"Birds in Their Little Nests Agree."

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 March 1913, Page 2

"Birds in Their Little Nests Agree."

THE COUXTY-BOKQUGH AGREEMENT.

Ho row henna County Council has applied to Levin Borough Council lor another six months' tenure of the ollices now jointly held by the two councils. The subject was discussed at last night's meeting of l.evn .Borough Council.

J The .Mayor (Mr Gardener) introduced the subject by referring to au j agreement made between the two , councils on June Bth, 1906. at a | meeting of delegates. It, to a cerj tain extent, settled the owner,'ship lof the building. Tho Borough Counj cil claimed that owing to the buildj ing being erected on a municipal re;>crvo the bidding was the- property I ol' the borough ratepayers. .But it j was pointed out then that by dedication the lloi'owheuua County Coun- ! cil had a right to build upon this re- ; serve; therefore they claimed comi pensation lor the building. The .County Council, however, was not , -m'tie to produce a dedication, and j eventually it was decided that if (luring the course l ol seven ycar.s the . County Council could prove its right lo the section the Borough Council , would pay compensation to the ex- | lent of L'.'JOO. As to the building, j uie agreement drawn up gave the | County Council very ia\ourable j terms. If, during the term of sev- | I'll years, fruin Ist April. 1913, they ; eallcd upon the borough for a lease lor a term ol 21 years, they uero entitled to do so. So far the Coun- ! ty Council had been unable to produce any dedication, and the bor:nigh could not pay them anything. The borough councillors were the guardians ol the ratepayers' interests, and they must not depart from their duty. It might be contended by ihe County Council that they had a moral claim, but the merits of that ■vere not within the councillors' province. Personally he would say that whatever mistakes might or might not have been made originally, tho County Council made a mistake in building upon a municipal reserve. The other day it was announced that the County Council was desirous of nuilding oflices at AYeraroa. ft was not for him to control the Countv Council, but- it. seemed to him that souk 1 wrong impression was in the minds o| the council in regard to •die actual agreement. Jf they were building on getting -C3o() from the borough he thought they should undecieve themselves. It might be, that they were dissatisfied with the ■icconiniodntion given them in the present building; if tliaf were so. he vas sifre the borough councillors vould endeavour io meet them; the

; foiihii' in tin- |)j, s t |, a( | | )( , t , H \] Klij } under the agreement tho borough ! 'i.ul not been enabled to moot them , <n this respect. An io the point of •■oiivcni.-iKv. it niii.st ho admitted ■ bat tin' bank.s were .situated up 'i('!v. and the .solicitors' oflicos. and <':<• -saicyards. and in consequence tile ■ •atepayers who came in to do business with these institutions found it ■ery handy h> have the Counv 01ices contiguous, a.s they were at pre■"'lit. And ii' llio ■o/liee.s were .shift"d io Weraroa tlio trip to Levin -till would lie necessary for mo.st '■a(e|)iiyens. and coiincillors (00. As |'<T the point of cutil, no body could ■'litre irot offices cheaply - ho ventured !•<> say not nnarly as clieaply a.s Lliu Horowheima County Council had. Tt to him they luk] not been •vise in proposing this change; mid in wiyiiifr fliat. he was only saying m) liecan.se it soenied io him only he .should <\iy m> ;it w ; , s the duty of liis official position. He hop<'il iJ>o Couniy Council would fret ;i •xowl <rra.s|j of tlm actual a.iiroeinent '•cforo it ooininitted iiself. Tho ■rords were distinctly .set out tho '•ompesiition was to lie ".such sum jis ■=lwll be 'l<..ually' <1,,0." Tlie IsorCouncil, bo ii'hi.iitt.xi. wa.s not compelled to pay them one penny 1 , ' ,, ** , . The wa.s tlioro and they coiil dnot depart from tlie l«'ilcr of tho law. If the ca.se wa.s llio other way way round tho County Coimcil would not recede from its position. The Horoii-rl, Co ini(; i|, | )V VK(j]u _ tum, .agreed a.s follow.s :_ Councillors Parker. Lancaster and I , ''a"Co each spoke m tonus tlivit ")«<!« clear tho borough ronncil's willii'KMoss b zvnnl hotter accommodation. The lollouinjr motion, proposed hy tlio Ahyor ; ,nd seconded by Councillor Lancaster. W -. TS unanimously pas«nd:—That in rosjxmso Lo the County Councd'.s request to occupv tinoffices for a term of s j x •»"»ths. tl,i.s <ouncil has pleasure in •"we .UK Io tho roqwcsfc, and would »™ l>o |)repar<Ml to « lca.se of I'C ])re,nise.s to tho irorowhonna L-ounty Council a« provided in tl.o "•Kiimil a-reomei.t l.ctwccn tho two 'jotlios.' .