1877.] Erection of a Boundary Bailing. 251 



possession of the land at once, they were willing to pay 15 per cent, on the 

 Surveyor's valuation, or say, Es. 800 for the strip. They further undertook 

 to pull down the wall and purchase the rubbish for their roads, temporarily 

 putting up a wire fencing to prevent encroachments on the grounds of the 

 Society. 



Before submitting this letter to the Council, the Secretary wrote to 

 Mr. Turnbull, to the effect that if the Municipality wished to acquire the 

 land and demolish the wall, they must, in addition to the value of the land, give 

 compensation to the Society for the damage done to the wall and gateway 

 at least equal to the cost of replacing them, roughly estimated at Rs. 1,500. 

 This the Municipality declined to do, as they considered the terms offered 

 very fair because the wall &c. had already been condemned. 



On this correspondence being referred to the Council they resolved, in 

 order to endeavour to settle the question which had been long pending, that 

 they would not sell any land belonging to the Society, but if the Municipali- 

 ty wished to improve the site at the corner of Park Street by widening the 

 roadway, and would replace the present boundary wall of the Society's pre- 

 mises by a handsome railing with two gateways and a durwan's lodge, the 

 Council were willing to give the strip of land required to widen the road- 

 way, together with a money payment equal to half the cost of putting up 

 the railing, up to a limit of Rs. 3000. This proposal was communicated to 

 Mr. Metcalfe, who said he would be unable to accept it because the Finance 

 Committee of the Corporation would object on principle to giving money 

 for the railings, and he proposed as an alternative — 



(a.) That the Municipality remove the present wall at their own 

 expense. 



(5.) That they pay the Society for the value of the materials remov- 

 ed. 



(c.) That the Municipality put up a seven-strand neat twisted wire 

 fence with iron standards, properly stretched, with two gates. The work to 

 be neatly done and painted. 



These propositions were declined by the Council because they felt that 

 if the Municipality wished to acquire ground for a public purpose, they were 

 bound to give the Society at least the compensation to which they were 

 entitled under the Land Acquisition Act, comprising the value of the land plus 

 15 per cent, and full compensation for all damage or loss caused by the demo- 

 lition of the walls, especially as the object for which the Society was willing 

 to cede a portion of its land to the town would not be gained, and the whole 

 burden of putting up the railings would thus be thrown upon the Society. 



Since this reply of the Council no further steps have been taken in 

 the matter, nor have any communications been received from the Munici]3ali- 

 ty on the subject, but the Council hope that an arrangement may soon 



