MASTERTQN TOWN LANDS TRUST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2237, 6 March 1886, Page 2

MASTERTQN TOWN LANDS TRUST.

The regular monthly meeting of the Trustees was held last night, Present— Messrs flapper (Chairman), Hare, Parsons, Feist, and Perry. ■The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. ' The Treasurer reported a credit balance of £37 fa 3d, the receipts from rents since lust meeting being £ls Bs, and the disbursements to Park Trust £l7 10s.

J. Russell wrote, complaining that the rates on the paddock next the school wore out of proportion to its value, and stating his intention of giving up the paddock if called upon to pay rates, •Father Treacy wrote, offering to take the paddock at present occupied by him at a rental of £8 8s per annum, the Trustees to pay rates. Some discussion took place as to the demand for paddocks, and it was resolved that the. offer of Father Treacy to take the paddock for. another 12 months at £8 Bs, the Trustees to pay rates, be not accepted, but that if he would agree to pay the" rates in addition to the £8 Bs, he should be allowed to do so. BUILDING SITES, With regard to paddock occupied by Mr Russell and cuntaining three acres the Chairman said there was no doubt the paddocks was principally occupied by the schoolchildren, the grounds of the school adjoining the paddock. A discussion took place as to the advisability of offering it by auction for building purposes. The section contained six chains frontage to Queen-Street, and six chains to ChapelStreet, this would give 12 budding allotments. The expenses in connection with the sale by auction of the leases was referred.to, the Chairman stating that the expenses last sale swallowed up the first year's rentals. The Secretary was instructed to write to Mr Russell,and inform him that the Trustees will not agree to his request to abate the rates and'will take possession of the land, his terra having expired. It was resolved that tho Trustees tak such steps as will be necessary to bring sections into the market, and a committee consisting of Messrs Hare and Feist be appointed to interview Messrs Lowes and lorns, and to deal with questions of expenses of sale,

THE PUBLIC) PARK. Tho Secretary of the Park Trustees wrote asking the Town Lands Trustees to Convene a meeting of the two bodies, Mr Hare said it was impossible for the Park Trustees to carry on without funds, and as the Park was for the benefit of the public, he thought the two bodies should discuss ways and moans The Chairman said he would say at once that he was not-in favor of taking over the debt of the Park, at least not while it was under the presont management. Its affairs had been bungled, If managed by the Town Lands Trust he would not object to some arrangement being come to. The Park Trustees had squandered their money in worthless trees, and then wanted to make a milch cow of the Town Lands Trust, and becauso the latter body had done its best for them, they wanted to bleed it further. He did not think that was right, Mr Hare, said when the Park estate

was handed over to the town it did not cost them a penny. Mr Bannister who had a lease of the land at the time was boujjht out at a cost of £IOO. The Trua- • tees had managed the Park to the best of their judgment. Mr McCardle who was then one of the Trustees, had laid out the Park, and the Trustees had considered that they could not leave it in better hands, Mr Perry said tlu statement of Mr Hare confirmed what Mr Gapper had ■said, Ho confessed to having got the land free of cost, and the Park Trustees had now got into debt. He considered they had been led into extravagance. Mr Feist: In what way ? Mr Perry; By Mr McCardle for one, Mr Feist said he did nut think a charge of misapplication of funds could be sustained, Tenders had been called in duo form for laying out the grounds of the Park. The lowest tender-that of Mr McCardle had been' accepted. If a better offer from elsewhere had been sent in, there was no doubt but that it would

