ROAD THROUGH HAGLEY PARK.

A meeting of persons interested in the formation of a carriage road through Hagley I'ark, in continuation of Armagh street with the Great South road, was held at Oram's O-ite-ion Hote'- Gloucester street, last evening. The attendance was large. Un the motion of Mr E. B. Bishop, Mr J. P. Jameson took tbe chair. Tbe Chairman explained tbe object of the meeting, lt hid been found very inconvenient for persons in tbis part of the city having either to go round by the Hospital or the Carlton to reach the Great South Road, and it had therefore been considered necessary to ba c the question discussed again, wiih the view to the formation of a direcM roadway to Dilloway's, through Hagley Par™ rhjs was not a new subject : it had beetß brought forward before, and entertained by n large section of the population, but had neverj been carried to completion. Years ago, the! Government themselves, in granting the] lease of the park, reserved, or proposed to] reserve, a certain portion of the park for this I purpose. (Mr John Lewis : They did reserve it ) The action whicli the Government then took clearly shewed thut it was thought the time for the making of this road would come. They were now met for Mie purpose of considering the matter, and gentl men present would bave an opportunity afforded them of expressing their views upon it. Some might raise, aa an objection, that it would be injurious to the appearance of the park, but he thought that if the road were properly iaid out aud planted with trees on either side- it would be rather an ornament to the p irk than otherwise. He would now call on Mr J. V. Ross to move the first resolution. -y Mr Ross said the resolution he had to propose was as follows : — " That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable to have a carriage road through Hagley Park, in continuation of Armagh Btreet, to meet the Great South Road/y It would be absurd to .suppose that any-offe present doubted the desirability of tbis roadway. Its promoters had many causes to operate in their favour. They had now bad times, and these raised a spirit, of emulation ; and that spirit would go a long way towards carrying the project to a successful issue. Then there was the pro bono publico interest, for it could not be denied that the road would be a convenience to tbe public at large. People arriving at Dilloway's would haye the opportunity of choosing what part of the town to come to — either to the Post-office or Cashel street. The res rye was already made, and it was but fair to the public that the road should be constructed. Ihe only objection he had heard to it was, that it would cut up the Park, but he thought that this objection had been set aside by tbe remarks of the chairman. A roadway would tend to open up the Park, and would at the same be a great public convenience. Dr Tubnbull seconded the resolution. So far as he was concerned, it could not be said that he had any special interest whatever in ihe m tter ; if it appeared to his mind that he bad any special interest, he wuuld say so. He thought that as a scatter of justice to tbe district, it was necessary that this road should be made. It was a maxim in business that they ought not to consume their time uselessly; and to ask people to consume on. third more time than they ought in reaching Dilloway's from Christchurch was an inconvenience which the public ought not to oe put to. (Hear, hear.) He was not one who would advocate the pulling down of any man's house in order to get a near way into another street; but iv the present case private property did not interfere. The road had been reserved by the Government, and he did not think they were asking too much of their fellow-citizens to consent to tbe making of it as soon as practicable. He thought it an injustice to the country people in the matter of mails, telegrams, &c, that they should ba asked to travel all the way round by the Carlton or the Hospital in order to reach the Post Office. No persons could appreciate the advantage*! which the projected roadway would confer

