Gravel Reserve Leases.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 9 August 1910, Page 2

Gravel Reserve Leases.

Decisions of the Borough Council. MEETING ADJOURNED. TILL TO-NIGHT. The Mayor of Levi n (Mr B. R. / Gardener) presided over a special j meeting of t!ie Borough Council last evening at the Council offices, when the question of the Gravel Reserve leases was further considered. Those present wore:—Crs. Cameron, Mckeiizie, Lancaster, Franco, Palmer, H.Tiinrtn, Williams and Areus, with Mr I'. \Y. Goldsmith (town clerk). At the outset Cr. France moved the following resolution, notice of which had previously been given, and the text of which appeared in a recent issue of the Chronicle:—(l) That no leases for a longer period than <>ne year he granted for any portion of the Gravel Reserve, until after the present leases have expired, and the whole reserve hecomes the absolute property of the borough." In doing so, he said he held the Council could undertake the building of shops and letting of shops to retailers as well as any private individual could. He believed it was the council's duty to deal with the block just the same as if it belonged to them individually. It was about the biggest deal the council would have to con&idor, and he hoped the matter would be carefully investigated . Cr. Han nan seconded pro. forma in order to ascertain the views of the council. At the same time lie was totally opposed to the tenor ol the motion, which was too radical, and if adopted, would act unfairly to all parties. The Mayor also disagreed with the motion. He found, from personal inquiry, that many of the tenants were opposed to the suggestion that leases should not be held for a longer period than one year. One of the tenants had told him that he did not want his building to stand wJiore it was for the next ten years. He wanted to keep, he said, his tenan<'.y> 'ill d asked him (the Mayor) how was he likely to get any 'improvements carried out if he only had monthly or weekly tenancy. Cγ. France, continued the Mayor, •had said, wait till the reserve' becomes absolutely the property of the borough. But the Reserve was absolutely the property of the borough. He did not agree with building for the tenants. The thing could not be done. If a ma'n chose to erect a building for some particular trade let him take the responsibility, but be did not see why the council should take upon itself the responsibility. Possibly after the shops had been built twelve months they would have to be altoued to meet the requirements of now tenants. The scheme of £2 a foot wns not a right one, because the council would (have to borrow the money, and the erection of the buildings would _ have to take place and interest would have to lie provided. Again there would have to be continual repairs, and the council would have to reckon with empty shops and had debts. Wihile the tenants erected their ow n buildings the council's ground rents were absolutely secure, but if it erectc 1 - buildings itself o n the reserve it would have no security whatever. Under his scheme with an ordinary fair rentprovided they did not" go a halfpenny worth higher—if the whole o. the land were let in building it would bring in a total of £058, n n d the ground re n t would bring ' m £481. What they had to looli at was not the rent for 21 years, but the improvements which would < take place and whioh would increase I the revenues of the borough consid- " erably, particularly during the next ' 21 years Continuing, the Mayor said he dud not think the ground re n ts were too low. I n his opinion his scheme was a fair and just 'ne, and be thought the rental was in equitable one. If it could only ibtain £500 on an average from the Reserve for 21 years, he felt certain that they would fetch in £1000 during the next 21 years. The ■ouncil had no right to'make a fortune out of the scheme. Cr. Williams expressed himself as ipposecl to Cr. France's motion • Mid said that, with one of two exceptions, the Mayor's scheme was v very good and fair o 7l e. Cr. Lancaster formally opposed ;nc motion, as also did Crs. Cameron and Palmer. Cγ. France, i n .reply, remarked that bis scheme apparently had falen flat, but at the same time he had not changed his views. The motion was rejected. . .Hie following motion also stood in the name of Cr. France, but inasmuch as the first motion, had been so Unanimously rejected, he did not press it, and o n the motion of the Mayor, he was allowed to withdraw it. The motion was as follows:—That a committee he appointed to interview the present tenants, lessees, or any other person wishing to rent a n y buildings upo n the Gravel Reserve, with the view of lotting to such persons any of the aforesaid.p remises on either a weekly, monthly, or yearly tenancy. The Mayor the n moved: That tl'se Oxford street frontages of section 8, block XL, from Mr Pink's shop to Miss Farquhar's shop inclusive, he surveyed in two sections corresponding with the present holdings. Cr. McKenzie seconded, and the motion was adopted. The Mayor next moved: That the; several lots of section 8, block XL, as surveyed and proposed to be surveyed, be offered for lease at public auction on or about the Ist October, 1910. Cr. Cameron seconded the motion, which was sip-reed to.

