IMPROVING VINCENT ROAD.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 68, 20 March 1916, Page 6

IMPROVING VINCENT ROAD.

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. THIRD DAY'S SITTING. I ' | Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., resumed at the ! Magistrates Court this morning his inj quirv into the proposal to tasc certain I land* from Mrs. T. Cotter, for the pur--1 pcse of improving Vincent Road, ReI muera. Mr.' J. Stanton appeared on bei half of the City Council, Mr. A. Hanna represented Mrs. Cottej, and Mr. M. 11. Wynyard for Mrs. Pritt. H. H. Metcalfe, C.E., was the first witness called. He stated he had 45 years' experience in his profession. He had a. good deal to do with laying out roads. He had inspected Vincent Road, and studied the plan submitted by the City Engineer for the straightening and diverting of Vincent Road. The alternative scheme submitted would, for practical purposes, remove any element tf danger to traffic. He did not like the City Engineer's scheme because it came in to Rcmuera Road at an acute angle against the direction of the traffic. The | road wa3 more acute as it stood at present. He thought he could suggest a I scheme which, in his opinion, was better I than that proposed by the City Engineer. Witness produced a plan showing his scheme, which took a certain portion oil | Mrs. I'ritt's property. He said he considered that would make very little difference. It would take about 31' feet ulf the present corner of that property, and reduce about half the area to be taken ! off Mrs. Cotter's. Mr. Kettle said his business was to find out whether the scheme proposed was a reasonable and propar one. Mr. Hanna: And does not cause undu-; hardship. Witness said his scheme would inflict I the least hardship to anyone. He considered C'lonbern Road better than Yin- j cent Road for going to and from tbs | racecourse. I In answer to Mr. Kettle witness said i the proposed scheme of the City Engineer could, in his opinion, be improved., He would not say the scheme was " un-; reasonable and improper," but he would say it took too much land off Mr**, j Cotter's property. He considered Mr. Bush's seiiemc took more ground than was needed to improve Vincent Road. He realised it was quite necessary to 1 divert and straighten Vincent Road. The scheme of Mr. Bush's would undoubtedly '■ improve Vincent Road, hut it took mow : land than was really required from Mrs. Cotter. * ! By Mr. Stanton: Witness did not know! whether his own proposal would be ap- i proved by property owners affected. His ! own scheme would still destroy the marcrocarpa hedge on Mrs. Cotter's pro-' perty. and run through the shed at the tennis eotirt. Ho thought his scheme was the best way. A CLERICAL OPINION. Rev M". Beatty eaid Vincent Road if altered as proposed, would still have a 'sharp angle lower down. In his opinion under existing circumstances, this . proI P ? SC< L. straightening and ' diverting (01 Vincent Road was quite un- , necessary. There was an amount or rcctlcea driving on race days. As a utizen he objected to public mbnev bcin" expended, and private interests" inter' I fered with; simply to make it possible lor people to»mdulge in reckless drivin" lhc Remuera Road was exceedingly dangerous at Mt. Hobson. and the money could be much better expended in widening it at that point. Jn his opinion, if the City Council rigorously enforced its by-laws, Vincent Road would be safe enough for traffic. If the corner was rounded off, it would of course be better for traffic. If Mrs. Cotter's offer was accepted, and a little land taken at Mrs. Pritt's corner, the road could be rounded of! without serious damage to private in terests. EX-MAYOR'S VIEWS. C. J. Parr, JLP., late Mayor of Auckland, stated he resided in' Remuera for the last eight or nine years. When alterations were suggested to Vincent Road during his term of office, Mr*. Pritt's corner was the only difficulty which confronted the Council at that time. No suggestion was made then that land should be taken from Mrs. Cotter for the purpose of improving Vincent Road. Had the present scheme been submitted to him when Mayor, he J would not have approved of it. He did 1 r-ot consider what was proposed, was really necessary. The angle at Mrs. | Pritt's property was undoubtedly, a nasty one, and required rounding off. By Mr. Kettle: Witness considered an unreasonable and unnecessary area of land was being taken from Mrs. Cotter, under the scheme proposed by the City Engineer. He thought if the scheme was carried out, it would cause undue hardship to Mts. Cotter. By Mr. Stanton: Witness said he did not like the angle in Mr. Rush's scheme He would sooner have the curve he suggested. He preferred a road with a nice curve rather than a sharp angle. In answer to Mr. Wynyard, witness said the City Council should be capable of saving what would be the future requirements of Vincent Road. John Hughlins Jackson, land a°ent gave evidence that pedestrian traffic was very large in Vincent Road on race days. ->He. did not think it should be used for vehicular traffic on race days at all, as it was blocked by the tram "care. The attendance at race meetings must increase with the increase in the population. He considered the scheme proposed would spoil the beauty of Vincent Road. He admitted a straight street was better than a crooked one, but did not consider the work suggested was required in Vincent Road. He considered it would be a waste of money. The inquiry is proceeding."