better than medical men, and perhaps on, this account he might be called self-inte-l rested. He wai glad to see that no action was to be taken in the matter except in a publio and open manner. The marking off of the road itself in the lease was not done otherwise than in a public manner. On the morning of tbe day on which the Park was leased, Mr Davie passed his door, and said that he was about 1 -tying out a pathway across Hagley Park. He (Dr Turnbull) immediately went to Mr Alport, to the late Mr Grosvenor Miles and others, and a deputation waited on the Superindent, aud asked a week's delay in ordi-r that a public meeting might be held and an opinion expressed as to the propriety of reserving the road. The Government decidedly opposed the movement, but after an hour and a-half's consultation they granted a week, and shortly afterwards they sent down to say that the road would be reserved, and tbat therefore a public meeting would not be necessary. He did not think that the formation of a road would in any way interfere with the ornamentation of the Park. The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr E. B. Bishop said there was no question that this waa a subject which was more interesting to one part of the -ity than another, but it was only a matter of necessity that it should be so. The present serious inconvenience mu3t he acknowledged by all, and frequent observation had been made to this effect. Those who took part in this matter did'nt wish it to be assumed that the movement was a hole-and-corner one, and for that reason it was arranged that the present meeting should be held, in order th-it anyone who felt a strong desire to oppose it, could have an opportunity of attending and of expressing his views on the subject. The next question was as to who should be the parties called upon to move further in tbe matter. A resolution would be proposed presently for the appointment of a committee to take action in the matter. It was thought that the Commissioners of the Park and Domain Board should first be consulted, for, although the Government were the real parties to deal with, yet, as the proper'y was in the hands of the Board, they might take umbrage at being passed over. Therefore it was proposed that a petition should be sent to the Board, asking them to take action with the Government. Of course, the Government would have to consult the Provincial Council as to tbe means that would be required to carry it out. He would move — " That a petition be presented to the Commissioners of the Government Domain and Hagley Park, praying that they will take the necessary steps to have the pro posed carriage road through Hagley Park formed and metalled from Armagh street to the Great South Road at Dilloway's Hotel." If this resolution were passed, the meeting would be called upon to Bi'gn the following petition for presentation to the Board : — " We the undersigned residents in Christchurch and vicinity respectfully beg to represent to your honourable Board — that a direct road fnr vehicles is much required from the central part of the city, to meet the Great South Road; thatthe want of this is a serious inconvenience to residents on the South Read, also the medical profession and trade in Christchurcb ; that a road through the park in continuation of Armagh street has already been marked out on the map of the l.hief Surveyor of the province ; that such road would involve the necessity of a cart bridge over lhe river Avon, at the junction of Armagh street and tbe park ; that to erect such bridge your petitioners propose to meet a portion of the expense by subscriptions assuming the work would be commenced within a reasonable time ; that your petitioners would feel obliged by your honourable Board taking action in this matter, reporting favourably thereon to the Government." Mr Sheppard seconded the resolution. He did not thiuk that this could be considered as a party work. He thought that when they canvassed for subscriptions, they would receive support from a larger number of citizens than was at present expected. The Chairman said that the matter really rested with the Superintendent, who had power to lay out roads across the park. There would be no difficulty supposing his Honor complied with the petition. Mr Poss desired to qualify a stalement from which it might be inferred tbat he regarded this as being a party question. He ought to have said that they could not remove from iheir eyes the fact that a road would be a very great benefit to this part of the town, but that, at the same time, it would benefit the city generally. Dr Turnbull considered it would be better to ask the Park and Domain Board to join in a petition to the Superintendent. Mr Wynn Williams, who attended in a private capacity, said tbat the opening of this road was a question of great interest to the population of Christchurch generally. (Hear, hear.) He did not think that the resolution was directed to tbe proper question. The Board had no power to take steps to make tbe road, and even if they had the power, tbey had no funds. It would be better to ask the Board to bring tbe matter at once before tbe Government and the City Council. The question of funds appeared to him to be the only difficulty about the making of this road. He thought the subject would meet with support from all the inhabitants of the town. Steps should be taken to ascertain what would be tbe cost of the r.ai and bridge, so that the Government might have something definite to go upon. If the Government and the City Council had a statement of the cost before them, they would be better able to judge whether there would be any use in going on. He would be happy to put down his subscription. (Hear, hear.) Mr Sheppard stated that he had been informed by a professional gentleman that the two bridges would cost £500 and the road £500. The Chairman thought that at present it was understood that there would be only one bridge — namely, at the College. (Hear, hear.)

Dr TtrBNBULL moved as an amendment to the resolution, " That the Domain Board be respectfully requested to join this meeting in the presentation of a petition to his honor the Superintendent, asking for the formation of a road through Hagley Park from Armagh street to the Riccarton Roid." Mr Henry Leake seconded the amendment, which was carried. Mr John Lewis stated that he would be prepared to give ten per cent, of the money up to £1000. Mr Sheppard desired to know what assurance subscribers would have that tbe work would be carried out. Mr Williams said the matter might be managed in the same manner as the Manchester street bridge. People would put down their names, and as soon as the money was paid into the Treasury, the work would be commenced. Mr Lewis said he would not put down a copper until he had the assurance that the road would be carried through. It was in view of the two bridges being-erected that he made hi 1 * offer of 10 per cent, on the amouut subscribed by the public. Dr Tcknbull thought they ought to content themselves for the present with one bridge only. - The Chairsian said he thought the City Council would be prepared to pay half the money (£195) for the bri 'ge near the Government Building.-* ; he didn't know what they would do with regard to the second one. Mr John Lewis moved, " That in the opinion of this meeting, a subscription list be opened for the purpose of raising a p rtion of the funds for making the road through Hagley Park and the bridges that may be required " The resolution was carried unanimously. A ballot was thjn taken, and resulted in the appointment of the following committee : — Dr Turnbull ; Messrs K. B. Bishop, Koss, Lewis, and Jameson. Mr Sheppard's name was subsequently added to the couamittte. The meeting then adjourned. Already the sum of £200 has been subscribed towards the work.