GREY LYNN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 303, 19 December 1912, Page 6

GREY LYNN.

A PBOGBJESSIVE SUBTTBB. iIIISTJCnPAL EXTE K PKISES. Grey Lynn borough has made remarkable strides -wit-in the laet few years. The population has had a vejry large increase, and the desmand for house property has led to the erection of a great many new buildings. With a view obtaining particulars relative to the borough's advanceanent, a "Star' reiporter made some inquiries today. This borough covers an area of 900 acres. In a great measure, it is a workingman's suburb, and there is ample scope for the erection of workers' houses. At present S5 per cent ot" the residents own their own homes. A large are_. adjoins the domain, and this is rapidly being built over. Mr. Warren, Town Clerk, stated that 170 building permits had bejen applied for within the last thre» -months—a number which he thought "was greater than that in any other suburb." Since the removal of the abattoirs to Westfield, 74 acres of land have fallen into the hands of the City (3oancil. Mr. Warren remarked that this land, with a frontage to Wellesley Road, w_s suitable for subdivision, but for the present the Council was paying ratM amounting to £196 a year on the property. Other areas in the borough were suitable for cutting up into section*. The borough's standard of rc_ding conditions did not appeal to property owners at present, and subdivision in these areas might be deferred accordingly. The population ie 5,500, an increase (counting four to a family) of 1380 in S months. At Western Springs, 60 tons of road metal per diem are being produced, and a great saving in road construction is being effected thereby. The borough has purchaeejd a new steam-roller, which i«a doing excellent service. Visitors to the borough cannot fail to notice the excellent kerning and channelling in the main street- and thoroughfares. These kerbi are fashioned of concrete by a process devised by the borough engineer, Mr. H. M. Wilson. The work of turning out thi concrete is under the control of the borough foreman of works, Mr. C. J. Oaig. Grey Lynn folk set great store by their domain. Mr. Warren stated that in the area abutting upon it sections to the value of £16,000 had been sold. As regards the domain itself, it is intended to build a public tennis court, and other parts will be devoted to a cricket ground, and for drilling boy scouts -nd cadets. In conclusion, the Town Clerk said that an application was to be made to Parliament, which, if granted, would, he thought, materially reduce the borough rates. This would involve a change in the present method of rating by the acre to rating by section. Money would be saved to the individual ratepayer from the fact that the -incidence of the rating would fall upon a larger number of people.