The Surrey Hills Estate.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 4126, 24 September 1883, Page 2

The Surrey Hills Estate.

We do not think any man will look twice at tho plan of Surrey Hills Estate without condemning it as one of the worst designs of a new town over presented to a modern civilised community. Every principle of sanitary science in defied, and we cannot believe that if the Company which adopted this plan are so ignorant of the laws of health, or so indifferent to them, so Unpatriotic and short-sighted, as to porsist in tho attempt to force the sstato to salo in its present shape, the publfc will aid and abet thorn by purchasing the allotments,excopt at such low values as will teach the vendors that the old adage about being " penny wise and jxiund foolish " applies to land transactions as to other things. This estate is equal in area to half the old city of Auckland; it is bo broken that street formation will be attended with speoial difficulties, and yet tho promoters have cut it up into a network of narrow allotments and back lanes that has no parallel in New Zealand. Upwards of 2,000 separate allotments have been marked out on the space of ground. The average frontage being only 33 feet—barely wide enough for a very small-sized cottage—it became necessary to provide some kind of back entrance, and this has been done by tho apportionment of 16 fqet right-of-ways, which, unless some prohibitory clause is inserted in the title, will inevitably be turned into streets, the allotments being used for building on both frontages. We do not object to the system of back entrances—on the contrary, it has distinct advantages, which, under proper conditions, would minister equally to the convenience of property - owners and the public. The road frontages will in due time become business promises, and for these, at least, back entrances are very necessary. Tho new city regulations make such entrances indispensable, but experience teaches that without tho most rigid conditions these lanes will become back-slums, the habitat of the hordes of an illconditioned population. It is probable that conditions may be inserted in the title prohibiting the erection of dwellings on the back frontage, and giving the local governing body of tho district power to compel the removal of obnoxious buildings erected in defiance of fhis restriction. With the protection afforded by such a provision, the back entrances would contribute to the social and sanitary advantage of the estate, and should favourably affect the prices realised. Without such a provision, no one could safely erect any building of value, with the probability, amounting almost to a certainty, of the property soon becoming fiedged by fever-breeding slams, in association with which the'health of the residents and property values would dwindle away together. In a warm, humid, selaxing climate like that of Auckland, the free breezes of heaven must have free course to produce a vigorous population. The lecul governing body have, we believe, power under "The Roads Act, 1882," to stop the laying-off of those streets, and we trust the Newton Board will take immediate steps to this end unloss the requisite guarantees for thoir permanent application to the purposes of back entrances only can be obtained.

A want of liberality and public spirit U most manifestly displayed, however, in the total absence of any public reserve for education or recreation. In an area which, according to the plans of tho vendors, is intended to

carry a population of at least 10,000 persons closely packed together, there is not a single breathing space, not a sito for a public school, and scarcely a suitable section or series of sections making up a total of ,t\vo acres without a break, that could be bought for those purposes. The system of commonages in different parts of the estate which, it was whispered, would form part ef the design of a model town that should carry the name of its projectors witfh honour down to an admiring posterity, have disappeared, and a glimpse of the plan is sufficient to convince anyone that the cole object in laying offthe land has been to squeeze the last farthing out of the property. In this attempt, we believe the design adopted has over-reached its purpose. There are a number of blocks of land in the immediate vicinity of the city where sales have failed in tlie heat of the land, fever simply because the ideas ot would-be purchasers wero more enlightened than those of the vendors. Surrey Hills is the finest estate around Auckland, and many persona in the crowded parts of the city have been looking forward to the cutting up of the property as a means of escape from crowded neighbourhoods. Men like these a.~e ready to pay a good price for what they require ; but where will they find on the plan that has now been submitted to the public a section, or series of section^, that will answer their purpose ? To erect a handsome villa with the prospect of a row of the poorest description of tenements at the back and on either side would be the height of folly, and men who have been waiting eagerly for this sale will how turn away disappointed to other districts for the supply of their wants unless steps are taken to remove the most serious objections to the plan before the date of sale. The action taken by the City Council, if they adopt Cr. Phillipps's motion, as they are almost certain to do in the present state of public opinion, will also have a most prejudicial etlect by putting the new suburb, with its long lines of difficult and unmado streets, under the permanent ban of tho powerful Corporation which it borders. Thero should bo enough in this ominous notice alone to command n re-consideration of the wliol* design with the object of bringing it more into harmony with public interests and the sentiments of the citizens.