have had the preference over Mr McCardlc's offer. A gentleman who had visited Masterton had accompanied him (Mr Feist) to the Park, and spoke m the highest terms of the grounds as a credit to the town, and admirable for recreation purposes. He was ot that opinion himself, and considered the Town Lands Trustees ought to do all in their power to meet the wishes of the Park Trustees. It wa3 to be regretted that Mr Gapper, if ho thought the Park Trust was being mismanaged, did not come in and act as one of the Trustees when.the opportunity offered, and then he could have improved the management. Mr Gapper said the debt was incurred when he was appointed to the Park Trust, and ho declined to act becauso he would saddle himself witha£4oo liability. Mr Feist said he thought it very creditable to find seven or eight gentlemen come forward and make themsolves responsible for the Park loan. (Hear! hear). They had managed the Park to the best of their ability. He would move That the request contained in the letter from the Park Trustees be acceded to, and a meeting of the Trustees of both bodies be called for Thursday, March 18,

at half past seven, in the Institute. Mr Perry said Messrs flare and Feist beirip members of the Park Trust, he did not see that they should vote. ' Mr flare said a proposition might crop up that the Town Lands Trust or the Borough Council take over the manageii)ent,'if so the'ParkTrusteeswoidd'be Willing tq arrange, ' Of course an act would have to be passed afterwards to legalize any arrangements made. _ Mr Parsons thought it would be a pity if the Park was allowed to go to ruin for want of funds. The only thing he had heard by way of outside talk against the Park grounds was that Mr McCardle had put in too many trees. But all that was past, and what they had to deal with was the question as it stood at present, Ho considered the Park a credit to the, town and was proud of it. The Town Lands Trust were now giving a certain amount every year to the Park, and it would not require a great. increase that annual grant to clear off the liability, Mr flare said an increase of £3O per

annum to the grant, would pay off tho interest and principal in six years. They could if they thought necessary, make it a condition thai the grant should be continued when the debt was cleared. Mr Gapper said the fact of it was the Park was "a white elephant". (Cries of No ! No I) Instead of utilising the ground and making it into a proper park they had it a sorb of half park, half botanical garden affair,- The greater part of tho trees planted were Only fit for : small andthoy'cbulcj'not'turhsheep-ln''to oat the grass forfear of destroying'the shrubs.' He thought the. sooner bucli trees were destroyed the better; ' V.' Mr Parsons said the ground was much too small to have been , laid out in the manner proposed by ; Mr Gapper. He thought the trees planted were the right class for the size of the land, and the 'Trustees' had acted to the best of their ability in ctaying out the improvements. He had much pleasure in seconding Jjr feists 'proposal) The motion was then put and carried, (Mv Muir entered at this stage).

; ACCOUNTS,: .''"'' .''.■'.'■■ . n An account for advertising voter's list 9s was passed for payment.' '.:;.' ' NEW IBASE3. . ~ MrHaw suggested thatatiwtttee advisable to compel those lessees; wlfhad not done so, to have their leases prepared forthwith.' a. . The Secretary said thepersons who had taken up leases under the new system had not had their leases prepared yet.'• Tho form of leases were adopted'at the last meeting. Mr Hare moved, and Mr Perry, seconded, that those tenants bo called upon to have thoir leases prepared at. once,— Carried. SPECIAL TRUST. -, rtMr Hare asked if there was a separatW account kept of Town acres 42,106. and 111. ' . • The Chairman informed him there was, Mr Hare said he hoped to see sufficient funds arising from these lands to provide a scholorship. : : }

REGULATIONS. Mr Hare said'there was another matter he wished to bring forward. Under the Act of 1871, power was granted them to make rules and regulations for their guidance, and he would ask that a Committee be appointed to draw up rules for the conducting of business. Mr Parsons moved, and Mr Perry seconded, that Messrs Feist, Hare, Muir, and the mover, be a Committee tojfcw up a code of rules to be submitted a™he next meeting.—Carried. ' TROUBLESOME TENANTS, Mr Parsons asked if anything had been done in respect to the sections occupied by Mr Braggins and Mr Morris. / The Secretary said no settlement had ! been come to, and he had received no rent, The Secretary was instructed to employ a solicitor to take proceedings against the parties for tho recovery of the possession of the land and for the arrears of rent, The meeting then went into Committee.