NON-PAYING RESERVES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 551, 2 January 1929, Page 1

NON-PAYING RESERVES

RATES WANTED FROM DEFENCE LAND POSITION AT DEVONPORT MR. WILFORD’S REPLY RECEIVED In fulfilment of a promise made to a deputation recently, the Minister of Defence, the Hon T. M. Wilford, visited the Government defence reserves at North Head and Narrow Neck on Monday. The Mayor of Devonport, Mr. E. ; Aldridge, who headed another deputation of councillors, explained that the reserves comprised 54 acres and paid no rates, although their area was equal to 10 per cent, of the total rateable areas in the borough. The official valuation of the Narrow Neck reserve was £56,000, and rates on that value would bring in £1,400 a year. If sub-divided into residential sites the figure would be over £2,500. Similarly, North Head was worth 1 £SOO a year in rates on the Govern- ' jment valuation. He asked for com- | pensation or that the area be made | rateable. Mr. Aldridge also stressed the fact 1 that the Defence Department used the roads and drainage facilities of the borough. He drew attention to the project for forming a waterfront road round ! North Head. The obstacle was the torpedo yard! which did not appear to be put to any important use. Lastly, Mr. Aldridge asked Mr. Wii- . ford, as Minister of Justice, that the party of prisoners on Rangitoto be increased so that the work of roadmaking could be completed earlier. The Minister said that he would forward written replies to all requests. This morning Mr. Wilford replied by letter to the requests placed before him. He said that he was unable to agree tc the removal of the Port Depot in order that the esplanade could be made, and could not see his way clear to increase the number of men on Rangitoto, as he intended to limit his responsibility to the commitment al- | ready made by his predecessors. He considered the question of rateable lands in Devonport a very important question of more than local significance, and would have full inquiries 1 made on his return to Wellington. He would place before Cabinet the special . position of Devonport.