DEVONPORT'S ADVANCEMENT

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 304, 20 December 1912, Page 5

DEVONPORT'S ADVANCEMENT

A TEAR'S PROGRESS. E__X*___**TC'AT_o_*f MOOTED. The Town Clerk of the Borough o7 Devonport (Mr. J. W__n) reports satisfactory progress for the past year. '"Our population.' said Mr. Wilson, when interviewed by & "Star" reporter to-day, "has increased from 7,043 to 7.650. new dwelling_o_se_ to the number of 4- have been erected at a cost of £—5.900, shop er__t_o_ ___ -been proceeding apace, and £17,5-- have been absorbed in their cons-ruc_U__. This it-em includes the cost of a new picture hall in Victoria Road, which cost £8,000, and can seat 1.000 people at a time. The total money e_p_wLrt_-e for the year ia about £43,400.'' Discussing the -_r-_g_-_. finances. Mr. Wilson said that the ratepayers bad authorised the borrowing of £40JMX), to be spent mainly on street improvement-, the sum of £1.200 to be anocated for the construction of a new kiosk in Cheltenham Road. The kiosk is to be a thoroughly up-to-date building, in the bungalow fashion, with bathing accommodation for both sexes. A tender has been accepted, and the work is being pushed on with. That portion of the borough known as Narrow Neck is being rapidly built over. The view from the "Neck*' is unsurpassed in Auckland, -while the beach at its foot is an ideal one for bathing. The municipal a___ori_ie_ have no intention of allowing their reserves to be encroached upon, for, in an area of just a square mile _00 acras have been permanently reserved. In one sense the C-_n_tl is marking time, awaiting the report of the City Electrical Engineer (Mr. Wylie) upon three tenders for the supply of electricity for all purposes, kicladrng traction. ■Mr". Wylie's report may he forthcoming at anv'time now, and upon its rece-ptiop. an extraordinary meeting of the Council will be held to discuss it. The maui point to be decided is wh__e. the electrification shall be the work of private enterprise or of the ___k-pality. As t» the adoption of some scheme of electrification in the near fa-ore there is little doubt. Naturally, DCTonport ratepayers are awaiting farther developments with very great mterest.