IN DESPERATE HASTE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 72, 25 March 1915, Page 6

IN DESPERATE HASTE.

j WITHOUT GOOD REASON. I DESTROYING CAMPBELL'S POINT. ' NO MONEY FOR GOVERNMENT SCHEME. At the present rate of progress, Campbell's Point, one of the best known landmarks in the Waitemata, will have completely disappeared within the next few weeks. A gang of 30 men is now engaged tearing the Point down at the rate of some 200 tons per day. The work of destruction is surprisingly easy, and may be taken as an indication of how simple an engineering undertaking it would 'be to drive a tunnel through. The sandstone seems to come down without any serious effort. A charge of gelignite at the water level topples down hundreds of tons, and men working on the upper surface, with pick and crowbar, dislodge large quantities of earth at every stroke. Already the western face of Campbell's Point compares with those sad disfigurements, the clay banks behind the dock at Calliope, and behind the reclamation area at Mechanic's Bay. WHY THE HURRY? And those whose passings to and fro bring the work of demolition daily in sight, naturally ask: "Why this haste?" It would seem to be part of the Harbour Board policy. An agitation commenced Tccently in regard to the proposed destruction of the graving dock. Present experience proves the wisdom of that agitation. The patent slipway, wb'ch was to have accommodated vessels up to GOO tons, is of no use, and even small vessels, of 150 tons, must wait their turn, and go into the big dock at Calliope. When the agitation started, however, the Harbour Board took time by the forelock, and had the graving dock pulled to pieces a few hours after a public meeting had been held. The same thing has happened in regard to the waterfront railway. No soomer was it announced that a petition was in circulation than the first charge of dynamite was put into Campbell's Point, with the Tesult that about a third' of the point has now disappeared into the sea. And the reason for the hurry? Presumably no one knows. That the Government will go ahead with the waterfront scheme for many a long day is out of the question. The scheme involves the expenditure of 2) millions, and while the war lasts there is not much likelihood of the Government attempting to spend that sum in Auckland, particularly when work on the Ohura railway tunnel, the North Auck-land-Kirikopuni line, and other northern undertakings,is almost at a standstill. DOES THE PUBLIC REALISE IT? The Minister for Finance, in the course of a public statement yesterday, emphasised the difficulty of raising loan money just now, and the Auckland waterfront railway is hardly likely to figure in the Government's list of public works for immediate consideration. A year ago the Auckland public was stirred over the possibility of the destruction of Campbell's Point, but was lulled into a sense of security when the Mayor announced that to wreck a fine beachfront, or destroy a beautiful mountain, was too dear a price to pay nowadays for any utilitarian scheme, and further declared that it was quite unnecessary that Campbell's Point should be demolished, as the City' Engineer agreed with him that a new outlet could much more easily bend round the point than pass through it. Despite assurances and protests, however, the work of destruction proceeds apace, and within a very little while all that will be left of Campbell's Point will be a steep bank, 70ft high, within a chain and a half of tne famous Kilbryde residence. FINANCIAL MAN'S OPINION. The matter was. this morning referred to by a prominent city financial man. "The need for hurry in this matter," he said, "ig exceedingly difficult to understand. The Railway Department i&not likely to go ahead with its part of the scheme for a considerable time to come. The Hon. Mr. Allen, speaking at Gisborne yesterday, indicated that money is only now procurable at £4 17/6 per cent, that we will want £3,000,000 for a war loan, that the railway revenue will fall off by £100,000, and that the Customs deficiency will run into £200,000 or £300,000. " Under these circumstances it is likely that the Government will avoid new works, and minimise loan operations as much as possible. It is indeed difficult to understand why tbe Harbour Board should be in such a hurry to tear down Campbell's point." ■ !