CEMETERY GULLY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 94, 20 April 1906, Page 4

CEMETERY GULLY.

ABGUMKRTB JOB JLJXAWHJO

BBTDSR>

DKEUIS3BE& TO THJSTMZZOR.

I ' ■ ik 4T^ w t i< rn fff T t >griiOriiriTiri , i l i , fi'" > *- ling residents of Graftaa-road district and Karangahape-road and Ponsonbyroad tradesmen interviewed the Mayor i (Mr. Arthur M. Myers) this morning at the Council office to demonstrate the urgent necessity of a- traffic bridge being constructed' across Cemetery Gully near the site of the old wooden footbridge. The first speaker, Mr. John Banbury, declared that recent events had drawn public attention as fully as was necessary to the urgency of the matter, and the deputation thought that an interview with the Mayor would show that the ratepayers were moving, and that a bridge would soon have to be erected. There had been one or two meetings of residents in Grafton district, at which there was a consensus of opinion in favour of a traffic bridge.

The Hon. W. Beehan said the Mayor was well cognisant of the district's wants. For 30 years, to the speaker's knowledge, people had been agitating for something to relieve Khyber Pass oi its heavy traffic. The only outlet of the city had two lines of tram rails, and accidents happened frequently. W-hen the traffic was particularly congested, as on fete days, it was- dangerous to life and limb to travel in Khyber Pass. A I properly constructed traffic bridge over Cemetery Gully would relieve SymondsisVreet and Khyber Pass, and also prof vide a decent road to the hospital, which often meant a great deal when patients I were being taken theTe for treatment. Under present conditions there was ; really no access to the Domain Cricket Ground, and from a business point of view there was no access to Karanga-hape-road, -which "was a rising thoroughfare, with great business and traffic. He believed a traffic bridge would give such an accession to industry and relief to Khyber Pass that it would pay handsomely. It would be simply wasting money to put up another footbridge. Ratepayers in Auckland were, he added, somewhat impatient of taxation, but if such a gully existed in Wellington it' would have been bridged in three places. Be knew of two robberies which had not been published, and was afraid that the gully, with its native bush, lent itself to crime of that description. The bill giving power to construct a bridge through tbe cemetery was passed byParliament without a dissentient voice, though the Legislature wonld not tion disturbing the dead unless it was considered to result in great public benefit.

Mr. T. Prosser, speaking for the Ka-rangahape-road business people, stated that they were under a serious disadvantage in that their customers who j would possibly visit their shops found it impossible, or very inconvenient, to do so. The Symonds-street end of Ka--1 rangahape-road was very much like a blind thoroughfare in consequence of the incjonvenience of getting tto •Grafton'road. Karangahape-road was rapidly improving, and the bridge would add considerably to its progress.

Mr. Graves Aiekin urged that the question should be lifted altogether out of the idea of mere local -requirements. While the residents', of Grafton, were entitled to proper communication with the rest of* the city, there was a far more important matter.'-which- was- that "the city as a whole should have better communication with the eastern side of the district. A traffic bridge across the gully -would make at least ten minutes' difference to persons driving to Epsom and Remuera, as compared with the Khyber Pass and Parnell routes.

Mr. J. Lawry spoke of the congested state of Khyber Pass, which he believed would warrant the Council undertaking a. -widening scheme, unless a traffic bridge was constructed across Cemetery Gully. With trams coming down and slow carts going up, drivers of lighter vehicles had frequently to stop while going through Khyber Pass to avoid an accident. He thought it would be an economy to erect the traffic bridge at the present time.

Mr. j. Patterson suggested that the Auckland Electric Tramway Company would contribute towards the erection of a traffic bridge, because large crowds visited the Domain at least twice a week. "If we don't get the whole loaf," he concluded, "let's"have the crumbs," but this sentiment met with a hearty chorus of "No, no."

Mr. J. Buchanan, another Karanga-hape-road business man, pointed out that a traffic bridge across the gully would enable the public to have a level drive from Archill and Ponsonby to the Remuera side of the district.

Mr. Thomas King, of Ponsonby-road, stated that a good many Ponsonby residents would not attend gatherings in the Domain because of the inconvenient approach.

Replying to the speakers, the Mayor expressed gratification at a display of interest in a municipal question, in view of the apathy which usually existed in Auckland in connection with municipal and general subjects. The movement for the construction of a traffic bridge had always received his sympathy, and the first thing he did upon taking office was to see that proper legislation was passed giving the Council the necessary powers r.nd to put before the citizens at the earliest opportunity the advisability of placing a bridge across the Cemetery Gully. As soon as legislation had been passed, the Council decided to put the matter to the ratepayers. In view of the fact that some people who had not studied the question considered that the expenditure on money on a traffic bridge would be too great, the Council, recognising the urgent necessity of providing communication by placing before the ratepayers an alternative in the way of a footbridge. Be believed, however, that the time had arrived when there should ba a traffic bridge or nothing at all. (Hear, hear.) The city had grown out of babyhood and attained its majority, i They had only to look at the scheme adopted by the Harbour Board to see what that part of the city would be like in a few years. He regretted to think that there was a part of the city within a few minutes of Queenstreet where it was not safe to walk in the daylight: There was no doubt that the Tramway Company would contribute an amount sufficient to strengthen the bridge, enabling it to bear the tram traffic, but that was. a secondary consideration altogether and must not be allowed to delay the scheme. He saw that it would take a larger sum in compensation if Khyber Pas 3 was" widened I than it would cost to erect the bridge over the gully. In conclusion, the Mayor said the Council had done all it could, and it remained for the ratepayers to decide tho matter upon May 9th, when a poll would be taken on the loan prst-,<

posahv. Notwithstanding the; amounts proposed to be expended; upon the parks, tbe destraetor and the electric light, he -would be able to state that all these Works could be completed without in4TPfwi"g the rates. (Applause.) A vote of thanks to the Mayor aad <Sty Council for their action in connection with the proposed bridge washeartily adopted before the members of the deputation withdrew. ' - 1