TE ARO FORESHORE RECLAMATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5204, 26 November 1877, Page 2

TE ARO FORESHORE RECLAMATION.

DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER. His Worship the Mayor and Councillors Dixou, Allen, Logan, Macdonald, and Magiaity waited upon the Premier and Mr. Macandrew yesterday, by appointment, in reference to the Te Aro reclamation. The City Engineer, Mr. O’Neill, and Mr. Seed of the Customs Department were present. The Mayor stated that the City Council had not had the opportunity of laying before the present Government their plans respecting the contemplated reclamation of the Te Aro foreshore. The municipality had a Crown grant of 70 acres, but on reference to the map it would be seen that there was a strip of laud, containing about two acres, running in a southerly direction from the wharf at the rear of Cnston House-quay and Willis-street up to Mr. Pearce’s premises inside laud included in the Corporation grant, which was in the possession of the Government, and which it was necessary for the Corporation to obtain in order to proceed with the contemplated reclamation. They therefore respectfully asked that this strip of land might be made over to them, and trusted that their application would be favorably received. This piece of land had been vested in the Superintendent of_ the province, but on the abolition of the provinces it had become an asset of the General Government. Sir George Grey said he was under the impression that originally certain rights as to water frontage had been guaranteed to private individuals. The Mayor said the Council would not infringe these rights ; and in reply to Mr. Macandrew, stated that the plans had been submitted to the late Government, who had approved of them provided the reclamation were carried out so as not to interfere with the harbor. His Worship also pointed out that there was a piece of land on the north side of the wharf which the Council considered should be. handed over to them. ■ This land, to the extent of 200 ft. outwards, had been included in the purchase by the Corporation of the reclaimed laud from the Provincial Government, but through a mistake it had not been handed over to the Corporation. He also suggested that as the city was without endowments the Government should sell to the Corporation at cost price the whole of the reclaimed land. Sir George Grey said this opened up a very large question ; but the Government would take the matter into consideration. Mr. Macandrew pointed out that provision should be made for docks, without which no scheme would be complete. The Premier suggested that the Mayor should put the whole case' in writing before the Government, who would lay it before the Law OUcers of the Crown, when, if it were deemed necessary to introduce an Act, it could be done immediately. He saw no objection to the control of the harbor being vested in the Corporation. In reply to the Premier, the Mayor said he, understopd that the late Government intended to hand over the land.between Kaiwarra and the baths to the Municipality, as an’eqnivalent for the latter consenting not to carry out the reclamation to the farthest limits. The Premier said this would be attended to, and on the understanding that the views of the Corporation would be placed in writing before the Government immediately, and that the Government would be prepared to support them as far as possible, the deputation withdrew, after thanking the Premier and Mr. Maoandrew for the courtesy with which they had been received and the attention which had been paid to the subjects brought under notice.