THAT DEED.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1320, 23 June 1883, Page 2

THAT DEED.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—lt has been rumoured about town that Messrs. Common & Co. have in some mysterious manner become possessors of a certain “ Deed,” dated some time in 1871, purporting to reconvey to G. E. Read, all the block of land which the said G E. Read had in 1868 conveyed to the Queen, a portion of which comprises the buildings now in occupation of Common & Co, and the existence of which is held in /errorwm over the heads of the Borough Council and Harbour Board. Strange to say this important document has been seen by a favoured few only indeed so few, that very grave doubte are entertained as to its existence. <till more strange, those who profess to have seen and read this precious document confess they know nothing about its provisions or what the defined boundaries are. Now, Sir, I consider the whole question of the Commoncum Shelton affair has received an undue prominence from the public ; wasted a large amount of valuable time of the Borough Council and Harbour Board, which would otherwise haye been devoted to the public welfare of the district, seriously retarded the carrying out of works of great public utility, and caused a large amount of illfeeling amongst our small community—and for what reason—simply because a majority of neither of the two bodies, will lend themselves to a course of action which would be wholly illegal; most unjust to the ratepayers. and, if carried out, would in my opinion, be a lasting stigma and disgrace upon those Councillors and members who would atand up and advocate that certain st' ps should be taken, which must necessarily lead to the aggrandisement of private individuals, at the public expense. The question, so f<*r as 1 have gleaned from the newspapers, simply resolves itself into that of a barefaced at tempt to coerce the council into alienating a valuable property which they, for the time being hold in trust for public purposes , upon, the consideration that they (C and Co.) receive a sum of £B5O for a term or 21 J years, upon which sum they generously offer I to pay a yearly interest of 10 per cent., |

sitting rent free for the whole term. Why th® I thing is simply monstrous, but the cry has 1 been raised that C. and Co* have acquired ! certain vested rights, by having laid out a sum of money in the purchase of a few old buildings, which were allowed to remain wholly upon sufferance. As against this is it not a fact that they have been in possession for about five years, wholly free from rent, up to lately landing their own (and who knows, if not also their customers) goods, free of all wharf charges, and only contribu ting to the revenue of the Borouch in the shape of a low valuation, amounting to the magnificent sum of £8 9s per year, and this low valuation was I understand obtained by Mr Common appearing before the Judge of the Assessment Court and pleading ‘‘that “ they had no title to the ground and were “ liable to be ordered off at any time.” Ye Gods 1 And the Council are now threatened not Only by Common & Co., but are tried to be hoodwinked by some members of their own body, into consenting to a compromise, otherwise the terrors of the law, in the shape of actions for damages, broken agreements, &c., to the tune of thousands of pounds is vividly put before them—then I say with Cr. Townley “ Dash it, let ’em come, who’s afraid hurrah.”—l am &c., Sense. Gisborne, 22nd June, 1883.