THE WATERFRONT RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 69, 22 March 1915, Page 4

THE WATERFRONT RAILWAY.

We arc not surprised that those who arc advocating the ruthless defacement' and destruction of the beautiful Waitemata waterfront on t_e plea oi public necessity, are now accusing us of fighting against the public intertut and obstructing the- natural development of the city. Tactics of this kind are the. usual resort of those who feel the weakrrare of their case, but refuse to face ! unpleasant facts. We need hardly point out that we are in no way hostile to any reasonable and legitimate scheme of urban improvement, so long as we are convinced that it will secure for us all the maximum of benefit and the minimum of disadvantage or loss. The point at issue is not whether the main features of Mr. Hiley's scheme should be carried out — that has been generally accepted-—but whether the scheme can be modified in such a way as to give Auckland all that it requires in the way of increased railway accommodation without necessitating any irreparabl_*-*W}frjy< "to"-'"tne" natural.beauty of tlie .city. and. its surroundings. To accuse lis of obstructing Auckland's progress on these-grounds is illogical and. absurd. But..we quite realise that Mr. Parr and other prominent citizens, who n few months ago were zealously defending Campbell's Point against the ooh«m_ -of spoliation proposed by. the Harbour Board, now feel the awkwardness of tholr position. We arc now invited to contemplate the pleasing spectacle of a new Campbell's Point reduced to perhaps haJf its present sire, and "improved" by an ingenious nystem of .land-s-rape gardening. We Juve no doubt of Mr. iYxreon. ability in this direction; but has it ever occurred to oirr opponents that this bold headland, in its natural state, is much more beautiful than it could ever be if it wore cut in two and turned into a trim and demure replica _f Albert Park? As regardß the possibility of reclaming Hobson ' Bay wihen it is once blocked off by the projected railway, wo may point out that the enormous area of the bay, which exceeds five hundred acres, would make this impracticable; wJiile if the proposed line were carried through the •Hill to a point nea." the entrance of the sewer into the bay, thus leaving the | waterfront intact, the comparatively email area inside could eaeily converted into, a public • recreation ground j or bo used for railway purposes. I The main argument in support of Mt. HOeyls scheme seems to -be _ha!_ amy tunnel on the route- hitherto suggested wouW reduce _he space Tequircd for sidings, sheds, and -railway accommodation generally in Medhairic-' Bay. But Mt. Hiley also admits that the ground made available few these purposCß on the reclaimed area in Mechanics' Bay wiU not be sufficient for an indefinite time, and in a few yeaTs we will need to lookfart hex afield. This shrike- ub as very interesting; for it suggests at once that ob Meohrinics' Bay is only a temporary stop-gap, there is no reason why tlie Railway Department should not face the situation boldly now, aud make provision for all its requirements in Hobson Bay or at some point even further from, the city, where plenty of space can bo found. If Mr. Hiley's scheme is carried out on the proposed lines, it i seems, -we will lose Campbell's Point and Judge's Bay and the eastern foreshore, only to find in a very few years that i the sacrifice.has bee- made.in vain.and that.-the IJepartme.nt to reconstruct' our railway sheas and sidings and engine houses somewhere else. I Mr. Parr is president of 4rhe~To^nr--