissioners.”

“ That this meeting recommend the Board to acquire 50 acres of the police reserve, 424, for the purpose of planting, on condition that it be vested permanently in the Board for the use of the road district.

“ That this meeting would suggest to the Board the desirability of securing an exchange of Reserve 1736 for other land in the road district, from north to south of the district.” Mr Jebson —Have the Board done anything in the matter of Dean’s Gully road. The Chairman —The Road Board considered the matter at its last meeting, _ and were unanimous that the road in question was not worth the cost, as it ran through private property, and was of very little practical use. Mr Jebson—Are we to understand, then, that Mr Minchin’s land runs down to river’s edge P It can’t j for here is (pointing to map) a reserve for road, and he must say that the Board must have some hidden reasons for not opening the road, and were acting with great injustice, just to favour a few interested persons. The Chairman —Mr Jebson has taken his usual license, but I can only say that the Board acta with the greatest impartiality and fairness, and that the road in question is not worth the cost of forming. Mr Jebson proposed, and Mr Heighway seconded —“ That this meeting stand adjourned till the second Wednesday in July, and that in the interim the Board prepare a full report as to cost, &c., of the Dean’s Gully road.”