Masterton Town Lands Trust

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4918, 5 January 1895, Page 2

Masterton Town Lands Trust

IHonthly meetinq. Tho 'regular monthly meeting of the Masterton Town Lands Trustees was held last evening. Present, Messrs W. Lowes (Chairman), E. Feist, C. E. Daniell, A. ViloandA. W. Eenall. MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. m casblderg's cask. Mr M. Caselberg waited on the Trust to explain that he was sorry he had been unable to find the lease of the Waipoua property. From certain extracts, however, he found that the whole had been let as one property. He should like the Trust to take the leases oil' his hands, with the bnildings on the properties. He had been paying a heavy rental for 16 years, and the two cottages by the Royal Hotel bad cost him about £2OO toerect. No buildings were at present on the Waipoua brewery site. The Chairman said in the absence of a knowledge whether or not there was a building covenant in Mr Caselberg's lease, ho did not sec what they could do. Mr Caselberg said he had yet four years to run and proposed to surrotihis interest in the cottages, in lieu of any possible liability to the Trust. The Chairman thought the best plan would be to appoint a committee to confer with Mr Caselberg on the subject, tho Secretary in the meantime to ascertain from the Registrar's office what could be done about the lease, Mr Feist moved that tfto Chairman, Mr Renall, and the mover, be a committee to confer with Mr Caselberg, and report at a future meeting.

Mr Diinieil seconded the motion which was carried. Mr Caselborg thanked the Trustees and withdrew. CHARGES TOR LEASES. Messrs Hughes, Payton and Syverson wrote asking tho Trust to consider its decision re charges for leases, as the course taken was not in accordance with a resolution of the Trust passed at a meeting held in April 1889. The Chairman said the minutes of the Trust contained a resolution, passed in April 18S9 that a charge iof two guineas be made. This, however, alluded to a special case in which a compromise had been made. ■ No arrangement had been made with Mr Bunny and he could not understand how the resolution came to bo so worded. They could hoi do anything in the cases uow bofoi'ethem.butinigktendeavortomako some arrangement re charges for future guidance. Mr Renal] said ho always thought that two guineas was to bo the charge for preparing leases for the Trust.

The Chairman said no arrangement had been made with Mr Bunny, although a previous arrangement had been made with Mr Beard, when he was the Trust's solicitor, that the charge be two guineas. MrDaniell said the resolution of 1889 certainly put them in a (ix. Mr Vile did not know that they could alter the previous resolution. Mr Reuall said the charges were too high altogether. The Chairman said Mr Payton's lease included special charges in connection with perusing the lease. Jle did not see that they could reopen the matter,as Mr Bunny maintained there was no arrangement. In the ease whore Mr Bunny had accepted two guineas, the matter had been a compromise, and the Trust had paid the amount, as a misunderstanding had occurred with the tenant.

Mr Daniell said Mr Bunny was on one side, the lessees on the oilier, anil the Trust in the middle. While resenting any imputation of discourlosy at their last mooting, he thought an effort ought to bo made to deal fairly with the tenants, but he did not think they could do anything' mora than follow tho Chairman's suggestion, and move in the direction of getting a price fixed for the future, Mr Feist said it appeared to him that when the Trust sold the land the question of preparing the lease was entirely between the solicitor and tho tenant, and he did not see how they could interfere. He would movo that the Trust regrets, after having duly considered the matter, that they cannot interfere or alter their previous resolution. Mr Daniell said the mimitcs of April, 1889, certainly bore out the impression of Mr Brown, when he told Mr Payton that he thought tho charges would be two guineas. The Clerk said there was no arrangement with Mr Uunny whatever. The Chairman said that if the Trust compelled lessees to employ the Trust solicitor, perhaps it would bo fairest to fix a charge for the future, Mr Feist's resolution was then carried. scuoi.Aii.smr. Tho Secretary of the Mastorton School Committee wrote, asking the usual scholarship grant of £lO per annum for two years for A. M. Brown. The application was granted, TUB TOWS HAM. QMSTIOX,

The Clerk rend a lengthy report of the sub-committee appointed to enquire into the Trust's position with regard to the old Town Hall, destroyed by fire. The report showed that after fall investigation, and going into tho question of how tbo original fund was raised, there was no liability to erect another building on the part of the Trustees, It was also decided that the Trust cannot seo its way to erect a Town Hall at tho present time, but, the coinmitteo recommended the ear-marking of £SOO to be set aside towards a fund for the future erection of a Town Hall, The Chairman expressed tho opinion that the Trust had no power to plodge.its funds or property, to raise a loan as suggested might bo done. An opinion from Mr Bunny was received bearing out this view. The Chairman said he was in favour of eliminating the last part of the report which recommended earmarking £SOO towards a Town Hall, and spending tho money in improving the Drill Hall, which had now come into their hands. Ho would also like to see the Act amended to throw the scholarship acres revenue into the general fund, The taking over of the Drill Hall had now been finally completed. Mr Vile thought the Drill Sail could never be made suitable for a Theatre or Town Hall. He was not in favour of amending the report. The Chairman said his only reason for making the. suggestion ho did, was that he thought he could lay before the.Trnsfc.a plan fop improving- the Drill flail tomake it a decent place for entertainments, •

Mr Vile thought that before adopting the report an architect's opinion should he obtained as to whether the Drill Hall could be jf suitably altered. Finally the report was adopted, the clause providing that £SOO be earmarked for the erection of a Toai Hall being altered to " that £SOH ■, earmarked for providing a Towf ••' Hall," on the motion of the Chairman seconded by Mr Yile. The Chairman said there was | another matter in connection with the Drill Hall. It stood on one of the scholarship acres, and could they expend £490 or £SOO of tho general fund on the property ? On tho motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr Daniell, it was re. solved that a Committee of the whole > Trust confer on what is best to be done with the Drill Hall, and to report at next meeting. IKSUIiANCBS. Resolved that the Drill Hall he insured for £3OO, and that other insuranccs ho renewed. a dispute Mr Daniell proposed that the £7 10s offered by Mr Macaw, in settj/i----ment of liabilities for rent in the Braggins estate proporty, be accepted, with the surrender. The question was one of law and might be costly, and he was anxious to see it settled. «A Mr Vile seconded pro forma, f* Considerable discussion ensued regarding the legal position of Mr Macara, after which the motion was put and lost. The Trustees then dealt with the Black List and the meeting adjourned.