THE TE ARO FORESHORE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5360, 1 June 1878, Page 3

THE TE ARO FORESHORE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HEW ZEALAND TIMES. Slß,—Assuming ‘that 'your report of the Mayor’s remarks on tho Te Aro foreshore negotiations at Thursday’s meeting of the Council is correct, I am reluctantly o'.mpelled to notice, them, as hii Worship has, unintentionally, no doubt, 'convoyed,to tho public quite an inaccurate impression of the facta of the case. He : is is reported to- have said —“ As far ai he was individually concerned .‘he declined to take any responsibility, considering the position of affairs when he became Mayor. When he took office he,simply took the position which had been taken by bis predecessor.’’ The inference from this atatemeht would seem to be that, in agreeing to alienate a considerable portion of the proposed reclamation, the Mayor could not well help himself, in consequence of some pledge or promise which had been given before,he took office.-; *. Now, sir, in so far as his predecessor is concerned, the fads are entirely in-'-the'opposite direction. Ail that I had done bearing on this,point (I write from memory, but with quite a clear recollection of the circumstances) was to hold a meeting witii the owners of property abutting on the foreshore, with the object of arriving at some basis for an amicable and reasonable arrangement of such claims as might be put forward. At that meeting I expressed a desire, by moderate concession, to avoid litigation- on the subject, but gave it as my opinion, speaking-entirely-from a practical and common-sense point of view, that the water frontage, under existing ciconmatauees, would be regarded as of little or no pecuniary value; and I sought to point out to the gentlemen present that the reclamation would greatly enhance the value of their respective properties. I was fortified in my statements by a very de-. finite legal opinion from the City Solicitor, which I rea lto the meeting. It was urged by more than one of the parties that the City , Solicitor had expressed a different ..opinion’ to soma of their number, on which, of course, I could offer no comment ; blit failing;.-, in my .efforts to come to anything approaching!;, a' mutual agreement. I asked those interested to put their views in writing for future consideration. My term of office was then nearly at an end,- and I had no opportunity of expressing an opinion upon the proposals ‘thus submitted to the Council at a comparatively re.cent date. - ’ . This brief narrative, however, will make .it abundantly evident that no action of mine, in the slightest degree, interfered-with the most perfect freedom of decision on the part of the prosentdM'ayor and Council. It is very desirable that an amicable arrangement should bo arrived At, if possible, but it may be purchased at too high a price. At all events, I not only did not suggest or agree to any such price as that which the Counoilhas sanctioned,-, but in so far as it was tentatively put forward at the meeting referred to—the only place and time that I was iu a position to do so—l dissented from it in toto.—l am, &e„.. William Hutchison. ; May 31. ‘