LEVIN DOMAIN

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 April 1915, Page 2

LEVIN DOMAIN

(To the Editor.) Sir.—ln reply to Councillor JDcmpw,v' 1 should like to point out that he has overlooked what 1 mentioned in my 1 letter to you "that any land acquired with the proceeds ol the sale of the 10-aere reserve would be a public domain lor the same objects as the resent' sold. ' As 1 did not interview ~ l lie members of the late domain board I caunot say anything about the quest oils and wilts not aware the members were interviewed. He also asks from where 1 got my information as to the purpuses lor which the reserve was granted. The answer is Sir J. G. Wilson, then 11.P. for "Otaki, and myself asked for it and in an interview with the then Minister for Lands, I was asked for what purposes it wa.s wanted. -My reply was for a racecourse and a showground and kindred sports. It nas been used for a racecourse but was found too small and in an inconvenient situation. This will also answer what you wrote last Monday that "It is asserted that the Government had no i iglit to accept hearsay evidence as to the intention or utterances of any bygone Minister in granting the the reserve/' This is the first time I have heard, personal evidence called "hear-' say." Sir J. G. AVilson told tne the other day that he remembers our interview with the Minister and what took pla.ee. Councillor Denipse.v also asks. How many A. and P. Shows were tJicrc at that time?" 1 think the Manawatu had commenced, but I was looking ahead and the show eventuated some time before I expected it... I may also add that at the time .tlie reserve was ;isked for it was understood that the railway station would be near the Quecii-sireel crossing; if this had eventuated the present reserve would have'®® been accessible. The reuiainedr of his letter calls for 110 remarks from me; I am quite content for the public to judge between us. But 1 hope he will accept my statement that the A. and P. Society have no design nor ever had to obtain the new site solely for their on n purposes as the man in the street has been saying. The present reserve may be very beautiful and good for some tilings, but it is not of much use to the Borough of Levin as the Idi k company s < 0 acres, and many people beside my self think that it will be a great loss to kvin if it should be cut up. It was very near that not long a;j;o, and I believe if the Borough Council had (after the reports on the 70 acres of the joint committees of both councils had been presented) continued the committee as the County Council did, to deal with the Park Company that something might have been done to secure it as a Domain in the place of the 40-acre reserve near the lake.—l am, etc., m „ J. kebbell. le Rnnawa. Ohau, 17.4.15