THE EVENING MAIL. MONDAY, APRIL 30, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 319, 1 May 1877, Page 2

THE EVENING MAIL.

MONDAY, APRIL 30, 1877.

" Words are tilings, rind a drup of in!; fnllinjr upC'ii :\ thought iiitiv produce tlr.il which liuikus Un-u.-.m-.l

The propositi brought forward by his Worship the Mayor at the last meeting of

tiic Municipal Council, in reference to risking tlie (!(,\vn)nient to exchange the piece of laud upon which tlic public gaol and police barracks now stand for souse

other site, is emu worthy of the utmost consideration. Ti:eve can be no d >ubt that the land in question will, at no distant date, become of great value for building puiT-ost--s ami the Council should not leave any ellbrc untried in the attempt to secure it for the town. The idea of inducing the Government to exchange the land for another site, to be provided by the Corporation, is not altogether a new one. For some time the advisability oi

securing the present gaol site has been fully recognise:! by many, and the only difficulty that lias presented itself to the carrying out of-the idea has been the want of information as to whether there was a probability of the Government agreeing to the proposal. This difficulty lias now

j been removed to a very great extent. Two of the members of the Government have expressed themselves as favorable to the proposal, and tlie Council have now something definite to work upon. As we have already said, the idea is not altogether a new one. During the last session of Parliament, Messrs. Hisi.or and Siinnrsici both interested themselves in the matter. Plans were then prepared, and every information obtained preparatory to bringing the subject under the notice of the Legislature, with the view to getting an Actpassed enabling the Government and the Corporation to deal with the matter. The carrying out of the proposal was then only frustrated by the want of a proper opportunity of introducing the Bill, owing to the great waste of time which took place during the session. Had such an opportunity been afforded them, we believed both the members for the district would have used their best endeavors to obtain the sanction of Pailiament to the exchange of property. We have said this much with no intention of detracting one iota from the very great amount of credit due to the Mayor for the action he has taken in connection with the proposed exchange, but simply to show that the proposal is not a new-fangled notion. We assert, with pleasure, that his Worship is deserving of every praise for the prompt : and energetic manner in which he has j

acted during the recent visits of the Hon. Mr. Okmond and the Hon. Mr. Reid. Had it not- been for the promptitude with which he acted, the opportunity of bringing forcibly under the notice of the Government the feasibility of the pro-

posal might have been lost altogether. We hope the Council at its next meeting will come to some definite conclusion on the subject, and afford his Worship an opportunity of following up the advantage he has gained, by empowering him to make a definite offer in regard to the proposed exchange. That the acquisition of the land in question would be of incalculable benefit to the town, it it can be obtained on reasonable terms, few will deny. Situated as it is in the centre of the principal street of the town, the land must of necessity become of great value for business purposes, and might be made to yield a very large amount of revenue. Besides this, it is anything but desirable that the public gaol should be located in one of the busiest and most important portions of the town. The proposal as submitted by the Mayor is, that in consideration of the Council giving a piece of ground on the site of the Market Reserve, and undertaking to put up a gaol thereon, with increased accommodation, the Government should hand over to the Corporation that piece of land including the gaol site and the police paddock, fronting Thames-street, from the District Court to Severn-street. With regard to the site proposed to be given in exchange, there is at present some difference of opinion. Mi-. Sijkimski, who had

been present ;it the interview between the Hon. Mr. K;;io and the Mayor, expressed himself as averse to the proposed site at the Market Heserve, near Meek's Mill, and .suggested the substitution of the Hump Site. Either of the sites named would he far more suitaide for the purpose than that at present

occupied by the gaol. The terms upon which the exchange is proposed to be effected, as stated by the Mayor, appear to be highly satisfactory to both parties. On the one side, the Government would get a better site for the gaol, and obtain a new building providing greater accommodation than is afforded by the present gaol ; on the other hand, the Corporation would obtain an excellent endowment in the shape of a valuable piece of laud, from which a rental might be obtained sn!iicient to cover, in a very short Inne, the cost of erecting a n.;\v gaol, and aiibrd a v; ry handsome sum thereafter to be devoted to town improvements. "We do not purposj entering upon the details of the proposed exchange, at. present, but may have something to say upon the subject when 11 definite plan has been decided upon by the Council.