THE BEACH SECTIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 462, 10 June 1909, Page 3

THE BEACH SECTIONS.

HOUSEHOLDERS NERVOUS

A meeting convened,

It will be remembered that at the last meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board, the question of settlement at the local seaside resort was discussed. Of late years, there has been a great demand on these sections, and a number of people erected cottages on land under a monthly tenure from the Marine Department. The laud is part of the Harbour Board endowment, and the Board has decided to cut it up into quarter-acre sections and offer the same at public auction. The leases will be for a term of years, with periodical valuations. Public tender or auction is the only method whereby the Board can legally lease the land. It cannot consider any* preference to enterprising seasiders who erected cottages on land over which they held no security of tenure. Mr Nash tried to protect the interests of present householders by suggesting that the Board deal with them under a preference clause. This method did not meet with the approval of other Board members, and the legal opinion submitted clearly indicated that such preference could not be entertained. In view of these facts, the following circular has beeMi sent to owners of cottage property at the Beach : —- Palmerston N., sth June, 1909. Dear Sir or Madam,

It has come under our notice that the Foxton Harbour Board, who have taken over the sections at Manawatu Heads, have decided to put up for public auction the whole ot the property down there, including the sections with the houses thereon. This step, we believe, has been necessary through a certain Act of Parliament, but those, the property owners, who already have erected houses at the Heads, consider it unfair that their property should be submitted to public auction, without having any preferential consideration of any description. As this matter is of the greatest importance and requires most urgent attention, we must respectfully request that a meeting be called for the purpose of discussing these matters and find out our legal standing and position. We, the undersigned, therefore, kindly request your attendance at the meeting to be held at Mr W. Dawick’s Buffet, Rangitikei St., Palmerston North, on Saturday the 19th inst., at 3 o’clock p.m., in order to further consider this important matter. Yours faithfully, (Signed) Gus Torstenson. P. Robert. Chas. Dahl.