Cr. MoKenzio moved, and Cr. Cameron seconded the following resolution, which was adopted: That the lease shall be iji accordance with tlie provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, sub-clause (l>). The Mayor moved: That clause 4 be adopted, making the value of buildings to be erected of ne- less value than £250 on the- Oxford street frontage. Or. Cameron seconded. Cr. Hannan, as amendment, moved that the sum be increased to £500, with a time limit of 5 years to be extended if sufficient progress has been made in that time with the building to warrant the extension of such time. Cr. Palmer seconded the amendment. The Council wanted, he said, decent buildings on the reserve. They had ihad enough of " rookeries." It was ridiculous to

put the minimum at £250. The Mayor remarked that lie did not mind meeting the Council half way and making some alteration, in his scheme, but it was α-ddicukras to make n'- distinction between a 20ft and a 40ft. section- They could not expect a man who had only a' 20ft. section to pay £500—as much as the man. who had a 40ft. soction. Personally, he would like to see tenants submit .plans to the Council for approval or otherwise, and he thought that would suit the incoming tenants much better than a clause like that proposed by Cr. Hannan , Or. Lancaster asked the Council not to endorse the amendment. To do so would be to dirivo the small man out. Or. McKerizie objected to tlie proposal that the tenants should submit plans -to .the Council. Ti6y

that buildings that were a disgrace to the borough should t>o eroctOr. Williams thought that . £250 was too high, if anything- In his opinion there was a tendency on the part of that Council, in this matter, tx> coerce the ten ante. Various amendments were formally moved and rejected, and in the course of Roimo conversational discussion, Or. Han nan referred to the remarks of Or. Williams, and warmly defied that thje Council was trying to inflict hardships on the .tenants. (Nothing was further from the Council's intention, but the Council did ijisist on having decent buildings. It would not bo satisfied with "rnmshackled" buildings like those in Weraroa. (Oh! and laughter). Cr. Palmer incidentally remarkod that he knew of speculators who in tended,.competing with the existing retailers. The Cou'n ol ' Wilst deba.r tthe, speculator from coming in- (Applause). , Eventually, on the. motion- of Or. McKenzie, the following motion was adopted, the Mayor having} Ml the meantime, asked leave to withdraw his proposition: "That all plans for buildings be submitted to the Council, which the Council will have ix>wer. to amend, but no person be asked to put up a building oostnig more than £500." In moving: That clause 5 be adopted.—i.e., that the lessee of any of the sections fronting. Chamberlain street shall not erect any house tiliereon of a less value than £250, or any other building thereon without the previous consent of the Councilj the Mayor said.he thoiipjht £250 was striking, the happy medium. The Council should have the privilege of saying .what buidlings were to be erected beyond a d.wol-Hng-house on the section- That was what t.lie clause was rmt in for.

Or. Hannmi thought £250 was excessive, and, on the suggestion of the Mayor, Cr. Han nan agreed to the words ''without the consent of the Council being incorporated after the words "£250," and the motion, as amended, was agreed to.

The Council .proceeded to dfscnss the question of insurance, arid clause 10, dealii'ng with this was adopted with the addition of the following words: That the lessee shall insure in the name of the Colincil or to the mortgage (if nny) with the. Council's consent. It was also resolved that in all cases tenants shall, when re-build-in c erect brick or (concrete walls. The further discussion of othor matters was adjourned till to-night.