PUKEROA RESERVE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 618, 24 August 1933, Page 4

PUKEROA RESERVE

ROTORUA'S INTEREJ MAYOR SUGGESTS GOVT "TRYING TO JUMP" CLAIM BRISK DISCUSSION The vexed question of the 0VJ ship of the Pukeroa Reserve was 1 ed at last night's meeting of thel torua Borough Council and proij a brisk discussion hefore it was dl ed to refer the whole niatter t M Legal and Finance Committee is to submit a report to thel meeting of the council. 1 The matter was raised by Crl Goodson, who brought up the M tion at the conclusion of the 9 cil's ordinary business. Cr. GoS said that he did not wish to afl further controversy, but he consl ed that it was quite time thaj people of Rotorua put forward | claims to consideration in this I ter. He thought it would be I short-sighted of the council, al peoples' representatives to let thl serve pass into Government col without having the position cl m up. He suggested, therefore, th afl whole niatter be referred to thj gal and Finance Committee M could submit a report to the ■ meeting of the council. 9 Cr. J. Banks (Rotorua represB tive on the Waikato Hospital BoS What do you want to know exl Cr. Goodson? 9 Cf ^Goodson : Fdon't think a« can quite tell me what I want to ■ Cr. Banks. I want to know who I Pukeroa. ■ Cr. Banks : I can tell you tlJ belongs to the Government of fl Zealand. « The mayor (Mr. T. Jackson):® is open to doubt. 8 The clerk: We have it froraB Crown solicitor, sir, that it doel belong to the Crown. 8 Cr. Banks said that that nfl was important as the Governmp rM offered to give the Waikato Hofl Board a 21 years' lease of thereB Cr. Goodson: I contend tha« cannot do it. 9 "Jump Our Claim" 9 The mayor: The fact of the® ter is that the Crown has lost thl ual records of its vesting. The9 trying to jump our claim. S Cr. Goodson: If the Crown (I the reserve, why did they und« to provide another area when I took it away? There was nol for them to have done that if I longed to them. I Cr. Banks : Do I take it thenl if the council finds that it is thel er of the reserve, it will not gfl lease to the board? I The mayor: That is a mattel can only be decided when it is 9 ed who is the owner betweenl board and the Government. Thel cil is not justified at present il cussing the matter. » Cr. Banks: But the Crown hl fered a 21 years' lease. 9 The mayor: The council mighl to challenge the validity ofl lease. 9 Cr. G. Steele recalled thatl CroAvn had promised not to pla9 buildings on the reserve witho^B council's approval. It had aeflj that it was oecupying the reseil suffrance. 9 Cr. Barjks said that lie wou8| to be able to give the Waikato 9| tal Board some indication ofl council's attitude on the mattel would carry considerable weiglfl the board. The members ofl board were not at all anxious t^fl over the hospital, but they wer^B forced to do so by the Goverifl They realised that the res^on^J of providing a hospital for kffl was upon them, but they woulfl over the hospital only if they fl ed a 21 years' lease. Otherwifl would not consider it. ^^9 It was finally agreed that » whole matter would bo discusM the council again on the evenjfl fore the meeting of the WaikaiM pital Board, Cr. Banks would am to give the board an indication^B council's feeling in the mat« the meantime, the matter Avas« the hands of the Legal and « Committee. Wk