WEST END SCHOOL SITE.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 January 1919, Page 3

WEST END SCHOOL SITE.

PROPOSED EXCHANGE OF RESERVES.

MINISTER'S ACTIOS DEFENDED. At the last meeting of the Taranaki Education Board, surprise and aot a little indignation was expressed at the apparent change of front of the Hon. ~H. D. Gutnrie, Minister for Lands, in refusing to complete the transfer to the New Plymouth Council of the reserves ftjt Rotokare and Ratapikipiki, in exchange for 4§ acres of the Tukapa reserve, which would be given to the Education Eoard for a school site. au?r he bad given his assurance to the transfer, when the position was placed bei'ore liiui by a deputation of the hoard on his visit here in | October.

At yesterday's meeting of the hoard a letter was received from the Minister stating that his assurance to the deputation was given under the impression that the New Plymouth Borough Council was Raking only for full control over the Domain and the Scenic Reserve referred to, but he had no idea that favorable consideration to tSe application would entail the issue to the local authority of the titles jn the fee simple with respect to these reserves, which were public property, or he would have immediately ,in- , timated that the request could not be I conceded. He understood at the time that the council merely wanted full control and management of the reserves and not the freehold titles, which latteT would mean that the council could at any time dispose of the people's property by sale or otherwise. So fur a* the Rotokare Domain was concerned, lie was Quite willing to give the Borough Council full power in connection with its control and improvement, while Sir Francis Bell, whose Department "was concerned with the Ratapihipihi_ Scenic Reserve, had no objection to constituting it a public domain under tiie Lands Department and appointing the Borough Council as the controlling body, if the members of the Scenic Board were of opinion that the transfer should take place. He wanted it to lie distinctly understood, and ho was sure Mr. Wilkinson was aware of the position, that his promise was only to give the Borough Council control of the reserves in the interests of the people.

Mr. Wilkinson stated that lie would like to clear up t'ne matter, as lie was away from the last two meetings- A letter was received from the Borough Council stating that they would agree to the transfer, providing they got'the fif.ehoM of the two reserves. He took exception to this right away, and, with Messrs Smith and White, waited oil the Borough Council, stating that in all probability the Government would not give the freehold to the council, but would be w.liing to give the council the perpetual control of the reserves, which would enable tiiem to effect the improvements, which he understood the Borough Council wished to do, and he thought this was what the Borough Council desired. He was surprised at the last meeting to see that Mr. Smith blamed the Minister for not keeping his promise. As faj as the Minister was concerned, no promise ta obtain the freehold was given or asked for. If they could get the Borough Council to accept perpetual control, that could be arranged. If the council persisted m demanding the freehold, nothing would come of it. He wanted to state publicly that the Minister of Lands was not to blume. He had offered to do all he could in the matter, and it would be a bad thing for New Plymouth if they could not get the Borough Council to agree to obtain perpetual control. It was out of the question to look forward to obtaining the freehold. Mr Smith said that he did not wish to ba unfair to the Minister, tout personally, though he was a member of the urban area and was most interested in the matter, he was somewhat in the dark as .to what had transpired at the deputation, at which he was not present, nor had he been consulted thereon. The first time he knew of tlie matter was during tlie session of Parliament, when he was courteously allowed by tlie Minister to loolc over his file. Tiie board had no right to make any representation? to the Minister save what had been agreed upon between tTfe board and the Borough Council. The borough had on August 29 agreed to the exchange subject to being granted the freehold of the reserves in question- This had on September 17 been amended as the outcome of the deputation by Messrs Wil- ! kinson, White, and himself, and the Borough Council agreed to the transfer, provided the Government granted to the council a land transfer title to the following lands to be held by the council for the purposes mentioned:—Rotokare Domain. for recreation purposes, and Ratapihipihi Reserve as a scenic reserve. If the deputation placed something different before the Minister, then the blame was on the deputation, but if the deputation put the position clearly before the Minister anu lie agreed to the exchange, then the blame was on the Minister absolutely and entirely. As Mr. Wilkinson knew, Mr. Smith had spoken to the Minister to have a clause inserted in the Washing-up Bill, and the Minister had assured him tJiat all was in order. Subsequently the Minister discovered that it was against the de-

clared policy of the Government to do this- He Warned the. deputation in not placing the matter clearly before the .Minister.

Mr. White stated that as a member of the deputation that waited on the Minister. lie considered

that it. should ifi« " satisfactory for the council to have the permanent control of the reserves, which could not be utilised for any other purpose than that for which they were set apart. He understood the council felt that under | the present conditions it could not spend money on the reserves as it wished to do. and wanted some more definite title, and this perpetual control would give.

Mr. Wilkinson remarked that I*. Smith said that the blame lay entirely between the Minister for Lands and the deputation, and also threw doubt on the constitution of that deputation. That wag unfair. He had always pointed out to the Borough Council that they would not get the freehold, but would get something just as good. Mr. Smith: A vast difference.

Mr- Wilkinson: They would have the land vested in them for ever, and this would be equal to the freehold, save that it would not give them the right to sell. The deputation was got together hurriedly, and it was impossible to secure Mr. Smith, whom he would like to have seen present, but who was away on other buain?as. He wished to emphasise that thpre was no breach of faith on the part of the Minister, who was ready to consent to the resting in the

council, however, were determined to ask for the freehold, they would never get it, and would block the proposal to get the school established in the district. Mr. Trimble took exception to Mr. Smith's remarks about the deputation. If Mr. Smith, for reasons of his own, were not present at the meeting, lie had no right to complain of what was doneThe deputation never asked the Minister to grant the freehold to the Borough Council, so that they could sell it, but asked that it should be vested in the council for the purposes for which it was originally intended. Mr. Buchanan pointed out that Goverments came and Governments went, and there was a probability" that some future Government might revoke the perpetual control. They had had an experience or two in Waitara. He thought the Borough Council were asking for the freehold subject to certain restrictions regarding the disposal of the reserve. He regretted that Mr. Smith had not been included in the deputation. The chairman said that no slight was intended to Mr. Smith, whom they could not get hold of, as the deputation was a hurried one. The deputation had made it clear that they wanted to sret for the Borough Council, in exchange for certain land, the sole control for all time of the two reserves—not the freehold—and he was quite sure If the New Ply mouth Borough Council were sincere, and he believed they were, if they got that, they would have effected their purpose. He was quite satisfied it had been made clear to the Minister that the land would be kept for the purposes for which it was originally intended. Mr. Smith said that he was not complaining about not ibeing a member of the deputation, but about the deputation varying the terms of the agreement as definitely specified by the Borough Council.

It was finally resolved, on the motion of Messrs Smith and Wilkinson, that a committee, consisting of the whole .board, wait on the New Plymouth Borough Council in reference to the exchange of the Rotokave and Ratapihipihi reserves for a site at Cutfield Road.

Mr. Wilkinson, in seconding the resolution, said that if Die deputation was going to join hands with the Borough Council in ibtaining the freehold, they would n?vcr get it. f, however, they could get them to agree to the Minister's proposal, they could be doing gtod service to the whole district-